Tokyo: Kenya’s double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge said “not every day is Christmas” after his Paris Games preparations hit a snag with a 10th-place finish at Sunday’s Tokyo Marathon behind winner Benson Kipruto.
The 39-year-old Kipchoge faded badly at around the 20-kilometre (12-mile) mark and crossed the line in 2hr 6min 50sec.
Kenya’s Kipruto won in a course-record 2:02:16 ahead of countrymen Timothy Kiplagat (2:02:55) and Vincent Ngetich (2:04:18).
The race was taking place less than a month after world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum died when his car crashed into a tree in Kenya.
Kipchoge will attempt to win his third straight Olympic marathon gold later this year and he said it was “too early to say” what shape he will be in at the Paris Games.
Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede won the women’s race in 2hr 15min 55sec, ahead of Kenya’s defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru (2:16:14) and Ethiopia’s world champion Amane Beriso Shankule (2:16:58).
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands was fourth after clocking 2:18:05. Agencies
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