TOKYO, Japan, Sept 15 – Experienced road-runner Alphonse Simbu unleashed a kick of his lifetime with 10m to the tape to cross the line first in a photo finish time of 2:09.48 to clinch the men’s marathon title, handing Tanzania its first ever gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Monday morning.
Simbu, competing in his fifth World Athletics Championships, ran a calculative race to overcome the punishing elevation hot conditions that saw a massive 24 athletes drop off in the middle, including all the three Ethiopians; Tesfaye Deriba, Delesa Geleta, Tadese Takele, Kenyan Hillary Kipkoech and two Ugandans; Stephen Kisa and Solomon Mutai.
Simbu, 33, who maintained his pace in the better part of the race, snatched the victory at the line from German Amanal Petros who settled for the historic silver in 2:09:48 while Italian Ilias Aouani scooped bronze in 2:09:53.
Kenya’s chase for the title since Geoffrey Kirui won it in London 2017 continues, after Kennedy Kimutai finished 16th in 2:11:45 with compatriot Vincent Kipkemoi managing to come over 22nd .
Ugandan and defending champion Victor Kiplangat, who looked fit to retain his title, faded away in the 40th kilometer to finish 15th in a season’s best of 2:11:33.
It was a sweet victory for Simbu to remember after winning bronze at the 2017 London World Championships.
