Team Kenya marathoners blame heat after loss in Budapest

In Budapest

The poor performance by Kenya men’s marathon team sums up a disastrous outing by the country’s athletes in 42 kilometre races at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

As if taking cue from Kenya women’s marathon team that performed dismally at the championship on Saturday, the men’s team played second fiddle to opponents from Uganda and Ethiopia to miss out on the podium for the third straight edition of the biennial track and field championship.

On Sunday, Commonwealth Games champion, Victor Kiplangat, timed two hours, one minute and 52 seconds to win only the second world title for Uganda since Stephen Kiprotich in 2013.

Ethiopian-born Israeli, Maru Teferi, recovered from a fall earlier on in the race to beat Ethiopia’s Leul Gebresilase with 70 metres left to go to claim silver in 2:09:12.

Gebresilase took bronze in 2:09:19.

The best-placed Kenyan runner in the race was 2022 Milan Marathon champion, Titus Kipruto, who timed 2:10.47 to finish eighth, and Timothy Kiplagat wound up 14th in 2:11.25. The other Kenyan in the race, Joshua Belet, suffered an injury on the right leg at the 26th kilometre and dropped out of the race.

Afterwards, Kipruto spoke of the challenges he faced in the race.

“It was too hot here. I kept pace with the leading group made up of Ethiopians and Ugandans, but I started struggling in the hot weather and I slowed down to ensure I finish the race,” Kipruto told Nation Sport yesterday at Heroes Square in Budapest where the race was held.

“We planned to run as a team till the 35th kilometre mark then go for the kill, but the strategy did not work. At the 30km mark, it was everyone for himself,” the 25-year-old, who was competing at the world championships for the first time, said.

Defending champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia is among 25 runners who did not finish the race.

So underwhelming was Kenya’s performance in men’s race that new world champion Kiplangat admitted he did not envision any threat from the country’s athletes at the start.

“I was worried about Ethiopians in the race. I knew world champion Tola would pose a big threat, so I chose to stay with him at the front for long spells. My focus was to win gold here, and I thank God it has come to pass. I feel good to have reclaimed the title Kiprotich won for Uganda in 2013,” Kiplangat, who also won the Commonwealth Games marathon title last year in Birmingham, said.

“Discipline and focus has finally paid off for me. I am happy,” Kiplangat, who is the first non-Ethiopian winner since 2017, said.