The World Marathon stars had an appointment in London for the London Marathon this Sunday, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event was reserved for the discipline’s elite with a limited route around Buckingham Palace and strengthened health measures.
as reported from London
Thunderbolt at London marathon: undefeated for seven years, EliudKipchogea broke at the end of the race and finished only eighth, the victory went to the Ethiopian ShuraKitata at the end of a Danish sprint.Kitatal ‘won in 2h05 min 41 sec ahead of Kenyan VincentKipchumba and his countryman SisayLemma.
The 24-year-old Ethiopian thus won his first major victory after collecting the places of honor: 2nd in London and New York in 2018, 4th in London and 5th in New York in 2019.
In women, the Kenyan Brigid Kosgei won the race for the second year in a row and retains the world record.
Special circumstances
For its 40th edition, the London Marathon could not have been more different: organized six months late, orphaned by its usual 45,000 participants and their crazy outfits without Big Ben, TowerBridge or even the tiniest ray of sunshine. hour of coronavirus that occurred in about twenty looping laps along St. James’s Market with an arrival under balconies in Buckingham Palace for the approximately one hundred professionals present.
The organizers were aware of the brandiness of this edition and the risks in the midst of a pandemic and insisted on strengthened security measures and on the “sanitary bubbles” created around the athletes and their support team.
Regularly tested before and during their stay in London, everyone was also required to wear a connected device around their neck that emits sound and light signals in case of non-compliance with distances. Nevertheless, the participants took it all off during the marathon that was held. run neck and neck.
.
