Shura Kitata stunned Eliud Kipchoge to win the London Marathon around a sodden St James's Park. As many as 45,000 people are still taking part in the rearranged event by running their own 26.2-mile route. However, Kenya's Kipchoge missed out on a fifth title as Ethiopian Kitata was triumphant in the men's race in a time of 2:05:41, one second ahead of Vincent Kipchumba. Kipchoge dropped off the pace at
Prince Harry has offered his support to those taking on the London Marathon with the annual race taking place in an unusual manner. Originally scheduled for April, the contest will take place today in the capital with only elite athletes running through the streets of London. The Duke of Sussex, who is also patron of the London Marathon Charitable Trust, wished people good luck. He also thanks participants for offering
“This race was so important to me. My time in Berlin last year gave me great confidence and motivation. “I am sorry to disappoint my fans, the organisers and my fellow competitors. “I will take time to recover and become fit again and I hope to be back in London next year.” Bekele admitted this week that he suffered problems while attempting to run in the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly
Russia’s suspended athletics federation (RusAF) has been granted a six-month extension to finalise its reinstatement plan before World Athletics decides on potential fresh sanctions or even expulsion, the sport’s global governing body said on Saturday. RusAF was suspended in 2015 after a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found evidence of mass doping among track and field athletes. The World Athletics Council said it approved a recommendation from
Tatiana Grigorieva is the Arthur Morris of the track, the Grant Hackett of athletics. Like those great athletes, her moment was overshadowed by the significance of history being made around her. Morris was batting with Bradman when he played his last innings. Bradman famously made a duck that day; Morris less famously made 196. Hackett was a generational champion whose timing was such that he coincided with the greatness of
If the spirit of the Olympics counts for anything, and if Australia is as big-hearted as it imagines itself to be, one of the ceremonies of this 20th anniversary celebration of the Sydney Games should be an apology to Marie-Jose Perec. You remember her. She was the elegant French runner from Guadeloupe who had won the 400 metres at the previous two Olympic Games, beating our Cathy into second in
Lamine Diack, the former president of athletics’ governing body, has been sentenced to at least two years in prison and fined €500,000 (£457,000) after being found guilty of corruption by the French courts. Diack has been convicted of accepting bribes from athletes suspected of doping to cover up test results and allow them to compete, including at the 2012 London Olympic Games and 2013 Moscow World Championships. During his
Switzerland's top court has ruled against two-time Olympic champion Caster Semenya, dismissing her appeal of a 2019 ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that upheld a rule established by the IAAF, track and field's governing body, affecting female runners who produce testosterone at levels higher than other women. The ruling likely ends Semenya's chance of defending her 2016 800m Olympic gold medal, as she has repeatedly said she
Christian Malcolm has won the support of Britain’s golden girls after bagging the top coaching job in athletics. World champions Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson were amongst the first to welcome the appointment of British athletics’ first black head coach. “New era,” tweeted Asher-Smith, before Johnson-Thompson went further to explain why the 41-year-old former sprinter’s appointment is so important. Speaking in Brussels, where she competes in two events at today’s
Christian Malcolm spoke of a “new start” for athletics in Britain after being appointed head coach of the Olympic programme. The Welsh-born former world and European sprint medalist believes there is a “new energy and drive” in British Athletics after a troubled time for the organisation under previous management. “Words can’t describe how excited I am to have the opportunity to take this role on and be part of a
