Kenyan pair dominate 2017 Paris marathon
Xinhua, April 9, 2017 Adjust font size:
Men's champion Paul Lonyangata of Kenya doubled his happieness as his wife Purity Rionoripo claimed the women's title in the 2017 Paris marathon here on Sunday.
Lonyangata won the men's event at two hours, six minutes and ten seconds, followed by his compatriots Stephen Chebogut and Solomon Yego on the pudium.
Around the 35km mark, Lonyangata began to pull away Chebogut, and held a 47-second margin when he crossed the finish line.
"I hope to win here, now I feel good," said Lonyangata, who made a step further from second position in the Paris half-marathon in March.
Lonyangata may be the happiest person in the 41st edition of the tournament when his wife Rionoripo won in the women's event with two hours, 20 minutes and 55 seconds, shattering previous record of 2:21:06 by Ethiopia's Feyse Tadese in 2013.
Rionoripo also improved her personal best by almost four minutes.
Another Kenyan runner Agnes Barsosio and Flomena Cheyech of Ethiopia finished second and third respectively.
"It was a great day for me as I improved on my personal best," commented Rionoripo. Endit