African stars shrug off wild weather to dominate Hong Kong Marathon
Worst conditions in history of the race, but that can’t prevent long-distance kings and queens of Kenya and Ethiopia from filling the podiums
The weather might have been unfamiliar, but one thing remained the same at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon as East African runners dominated.
The race, like most long-distance events around the world, has turned into a nice little cash cow – literally so in the case of competitors who turn their cheques into livestock – for athletes from Ethiopia and Kenya; four runners from the first country and two from the second stood on the podium this year.
Both men’s and women’s full marathons were decided by thrilling sprint finishes over the last 50 metres, following 42.145 kilometres or so in the cold, wind and wet: this was the event’s 20th anniversary edition, and seasoned observers agreed that it was by far the worst weather they’d ever seen.
Mike Kiprotich Mutai of Kenya took the men’s title in two hours, 12 minutes and 12 seconds, crossing the line a stride or two ahead of his countryman Lawrence Cherono (2:12:14). Third was the 2012 winner Feyera Gemeda of Ethiopia (2:12:20).
