Press Release - World Championships Men's Marathon - 8/17/13

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

       Uganda and Kenya Triumphs at IAAF World Championships Races

On the opening day of the IAAF World Championships on 10 August, Edna 
Kiplagat of Kenya successfully defended her marathon World Championship 
title in 2:25:44, making history as the first female marathon runner to 
retain back-to-back world titles. Valeria Straneo of Italy was second in 
2:25:58 while Kayoko Fukushi of Japan took third in 2:27:45. In sunny and 
hot weather conditions it was Straneo who took the lead until 40k when 
eventual winner Edna Kiplagat passed her having conserved energy during the 
early stages of the race. It was a tough race, with 23 DNFs. 

Kiplagat is now leading the World Marathon Majors leaderboard 2012/2013 
with Priscah Jeptoo just 5 points behind her. Rita Jeptoo is currently 
third with 40 points. If Kiplagat enters a fall marathon, she will have a 
good chance at winning the World Marathon Majors 2012/13 series. Priscah 
and Rita Jeptoo, however, will most likely compete in a fall race, which 
will change the leaderboard. All focus will be on the fall marathon season 
at the BMW BERLIN, Bank of America Chicago and ING New York City marathons 
for the naming the 7th World Marathon Majors Female Champion.
 
Decision on WMM crown in fall races

Uganda's Olympic champion, Stephen Kiprotich, won the men's marathon at the 
IAAF World Championships by pulling away late in the race, clocking 
2:09:51. 2013 Boston Marathon winner Lelisa Desisa (ETH) took second place 
in 2:10:12. Tadese Tola of Ethiopia came third, 32 seconds behind the World 
Champion. Tola, tried to break away early in the race, but couldn't 
withstand the late surge of the Kiprotich the Olympic Champion. Current 
World Marathon Majors 2012/13 series leader and 2013 London winner, Tsegaye 
Kebede, came fourth. No Kenyans were in the top five for the first time at 
the World Championships since 2005. 

Kebede's 65 points in the 2012-2013 WMM Series standings gives him a 
15-point lead over Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich. Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa is 
currently third with 40 points. The final standings for the year now 
depends of whether any of the top three of the WMM leaderboard are able to 
get additional points the fall races coming up. 

As for the women's race, the men's race title decision will be also made at 
the fall marathons. The fall race season will start with the BMW 
BERLIN-MARATHON on September 29th, then move on to the Bank of America 
Chicago Marathon on October 13th and the conclusion of the 2012/13 season 
will be at the ING New York City marathon on November 3rd. 

2012–2013 WMM Series Leaderboards 

Top 5 Men
1. Tsegaye Kebede     ETH 65 pts.
2. Stephen Kiprotich  UGA 50 pts.
3. Lelisa Desisa      ETH 40 pts.
4. Wilson Kipsang     KEN 36 pts.
5. Wesley Korir       KEN 27 pts.

Top 5 Women
1. Edna Kiplagat      KEN 55 pts.
2. Priscah Jeptoo     KEN 50 pts.
3. Rita Jeptoo        KEN 40 pts.
4. Sharon Cherop      KEN 35 pts.
5. Atsede Baysa       ETH 30 pts.

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