Australian Shelley wins men’s marathon
29 July 2014 5:15 AM IST
Australian Michael Shelley produced a stunning final 8km to trump a favoured east African field and claim gold in the men’s marathon at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday. Shelley, who finished 16th in the London Olympics, clocked a personal best of 2hr 11min 15sec on the largely flat course around the streets of Glasgow, to better his silver-medal showing in Delhi four years ago.
Kenya’s Stephen Chemlany, a pacemaker for compatriot Patrick Makau’s world record run in the Berlin marathon last year when he went on to finish fourth in a personal best of 2:06.24, claimed silver in 2:11.58. Uganda’s Abraham Kiplimo, training partner of absent world and Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich, took bronze at 1:08 and was the dictator of the early pace. After a sedate opening 10km, Kiplimo upped the pace, glancing over his shoulder and accelerating away, taking with him teammates Philip Kiplimo and Munyo Mutai, and Tanzania’s Fabiano Naasi.
The sole Kenyan to stick with the breakaway group was defending champion John Eriku Kelai, although Chemlany worked his way back to the lead peloton shortly after.
Kenya’s Stephen Chemlany, a pacemaker for compatriot Patrick Makau’s world record run in the Berlin marathon last year when he went on to finish fourth in a personal best of 2:06.24, claimed silver in 2:11.58. Uganda’s Abraham Kiplimo, training partner of absent world and Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich, took bronze at 1:08 and was the dictator of the early pace. After a sedate opening 10km, Kiplimo upped the pace, glancing over his shoulder and accelerating away, taking with him teammates Philip Kiplimo and Munyo Mutai, and Tanzania’s Fabiano Naasi.
The sole Kenyan to stick with the breakaway group was defending champion John Eriku Kelai, although Chemlany worked his way back to the lead peloton shortly after.
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