Kenyan Mr and Mrs win Paris marathons

Paul Lonyangata won the 41st Paris marathon on Sunday with his wife Purity Rionoripo tying up the women’s race to make it a memorable day out for the Kenyan couple in the French capital.

Lonyangata recorded his biggest career win in a time of two hours six minutes and 10 seconds despite losing valuable time when doubling back after missing the penultimate water station.

His compatriot, pre-race favourite Stephen Chebogut, came in second at 2hr 6min 56sec, with Solomon Yego completing the all-Kenyan podium in third at 2hr 7min 13sec.

“I feel good now as my aim was to come here to win,” said Lonyangata who was going one better after taking second in the Paris half-marathon in March.

With Paris bathed in spring sunshine Rionoripo made it a red letter day for the couple, the 23-year-old setting a new record time of 2hr 20min 50sec to smash her personal best by almost four minutes.

The couple’s success put a smile back on the face of Kenyan athletics 48 hours after the shock news of Olympic marathon champion Jemima Sumgong’s failed dope test.

Sumgong was the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold in the marathon when she triumphed in Rio last year.

The 32-year-old, who is also the reigning London Marathon champion, tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO in a test by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in her native Kenya.

Source: BBc