The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Toronto Marathon: Sunday 3.30pm EAT
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s former Olympic and world marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich returns to action this weekend in Toronto, eager to improve his personal best time and also grab some overdue glory.
Kiprotich, the first Olympic champion to compete in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, and will have to run faster than his personal best of 2:06:33 to match or better two-time champion Philemon Rono’s record winning time of 2:06:52 set last year. Rono is his Kenyan-base training partner.
The two runners could actually push each other to a new record on October 21, which comes with a reward of $50,000 (sh142million).
“I was speaking with Rono and I asked him what is the course like,” told the IAAF in a recent interview. “He said the course is good and nice. I was telling him if we go fast and run the first half in 63 minutes, we can push at the end to 2:05. He told me it is possible.”
Kiprotich came 5th in 2:07:57, in his most recent race, t the 2018 Haspa Hamburg Marathon in Germany in April.
“I have had a good rest since my last Marathon in April and the body is really responding well. I am now much faster in my times and the endurance levels is also high,” he told KweséESPN in another interview.
Elite start lists for Sunday’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. https://t.co/LuW1EvBxtc #stwm #TeamNB pic.twitter.com/wZXEhcPoDx
— Reid Coolsaet (@ReidCoolsaet) October 17, 2018
Stephen Kiprotich became a Ugandan national hero when he won the 2012 Olympic marathon, becoming only that country’s second Olympic champion in history. A year later he won the 2013 IAAF World Championship marathon in Moscow’s searing heat.
But for all his outstanding performances he wants to reduce his personal best time (2:06:33). He trains in Kenya with current Olympic champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge and Philemon Rono. Despite his remarkable record, he is still only 29.
“I have the two medals but also I want to run a faster time than 2:05,” he told IAAF. “Most of the people they look at my times and they ask me how did you win these two medals in poor times? So it is my hope to run a good time before I retire.”
PRIZES
All amounts in Canadian dollars.
1st — $30,000
2nd — $15,000
3rd — $10,000
4th — $6,000
5th — $4,000
6th — $2,000
Plus, for winners only:
Men:
Course & Canadian All comers record [sub 2:06:52] = C$40,000
IF new time is sub 2:06:30, add an additional C$10,000 for a total C$50,000 prize.
Women:
Course record [sub 2:22:43] = C$40,000.
Canadian All-comers Record [sub 2:22:17], add an additional C$10,000 for a C$50,000 prize.
