The aptly-named Victor Kiplangat of Uganda, Commonwealth marathon champion last year, became World Athletics Championships men’s marathon champion on Saturday – and set his sights on an Olympic gold in Paris next year.
The 23-year-old, who won his title in Birmingham last summer despite taking a wrong turn close to the end of the course was in no doubt about his personal trajectory after this impressively controlled victory on the baking streets of the Hungarian capital, Budapest, in a finishing time of 2 hours 8min 53sec.
“This has been my dream and it has come true at last,” Kiplangat said after crossing the line in Heroes’ Square 19 seconds clear of the fast-finishing Israeli runner, Maru Teferi, who overtook the flagging Ethiopian, Leul Gebresilase, on the orange carpet just 50 metres ahead of the finishing line.
“Last year I was Commonwealth Games champion and that made me think this year I must become world champion.
“Now my prayers have been answered and hopefully next year in Paris I will become Olympic champion too.
“It was hard today because it was so hot but I felt comfortable because I prepared well for this weather. I knew it was possible because I had trained well.
Other notable runners were less comfortable in the conditions, including Ethiopia’s defending champion,Tamirat Tola, who was in bronze medal position with just five kilometres remaining before being overtaken by Teferi, who dropped out before the 39km marker.
Teferi’s fast-finishing was all the more remarkable for the fact that he had fallen heavily as the field entered its third and final 10km loop. If anything, however, the mishap seemed to galvanise him to his medal-winning effort.
“I tried to do my best in this hot weather and I am glad I managed to finish with the silver,” said the 31-year-old, who was born in Ethiopia to a family of Ethiopian-Jewish background and immigrated with them to Israel when he was 14. –Insidethegames
