While the men’s race was run at a slow and deliberate pace, the women’s race was run at intervals of torrid and slow. By the halfway point, the leading pack had been reduced to Florence Kiplagat, Edna Kiplagat, Valentine Kipketer, Purity Rionoripo and Yebrgual Melese.

It was defending champion Florence Kiplagat who made a move at the 30 km mark and no one had a response.
“I was feeling confident,” she said. “I told myself that if they were going to catch me they were going to have to catch me at the finish line.
“When I came here I wanted to win because I wanted to win this race twice in a row. It wasn’t easy, but I was confident.”

Flo Kiplagat is one of the most consistent marathoners having finished at the top three in six of the last seven marathons she has run in. She is also a former world cross country champion and former world half marathon champion.

Edna Kiplagat, a former world champion finished second.