Kebede wins London Marathon

Tsegaye Kebede said he had nothing to prove to the Ethiopian Olympic Committee after winning the London Marathon on Sunday in a time of 2:06:04.

Kebede was omitted from Ethiopia’s Olympic squad for London 2012 and since then has won the Chicago Marathon and now London.

“Many athletes run 2 (hours) 4 (minutes) because of that they (the Ethiopian Olympic Committee) selected them,” Kebede told reporters at a news conference after Sunday’s win.

“It’s no problem. I know how I’ll show my talents,” he said, adding that he is now aiming to compete at the World Championships later this year.

“I’m looking like Olympic (form) so I’m happy. Maybe I think I’ll run in the World Championships,” he added.

In the women’s elite race, Kenya’s Priscah Jeptoo won in a time of 2:20:15, finishing 77 seconds ahead of her compatriot Edna Kiplagat.

Jeptoo was one second short of equalling her personal best, but she was content with her performance.

“Today I’m very happy because I am now the winner this year (in) London,” she said. “I knew I was strong because I have done a good training so I was having a feeling that I can do it.”

Wearing a black ribbon on her tracksuit top, American Tatyana McFadden dedicated her victory in the women’s wheelchair race to the people of Boston.

McFadden won the Boston Marathon six days ago and was back in her hotel in the city when the two bombs near the finish line exploded killing three people and wounding more than 170.

A 30-second silence was held before the start of the elite men’s and mass race to honour the victims of Boston.

Competitors were provided with black ribbons to wear on their racing kit in memory of the Boston victims and London  Marathon organisers were donating two pounds ($US 3.05) per finisher to the One Fund Boston set up to raise money for the victims.

They hoped to raise at least 70,000 pounds.

“The race is definitely dedicated to Boston and we had huge support from London which was amazing,” McFadden, celebrating her 24th birthday, told a news conference.

“I think that support definitely carried athletes through the entire race which was phenomenal and even London donating two pounds for every finisher to  Boston. Just the support that we’re getting around the world means a lot especially back in Boston and to the athletes.”

It was McFadden’s first victory in London and it capped off a successful week.

“I knew this race was going to be very tough and it was going to come to a sprint finish but I’m extremely excited to finally win my first London; everything went perfectly.”

In the men’s wheelchair race, Australia’s Kurt Fearney won in a time of 1:31:29 with seven people finishing within the next four seconds.

“I didn’t see myself winning that race until the last 10 metres,” Fearney said. “I hid a lot from the guys. I think that in the (Olympic) Games I spent a lot of time out front and it taxed me a little and this time it was just about conserving and hiding amongst that big pack and taking the opportunity when it came to me in the last few hundred (metres).”

Undaunted by the bombings but amid increased security, the crowds were out in force enjoying the sun and the spectacle of 36,000 runners, many in fancy dress, taking on the 42.195-km course.