David GOMBE
Victor Kiplangat failed to retain his World Marathon title at the ongoing 2025 Tokyo World Athletics championships in the early morning hours of Monday when he finished 15th in the race won by Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu.
Without the iconic duo of Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo who decided to put focus on their Marathon races due next month, Kiplangat was among those expected to deliver but missed out on a podium.
Kiplangat failed to produce his Budapest heroics over the 42Km race in the Japanese capital.
He was 15th in the time of 2:11:33 as he failed to join the likes of Abel Anton, Jaouad Gharib and Abel Kirui who are the three athletes to have won multiple World Marathon titles.
Abel Chelangat missed out on a podium finish after finishing fifth in a time of 2:10:11 while Solomon Mutai and Stephen Kissa didn’t finish the race.
Tanzania’s Simbu edged Germany’s Amanal Petros on the line to become the nation’s first athlete to clinch a world title in a time of 2:09:48. Italian Iliass Aouani finished third in 2:09:53 to win bronze.
The aura of expectation for Uganda shifts to Steeplechaser Peruth Chemutai who is seeking for a world title to add to her collection having won the 2020 Olympic title as well as silver at the Paris Olympics. She also has bronze at the Commonwealth games.
