Missed weeks of training cost Kiplangat in Tokyo

Unless there are some unforeseen circumstances, Victor Kiplangat will be a part of a three-man team which will represent Uganda in the men’s marathon final during the Paris Olympics in France come August.

The world and Commonwealth marathon champion is still top of that qualifying list despite having a tough outing on his World Marathon Major (WMM) debut.

For the first time in his 42km career, Kiplangat took a finish outside the top five places following a challenging outing during the Tokyo Marathon in Japan on Sunday.

“It was tough in the last 6km,” Kiplangat told this paper after posting a time of two hours, seven minutes and 44 seconds.

“But, I have had to struggle until I finished. The weather was not bad,” added the brave runner. On another day in another city, Kiplangat’s time can win the race.

He certainly could have fashioned a customary top-10 performance but, sickness which interrupted his build-up to Tokyo, came to the fore.

“This was his level, because of his sickness and injury,” stated Kiplangat’s coach Addy Ruiter. “Missing too many weeks of good preparation,” the Dutch man added.

But being a WMM as well as an event early in the year - some good five months away from the Paris Games, Tokyo invited the crème de la crème of marathon running including the greatest marathoner in time - Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya.

Kipchoge’s presence spins an impact on city marathon fields and inevitably produces pretty fast races. In Tokyo, he didn’t have a usual outstanding day but instead, his younger compatriots Benson Kipruto, Timothy Kiplagat and Vincent Kipkemoi controlled the final stages on the sunny morning.

Kipruto and Kiplagat exchanged the lead in the final 7km before the former set a new course record in a time of 2:02:16.

Kiplagat meanwhile had contemplated quitting the trip to Tokyo following the death of his training partner Kelvin Kiptum in a road accident last month. But, he was convinced and delivered a second-place finish in 2:02:55 whereas Kipkemoi clocked 2:04:18 for third place.

Behind the trio, a sizable group comprising Kipchoge, who eventually finished 10th, and Kiplangat, had kept together from around the 25km mark only to disintegrate in the last 3km.

Kiplangat is still optimistic about Paris. “I did my best. It was God’s will alone. My encouragement to everyone else is to keep the courage and faith,” he added in an online status post.

Uganda has one Olympic marathon in history: the gold won by Stephen Kiprotich on the streets of London on the beautiful Sunday of August 12, 2012.

2024 TOKYO MARATHON

MEN’S 42KM RESULT

1 Benson Kipruto (KEN)        2:02:16
2 Timothy Kiplagat (KEN)     2:02:55
3 Vincent Kipkemoi (KEN)    2:04:18
10 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)      2:06:50

15 Victor Kiplangat (UGA)  2:07:44

ROAD TO PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS - UGANDAN MARATHONERS

1 Victor Kiplangat (Osaka Marathon, 2nd, 2:06:03 on Feb 26, 2023)

2 Stephen Kissa (Osaka Marathon, 2nd, 2:06:22, Feb 25, 2024)

3 Andrew Kwemoi (Milan Marathon, 1st, 2:07:14 on Apr 2, 2023)

4 Solomon Mutai (Venice Marathon, 1st, 2:07:41, Oct 22, 2023)

Entry Standard: 2:08:10, Qualifying window: Nov 1, 2022 - Apr 30, 2024

KIPLANGAT AT A GLANCE

Full Name: Victor Kiplangat

Date of birth: Nov 10, 1999

Major Events: Half-Marathon, Marathon

Personal Bests: 59:26 (21km), 2:05:09 (42km)

Coach: Addy Ruiter

Manager: Jurrie van der Velden

KIPLANGAT’S MARATHON CAREER

Nov 7, 2021: Istanbul Marathon, 1st (2:10:18)

Apr 24, 2022: Hamburg Marathon, 4th (2:05:09)

Jul 30, 2022: XXII Commonwealth Games, 1st (2:10:55)

Feb 26, 2023: Osaka Marathon, 2nd (2:06:03)

Aug 27, 2023: Budapest World Champs, 1st (2:08.53)

Mar 3, 2024: Tokyo Marathon, 15th (2:07:44)