Mumbai Marathon: Simbu's waiting game pays off

MUMBAI: Tanzanian Alphonce Felix Simbu played the waiting game to perfection. He rode through all the surges that Kenya's Joshua Kipkorir threw at him and with one km to go for the finish, left him for the dead to win the Mumbai Marathon in 2:09.32.
The humid weather did not allow the field to set a scorching pace and at one point in the race, a 2:09inish also did not look like a possibility. Simbu's time is the same that Jackson Kiprop clocked in 2013, which was the course record that year.Kipkorir finished 18 seconds behind Simbu to clock 2:09.50. Kenya's Eluid Barngetuny, who was seventh when the pacers went off the course at 30km mark, surged through the field to take the third spot.
The pace of the race was not ve ry hot at the start but it picked up when the runners exited the Bandra-Worli sealink. The pacers dragged the group of runners along as they crossed the half way point at little over 61 minutes.
But all action, as usual, happens when the pacers drop off and when the runners hit the Worli Sea Face for the second time. Six runners emerged in the lead and among them were Levy Matebo, Jacob Chesari, Simbu, Kipkorir and Bonsa Dida. It was quickly down to three as Chesari, Dida and Simbu kicked the pace and surged ahead of the others when the runners exited Worli Sea Face and headed past Poonam Chambers.
Simbu and Kipkorir then upped the pace further which saw Dida dropping off when they reached the base of the Peddar Road climb. Thereafter, Kipkorir threw several surges to shake off Simbu but the Tanzanian ran smartly, staying behind the Kenyan and avoiding the wind. When the two hit the final stretch, Simbu threw a challenge that Kipkorir was not able to respond to.
“It was a tough race with the pace changes, hills and the corners that were thrown into the course,” said Simbu. “It was a challenging race but I was ready for all the challenges,” said Simbu, who felt the humidity on race day and the slight headwind that the runners faced while exiting the Sea Link.
Kitur wins women's title in style
Kenya's Bornes Kitur ran the last 20 kms by herself to win the women's race in the Mumbai Marathon. She clocked 2:29.02 and was followed four minutes and one second behind by Chaltu Tafa while Tigist Girma was third in 2:33.19. It was a one-dimensional race with Kitur taking the lead at the half way stage and holding on to it. “Last year, I had finished second. This year I am happy because I finished on top and this is my personal best timing,” said Kitur.