Cheruiyot Springs A London Surprise

PATIENCE PAYS OFF FOR KENYAN AFTER KEITANY AND DIBABA COME UNSTUCK IN PURSUIT OF WORLD RECORD

THE plan had been simple, the aim high. As Mary Keitany had put it earlier in the week, she and Tirunesh Dibaba fully intended to “follow in the footsteps of the legend Paula Radcliffe” at the Virgin Money London Marathon.

In doing so, the intention was for one of them to start a new chapter in women’s marathon running, succeed the Briton as the world record-holder and consign her unforgettable 2:15:25 performance from 2003 to the history books.

For a while, at least, the plan seemed to be working. As had been expected, last year’s London winner Keitany – who had broken Radcliffe’s women’s-only world record by running 2:17:01 on her way to victory – and runner-up Dibaba didn’t take long to surge to the front. Guided by male pacemakers, as Radcliffe had been 15 years ago, they were quick to separate themselves from the pack.

Indeed, when Keitany edged ahead of her Ethiopian rival around the 10-mile mark, which was passed in 51:16, she was 32 seconds inside world record pace.

The pacemakers had been asked to take the leaders through halfway in 67:30 but Keitany remained ahead of schedule at that point, clocking 67:16, and with a growing lead over Dibaba.