Kipchoge bags Sh50million jackpot As Series 10 of World Marathon Majors ends in Boston

Athletics - 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon Winners Photocall - The Tower Hotel, St Katharine's Way, London - 25/4/16 Winner of the elite men's race, Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge poses with the trophy Action Images via Reuters / Peter Cziborra

Kenya and Switzerland took the spoils as Series X of the Abbott World Marathon Majors came to a thrilling conclusion at the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday with just six days to go before Series XI kicks off at the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday.

Geoffrey Kirui and Edna Kiplagat broke clear of world class fields to win the men’s and women’s elite races for Kenya, while wheelchair racers Marcel Hug and Manuela Schär made history for Switzerland as they took advantage of the warm conditions and light tailwinds to record the fastest wheelchair marathons ever seen.

While Hug and McFadden were already assured of their Majors titles, there were still points and places to play for on the women’s leaderboard where Kiplagat moved into second place as she ran away with the Boston race to win by almost a minute in 2:21:52.

Kiplagat now has 41 points, seven ahead of her namesake Florence with only the provisionally suspended Jemima Sumgong above her.

AbbottWMM will name a Series X women’s champion once the doping investigation, and any potential appeal process, is complete for Jemima Sumgong, who currently leads the Series X standings.

ANTIDOPING

Any athlete who has been found guilty of any anti-doping rules enforced by the IAAF, WADA, National Federations or any of the individual AbbottWMM races is not eligible to win an AbbottWMM Series title.

Kirui’s victory in Boston means he moves up to joint fifth in the Series X standings on 25 points as London and Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge is crowned men’s champion.

Decisive victories at the 2016 London and Olympic Marathons propelled Kipchoge to the top of the Series X leaderboard with 50 points, earning him a Sh50million ($500,000) prize and a second AbbottWMM Series win.