ELIUD KIPCHOGE, KEITANY’S PAY DAY: Eliud and Mary win World Marathon Majors, each earns Sh51m

Mary Keitany and Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge and Mary Keitany are the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series IX champions.

Keitany, who tied with Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba and Kenya’s Helah Kiprop on 41 points, was selected as the Series IX women’s champion in a vote by the leaders of the six Abbott WMM member races, in accordance with the Abbott WMM tie-breaking procedure.

Kipchoge and Keitany will each earn $500,000 (Sh51m) and were honoured at an awards ceremony to mark the conclusion of the year-long series that featured the Abbott WMM races: the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money London, BMW BERLIN, Bank of America Chicago and TCS New York City marathons – all IAAF Gold Label Road Races – and the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015 marathons.

“This year we’ve demonstrated our commitment to championing the sport, supporting the elite runners who prove that marathoners are among the world’s greatest athletes, and celebrating the 250,000 runners who every year join us on our iconic courses,” said Abbott WMM general manager Tim Hadzima.

Kipchoge finished at the top of the series, earning 50 points for his victories at the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon and the 2015 BMW BERLIN Marathon.

Mary Keitany earned her Abbott WMM Series IX title with a victory at the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon and a second-place finish at the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon.

Champions are male and female athletes, who score the most points during the one-year scoring period.

An athlete must start in at least two races over the cycle to be eligible for the prize. If an athlete earns points in more than two events, the athlete’s highest two finishes are scored.

The Abbott WMM race directors met as a group immediately after the conclusion of the Tokyo Marathon 2016 and participated in a vote to validate the winners of the Abbott WMM Series IX title.

The unanimous vote for the women’s champion focused on the strength of the race fields in which Keitany, Dibaba and Kiprop competed. —IAAF