TOP OF THE WORLD: Olympic champs Kipchoge and Sumgong lead jackpot race

Gold medalist Kenya's Jemima Jelagat Sumgong reacts during the podium ceremony for the Women's Marathon during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Sambodromo in Rio de Janeiro on August 14, 2016. / AFP PHOTO (R) Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge celebrates after winning the Men's Marathon athletics event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Sambodromo in Rio de Janeiro on August 21, 2016. / AFP PHOTO

Olympic marathon champions Eliud Kipchoge and Jemimah Sumgong remain on top of the leader board on the World Marathon Majors jackpot series.

The two lead with 50 points with wins in London Marathon and the Rio Olympic Games.

Ethiopians Kenenisa Bekele and Aberu Kebede, winners of Sunday’s BMW Berlin Marathon, are second with 34 and 25 points respectively.

Atsede Baysa and Lemi Berhanu, also from Ethiopia, are third with 25 points each, while Wilson Kipsang, runner-up at the BMW Berlin Marathon on Sunday, and Tirfi Tsegaye of Ethiopia, take fourth places with 17 and 20 points respectively.

Kenyan-turned-Bahraini Eunice Kirwa, the Olympic bronze medallist and Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa seal the top five spots with 16 points each.

The standings could be tilted when the Chicago Marathon gets underway on October 8 and the New York City Marathon on November 6.

But the Abbott World Marathon Majors, whose chief sponsor is global health services provider Abbott, started with the Tokyo Marathon in February and besides Boston and London, the other races included the Olympic marathon and Berlin Marathon.

Performances in the six major marathons alongside results from IAAF World Championships and Olympic Games marathons count towards the $1 million (Sh101m) jackpot shared among men and women winners.

Kipchoge’s victories in London and Olympics netted him 50 points in the 2016-2017 Abbot World Marathon Majors standings and will reward the winner with $500,000 (50m) after next February’s Tokyo Marathon.

Bank of Africa arranged an athletes’ seminar and viewing of the Berlin race at the Shakers Restaurant in Eldoret town, with the first 200 athletes enjoying free breakfast.

“Apart from the relation to the ‘Mwanariadha’ account, we see a need to interact with the people on the ground during the viewing parties,” Jimmi Wanjohi, Bank of Africa’s Head of Marketing, said.

“We partnered on this very good initiative in support of athletics in Kenya. The sport contributes to the country’s economy and brand, which makes it necessary to bring the World Marathon majors to the people in this region,” he added.

Bank of Africa has been organising viewing parties of the World Marathon Majors and have lined up parties at Tortoise Hotel in Kapsabet and Iten’s Keellu Resort for next month’s Chicago Marathon and November’s New York Marathon.

Kenya Revenue Authority also gave talks to athletes on issues of customs and taxation during the viewing party in Eldoret.