Wrong turn but right result for Kiplangat

BIRMINGHAM • Victor Kiplangat took a wrong turn about a mile from the finishing line but still managed to give Uganda their first-ever Commonwealth Games marathon gold in Birmingham yesterday.

The 22-year-old barely put a foot wrong until his moment of confusion but he regathered himself and clocked 2hr 10min 55sec, coming home with a broad grin.

"The people riding the motorcycles were confusing me," he said.

"They told me to turn back. But I still made it to the finish."

There were no such navigational problems for Australia's Jessica Stenson, who turned two successive bronze medals into gold at last in the women's race.

Despite his wrong turn, Kiplangat finished over 11/2 minutes clear of Tanzania's 2017 world championships bronze medallist Alphonce Simbu.

But for that slight detour, he might have broken the longstanding Games record set by England's Ian Thompson (2:09:12) in Christchurch in 1974.

"I believe when I reached 35 kilometres that I had some hope (of beating it)," said Kiplangat, who was not selected in Uganda's team for the recent world championships in Eugene, Oregon, adding that making history for his country was ample consolation.

"I believe Uganda is proud of me today. We have been waiting for this. I believe I shall be a great man like (Uganda's) Joshua Cheptegei and (Kenya's Eliud) Kipchoge."

Cheptegei is the Olympic 5,000m champion and two-time winner of the world 10,000m title while Kipchoge is a twice Olympic champion in the marathon.

"We shall keep breaking records," Kiplangat added.

Kenya's Michael Githae took the bronze, more than two minutes behind the winner.

For Githae - winner of the last-ever Fukuoka Marathon last December - the joy was even greater as he had been called up late to the team.

"I was still mentally prepared despite the late call-up," he said.

"This is one of the best achievements of my career."

In the women's race, the 34-year-old Stenson timed 2:27:31, finishing 29 seconds clear of Margaret Muriuki of Kenya. Defending champion Helalia Johannes of Namibia produced a remarkable run at age 41 to take the bronze.

Stenson whipped off her dark glasses with two kilometres to go as she powered to victory.

She waited at the finishing line to embrace her teammates, including the 45-year-old Sinead Diver - the oldest competitor in the athletics competition in Birmingham - who finished fifth, before walking over and picking up her son Billy.

"Your perspective shifts," she said, referring to returning to competition after having a child.

"I am doing this because I can. It's a privilege. I feel fulfilled anyway and everything here is just a bonus."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE