Kenyan husband and wife duo Paul Lonyangata and Purity Rionoripo won the men’s and women’s races, respectively, at the 2017 Paris Marathon on Sunday.
The couple’s success put a smile back on the face of Kenyan athletics 48 hours after the shock news of Olympic marathon champion Jemima Sumgong’s failed dope test.
Lonyangata recorded his biggest career win with a time of two hours, six minutes and 10 seconds.
His compatriot, pre-race favourite Stephen Chebogut, came in second at 2hr 6min 56sec, with Solomon Yego completing the all-Kenyan podium in third at 2hr 7min 13sec.
In the women’s race Rionorigo was followed across the line by her compatriot Agnes Barsosio at 2hr 21:02 with Ethiopia’s Flomena Cheyech (2hr 21:23.) completing the podium.
“I’m so happy, it’s a great day for me to win and to beat my personal best,” said Rionorigo, who had last year’s winner Visiline Jepkesho among the more fancied contenders in her slipstream.
In the men’s race, her husband’s winning time was 53sec outside the record established by Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele of 2hr 05:04 in 2014.