| Nervous of the heat (73°C) and humidity (89%), no-one was willing to set a fast pace, and as in the other Beijing long distance races, it was the Japanese who led the way. The halfway point was reached in 75:16. At 33Km Dibaba made a move, reducing the leading pack from 12 to six. Herself, Tufa, three Kenyans and Bahrain’s Kenyan transferee Kirwa. Dibaba led at 40Km after a 10Km split of 33:48, nearly two minutes faster than any of the three previous 10Ks. “I tested the others”, she later admitted. DOHA 2019 PAST RESULTS/WORLD CHAMPS WOMEN’S MARATHON 295 Into Olympic Green with the stadium in sight, four women were locked together ahead of a struggling Kiplagat – Sumgong, Kirwa, Kiprop and Dibaba. Kirwa surged on the penultimate turn towards the Bird’s Nest, but no-one was dropped. Dibaba then made her effort, moving clear on the decline into the stadium tunnel. Sumgong was dropped, then Kirwa, but not Kiprop. The tall Kenyan almost drew level with Dibaba with less than 100m remaining, but the Ethiopian had enough in reserve for a response. It was the closest women’s marathon in World Championship history, with just seven seconds covering the top four. |
