Kenyan runners reap big after excellent performance in Tokyo Marathon.

Kenyan runners Benson Kipruto, Timothy Kiplagat, Vincent Kipkemoi, and Rosemary Wanjiru will be smiling to the bank after their outstanding performance at the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday

Kipruto, the 2021 Boston Marathon, shattered the course record to clock at 2:02:16 as Kiplagat finished second in 2:02:55 while Kipkemoi completed the podium in 2:04:18.

Wanjiru, meanwhile, failed to defend her title as she could only manage second place in 2:16:14 behind Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede who also ran a course record time of 2:15:55.

It means the Kenyans will get the lion’s share of the 40.3 million Japanese Yen (Ksh39,183,040) set aside for top performers in Tokyo.

Kipruto will take home the biggest purse, earning 11 million Japanese Yen (Ksh10,692,650) and a 3 million Japanese Yen (Ksh2,916,235) bonus for breaking the course record.

That will bring his total to Ksh13,608,885 for the two-hour job in the Japanese capital.

Kiplagat, meanwhile, will pocket 4,000,000 million Yen (Ksh3,837,835) for his second place, the same amount that Wanjiru will take home, while Kipkemoi will pocket 2,000,000 Yen (Ksh1,918,917) for his third-place finish in Tokyo.

With Eliud Kipchoge tipped to win the race, Kipruto grabbed the headlines as he charged up to take top honours in his first-ever appearance in the streets of Tokyo with the veteran two-time Olympic champion managing 10th place.

Wanjiru, meanwhile, could not match the pace of Kebede who clocked a course record time with another Ethiopian Amane Beriso Shankule (2:16:58) completing the podium. At the same time, Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan finished fourth in 2:18:05.

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