Kenyan pair Lonyangata, Rionoripo win Paris marathon

Men's champion Paul Lonyangata of Kenya doubled his happiness as his wife Purity Rionoripo claimed the women's title in the Paris marathon here on Sunday.

Lonyangata won the men's event in two hours, six minutes and 10 seconds, followed by his compatriots Stephen Chebogut and Solomon Yego on the pudium, reports Xinhua news agency.

Around the 35km mark, Lonyangata began to pull away from Chebogut, and held a 47-second margin when he crossed the finish line.

"I hope to win here, now I feel good," said Lonyangata, who made a step further from second position in the Paris half-marathon in March.

Lonyangata may be the happiest person in the 41st edition of the tournament when his wife Rionoripo won in the women's event with two hours, 20 minutes and 55 seconds, shattering previous record of 2:21:06 by Ethiopia's Feyse Tadese in 2013.

Rionoripo also improved her personal best by almost four minutes. Another Kenyan runner Agnes Barsosio and Flomena Cheyech of Ethiopia finished second and third, respectively.

"It was a great day for me as I improved on my personal best," commented Rionoripo.

--IANS

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