<p>The New York Marathon champion won the race in 2 hours, 28 minutes, 43 seconds to claim the first gold medal of the competition.</p>.<p>As she entered the second-to-last water station, Kiplagat crossed in front of team-mate Sharon Cherop, tripped and fell to the ground. The mishap allowed Priscah Jeptoo to pull even with her team-mates before Kiplagat pulled away with three kilometres left.</p>.<p>“I was a little shocked,” Kiplagat said of the fall. “What was in my mind was I wasn’t sure if I was going to pick up the pace again but later on I realized I could and was very happy.”</p>.<p>Cherop finished 17 seconds behind in 2-29-00 for silver and Jeptoo took third in 2-29-14.</p>.<p>Kiplagat, Cherop and Jeptoo broke away from the pack at the 32-kilometre mark to make it a four-woman race along with Bezunesh Bekele of Ethiopia, who finished fourth.</p>.<p>“After 32 kilometres I tried to run in the front,” Kiplagat said. “When I looked up two times, I saw the group was not running so fast so I tried to push more and felt I was going to win the race.”</p>.<p>Azusa Nojiri of Japan led for much of the first half but faded after the 20-kilometre mark. It was a disappointing result for Japan, which had expected to medal in the event. The best Japan could manage was a fifth-place finish by Yukiko Akaba.</p>.<p>The women’s marathon was run on a multi-lap loop course in downtown Daegu. The temperature was 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees Fahrenheit) at the start of the race with high humidity.</p>.<p>Kiplagat, who was third at the London Marathon with a personal best of 2-20-48, was running in her first world championships.</p>.<p>She said she hoped her winning performance in Daegu will result in selection for next year’s London Olympics.</p>.<p>“I hope if everything goes well and my country chooses me, I would be happy to go,” Kiplagat said.</p>.<p>It was Kenya’s third sweep of the podium at the world championships but the first in marathon. Kenya swept the men’s steeplechase in 1997 and 2007.</p>.<p>“I saw Edna move in front after 30 kilometers so I decided to follow her and fight for my country,” Cherop said. “We are happy to be 1-2-3 and it is a great victory for Kenya.”</p>
<p>The New York Marathon champion won the race in 2 hours, 28 minutes, 43 seconds to claim the first gold medal of the competition.</p>.<p>As she entered the second-to-last water station, Kiplagat crossed in front of team-mate Sharon Cherop, tripped and fell to the ground. The mishap allowed Priscah Jeptoo to pull even with her team-mates before Kiplagat pulled away with three kilometres left.</p>.<p>“I was a little shocked,” Kiplagat said of the fall. “What was in my mind was I wasn’t sure if I was going to pick up the pace again but later on I realized I could and was very happy.”</p>.<p>Cherop finished 17 seconds behind in 2-29-00 for silver and Jeptoo took third in 2-29-14.</p>.<p>Kiplagat, Cherop and Jeptoo broke away from the pack at the 32-kilometre mark to make it a four-woman race along with Bezunesh Bekele of Ethiopia, who finished fourth.</p>.<p>“After 32 kilometres I tried to run in the front,” Kiplagat said. “When I looked up two times, I saw the group was not running so fast so I tried to push more and felt I was going to win the race.”</p>.<p>Azusa Nojiri of Japan led for much of the first half but faded after the 20-kilometre mark. It was a disappointing result for Japan, which had expected to medal in the event. The best Japan could manage was a fifth-place finish by Yukiko Akaba.</p>.<p>The women’s marathon was run on a multi-lap loop course in downtown Daegu. The temperature was 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees Fahrenheit) at the start of the race with high humidity.</p>.<p>Kiplagat, who was third at the London Marathon with a personal best of 2-20-48, was running in her first world championships.</p>.<p>She said she hoped her winning performance in Daegu will result in selection for next year’s London Olympics.</p>.<p>“I hope if everything goes well and my country chooses me, I would be happy to go,” Kiplagat said.</p>.<p>It was Kenya’s third sweep of the podium at the world championships but the first in marathon. Kenya swept the men’s steeplechase in 1997 and 2007.</p>.<p>“I saw Edna move in front after 30 kilometers so I decided to follow her and fight for my country,” Cherop said. “We are happy to be 1-2-3 and it is a great victory for Kenya.”</p>