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The 30-year-old pulled out of the race in the final stretch after experiencing some health problems
Amos Kipruto has explained how stomach pains and muscle cramps saw him fail to finish the London Marathon and ultimately unable to defend his title.
Kipruto went to London seeking to make it back-to-back wins but he fizzled out of the race in the final stretch with compatriot Kelvin Kiptum pulling off a massive shock to claim victory in a course record 2:01:25, the second-fastest time ever in a marathon.
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Geoffrey Kamworor would finish second, over one minute and 40 seconds later, with Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola (2:04:59) completing the podium. However, Kipruto feels it would easily have been a clean sweep for Kenya had he not encountered the problems, 2km to the finish line.
"All was well until after 22km when I started to experience some stomach pains and muscle crump as the rains hit us. I decided not to take water as I pushed on," Kipruto told the Daily Nation.
"At times, someone's health is more important than anything else. I really wanted to retain the title but fate has its own way. I just collapsed.”
The 2019 World Marathon bronze medalist went to London as one of the favourites to triumph in Sunday’s race with veterans Mo Farah and Kenenisa Bekele also highly billed but while he encountered the health problems, the rest could not match the pace of Kiptum whose blistering run saw him claim his second marathon win in as many attempts in just under six months.
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"What is important is that the title remained home and I thank God for that and the opportunity to get to compete in London again," added Kipruto, who has since been discharged from a London hospital.
Wet conditions in London might have contributed to Kipruto’s problems given muscle cramps in runners occurs when a muscle is not able to relax properly or when it becomes irritated by the build-up of lactic acid.
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