Yesterday morning some 45,000 people from 76 different countries participated in the 14th Rome Marathon. The race began in Via dei Fori Imperiali at 09.00, against the dramatic backdrop of the Colosseum.
The route of the marathon wound up and down the Tiber River and past some of the most important parts of the city such as Piazza Venezia, Piramide, St Peter’s and Piazza di Spagna, with its most southern point being the basilica of S. Paolo and at its most northern point Rome’s Mosque.
Kenya’s Jonathan Kiptoo Yego outstripped his compatriot Philip Sanga Kimutai in the closing stages to win the Rome marathon on Sunday.
Kenyan Kiptoo Yego ran a personal best time of two hours, nine minutes and 57 seconds in windy conditions with Sanga Kimutai crossing the line just five seconds behind him. Their fellow Kenyan Henry Kapkyai Kimeli came in third in a time of 2:10.17 after having led for a large part of the race.
Russia’s Galina Bogomolova won the women’s race with in 2:22.53, the fastest a woman has run a marathon on Italian soil.
Her compatriot Larissa Zousko was more than five minutes behind in second place with Hungary’s Aniko Kalovic third.
Richard Whitehead, 32 years old, who has had both his legs amputated, finished the course in 3:39:00 topping his personal best of 3:52:58.
And a few celebrities were spotted in the crowd…
