Edna Kiplagat revels in AbbottWMM hattrick

A joyful Edna Kiplagat said winning the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) was all down to hard work as organizers finally announced her Series X women’s winner for the third time on Tuesday.

The two-time World champion thus joins Eliud Kipchoge as the latest winners of the lucrative award with the Olympic champion having claimed the jackpot for the second year running.

Speaking to Citizen Digital on phone, the 2017 Boston Marathon champion said she is overjoyed having bagged a third AbbottWMM award after previously winning the title at the end of Series V and Series VIII.

“I feel very happy. This award is as a result of the hard work I did last season. Thanks to the Lord God for everything because winning it three times is not an easy task.

“The title had almost gone with 2016 London Marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong but she failed her doping test. I passed my doping tests and the organisers were contented with my results,” Kiplagat who won silver at the 2017 World Championships in London said.

Kiplagat received the AbbottWMM Series X title following the completion of the doping investigation process for Sumgong’s who was banned for four years by the Anti Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) for her use of EPO.

Consequently any athlete who has been found guilty of an anti-doping violation is not eligible to win an AbbottWMM Series title and is banned for life from all AbbottWMM events.

During the 2017 Boston Marathon, Kiplagat beat Kenyan-born Bahraini Rose Chelimo and Jordan Hasay (USA) as she clocked 2:21:52 to win the women’s race.

She opened up an unassailable lead just after the 30K mark, powering up the famous Heartbreak Hill before taking on the broad downtown roads alone towards the finish line. She was embraced by her son Carlos and her daughter Wendy at the finish line.

In October 2016, Kiplagat edged Valentine Kipketer (KEN) in the final few kilometers to finish second behind her compatriot Florence Kiplagat in the 2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

“I’m currently preparing myself to defend my title next year and see if I will gather enough points to win Series XI.” She said “I urge my fellow athletes not to use short cuts so as to win. Please just train smart and relay on your talents and resist temptations to use banned substances. We still under WADA (World Anti- Doping Agency) watch list we need to get our clean image back and as trust as individual athletes.”

Kiplagat will receive a prize purse of KSh51.5 million for topping the leaderboard with 41 points in AbbottWMM Series X, which concluded at the 2017 Boston Marathon.

The Abbott World Marathon Majors is a collective of the world’s top six marathons: the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money London, BMW BERLIN, Bank of America Chicago and TCS New York City Marathons.

AbbottWMM awards its annual title to the men’s and women’s runners and wheelchair athletes who earn the most points within a one-year cycle of performances at its six races as well as the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and IAAF World Championships when they occur.

Tags:

Eliud Kipchoge Edna Kiplagat Abbott World Marathon Majors Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) AbbottWMM Series X

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