TOKYO, Feb 24: Dennis Kimetto claimed his first marathon victory in only his second race over the distance when the Kenyan won the Tokyo Marathon in a race record time on Sunday.

The 29-year-old finished in a time of two hours, six minutes and 50 seconds to smash Swiss Viktor Rothlin’s 2008 record by 33 seconds but still outside his target of 2:04.

Last year’s winner Michael Kipyego finished eight seconds behind Kimetto in the runners-up spot with Bernard Kipyego completing the Kenyan clean sweep of the podium.

It was the first time the Tokyo race had featured as a World Marathon Major with Kimetto’s victory putting him top of the standings in the six legged contest that takes place over two years with events in Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.

In the women’s race, Ethiopian Aberu Kebede followed up her Berlin marathon success by taking the title with a time of 2:25:34.

Leading results: Men’s: 1. Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) 2:06:50; 2. Michael Kipyego (Kenya) 2:06:58; 3. Bernard Kipyego (Kenya) 2:07:53; 4. Kazuhiro Maeda (Japan) 2:08:00; 5. James Kwambai (Kenya) 2:08:02; 6. Gilbert Kirwa (Kenya) 2:08:17; 7. Feyisa Bekele (Ethiopia) 2:09:05; 8. Dino Sefir (Ethiopia) 2:09:13; 9. Takayuki Matsumiya (Japan) 2:09:14; 10. Jonathan Maiyo (Kenya) 2:10:18.

Women’s: 1. Aberu Kebede (Ethiopia) 2:25:34; 2. Yeshi Esayias (Ethiopia) 2:26:01; 3. Irina Mikitenko (Germany) 2:26:41; 4. Albina Mayorova (Russia) 2:26:51; 5. Yoshimi Ozaki (Japan) 2:28:30; 6. Helalia Johannes (Namibia) 2:29:20; 7. Mika Yoshikawa (Japan) 2:30:20; 8. Nastassia Staravoitava (Belarus) 2:30:45; 9. Azusa Nojiri (Japan) 2:31:15; 10. Hiroko Yoshitomi (Japan) 2:31:28.—Reuters