Heart-in-mouth moment marathon runner trying to break three-hour barrier staggers right before the finish line with seconds to spare – so did he make it?
- Personal Best times are incredibly important to runners
- 73,000 runners watched on in amazement
- Years of training led to these incredible last few seconds
An incredibly emotional moment occurred in the final 30 metres of this year’s huge Xiamen Marathon in South China as a contestant crashed to the bitumen with the finish line in sight.
The runner had set a personal best target of three hours exactly for the tough race, on what is considered a very picturesque course, but one that has a history of catastrophe.
In 2016 two runners died during a half-marathon on the course.
There were heart-wrenching scenes as the crowd watched the unnamed runner struggle when his body had given out with just 30 metres left of the 42.2-kilometre course.
He left the start line wanting to break the magical three-hour barrier and with 100 metres left to travel he looked to have that goal safely in his keeping.
The crowd at the 2023 Xiamen marathon were confronted with a heart-wrenching scene when one athlete’s body gave out on him with just metres left to run
After fighting through fatigue and exhaustion he collects his sunglasses and tries to run the last 25 metres of the gruelling marathon. Others collapsing can be seen in the back ground
But his body continues to defy him and he collapses again just 10 metres short of the line
With zero energy production left, and still desperate to run three hours he uses his last shred of energy and dives across the finish line onto another fallen rival… agonisingly missing his time by seconds
But, then he staggered. Unexpectedly and uncontrollably.
His form started to fall away badly with 90 metres still to run. By the 50 metres mark he was completely out of gas.
With about 30 metres to go his sunglasses fell from his face and still conscious of trying to reclaim them, he tried to lean down but that cost him dearly, as his body then shut down.
He managed to stay on his feet with the help of the siding board as he reached out one hand for balance, but once he picked them up the sudden shifting of muscles and blood through his body just took control of his limbs.
His brain was still functioning and he knew he had to reach the finish line but his body stopped responding.
He fell heavily to the tarred road, spectacularly face-planting in fact, his glasses once again splaying to the side.
But, he wanted to beat that time.
Kenyan Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba wins the race in a slick time of 2:08.24
73,000 took to the start line this year in the Xiamen Marathon in South China.
So, somehow summoning enormous strength, he rose to his feet, went again, but 10 metres later his body stopped him. Feeling it he dove across the line as he collapsed.
Spectators and officials could only look on in disbelief as the spirit of the brave athlete drove him on. The clock kept ticking as well but he was determined.
His efforts, however, as courageous as they were, fell short.
The clocked ticked over just past 3 hours during those last heart-breaking 30metres.
He failed to run his PB by around 70seconds. His last 100 metres taking well over a minute.
This year’s Xiamen Marathon, which is classified as an Elite Platinum Label race, was won by Kenyan Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba in a slick time of 2:08.04.
The race has been going since 2003 and in 2021 during the height of Covid only 67 athletes took to the course, that year the winning time 2:15.25 by local runner Yang Dinghong.
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