The first 17 runners to finish the Singapore Marathon were all Kenyan - with the winner completing it 30 minutes faster than the quickest non-Kenyan.

Joshua Kipkorir, 24, who was competing in the island city's marathon for the first time, finished Sunday's race in two hours, 12 minutes and 20 seconds.

His time was the second fastest in the annual event's 36-year history, with both the men's and women's records held by Kenyans.

Felix Kirwa came second, a minute behind Kipkorir, and Andrew Kimtai was third out of about 10,000 people to have completed the hot and humid race.

There were 22 Kenyan men taking part in the marathon, organisers said.


The fastest non-Kenyan, Singaporean runner Soh Rui Yong, came in at 18th with a time of two hours, 41 minutes and 49 seconds - substantially slower than the winner.

Kenyan runners also dominated the women's event, with five out of the 15 Kenyan competitors taking the top five spots.

The results highlight Kenya's dominance in marathons, with Singapore's tropical heat and humidity proving to be no obstacle for athletes who typically train at high altitudes.

Last week, Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge - the modern era's greatest marathon runner - won the International Association of Athletics Federations men's 2018 award.

Since making his debut in Hamburg in 2013 he has dominated the category, setting a new marathon world record in Berlin in September of two hours, one minute and 39 seconds.