'Unbelievable': Olympic runner blows victory in embarrassing celebration fail
A last-breath sprint brought victory to Kenyan runner Kibiwott Kandie on Tuesday in the Sao Silvestre run, held every New Year's Eve in Sao Paulo.
It was an electrifying finish to the 15 kilometre race, with Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda relaxing a split-second before the finish line thinking he’d won.
Kandie, 23, was comfortably in second place in the home stretch, trailing 19-year-old Olympian Kiplimo.
But in the race's final metres, Kandie summoned his reserves and pushed past Kiplimo at the last instant.
Kiplimo appeared to be raising his arms to celebrate before Kandie brushed past him to steal victory.
With a time of 42 minutes, 59 seconds, Kandie became the first man to break 43 minutes for the 15km race through the streets of Brazil's biggest city.
If you thought it's impossible to steal your gold, take a look at how a one kibiwot robbed my brother Jacob Kiplimo in Brazil today https://t.co/YF9zmdTV1d
— 🅚🅘🅟🅡🅞🅣🅘🅒🅗 (@SimplyKips) December 31, 2019
THIS IS WHAT KENYANS CALL "Alijua Hajui"
UNBELIEVABLE! Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda led San Silvestre 15KM race in Brazil until the last seconds when he was overtaken by Kenya's Kibiwoot Kandie in a sensational rush. #KibiwootKandie #Uganda #Kenya @KenyanTraffic @Ma3Route pic.twitter.com/HYJZHi3awS— MCGW (@MombasaCGW) December 31, 2019
Kenyans at the double
On a triumphant day for Kenyans, Brigid Kosgei easily won the women's race, breaking away early from the pack to finish in 48.54 - only one of three women to finish the event in under 50 minutes.
Kosgei's compatriot Jemina Sumgong set the record of 48.35 in 2016.
Sheila Chelangat, another Kenyan, took second, more than a minute behind Kosgei, with Ethiopia's Tisadik Alem Nigus in third.
More than 35,000 runners took part in the historic race, which has been run since 1924, many of them in fancy dress.
with agencies