Kiptoo won the Athens Marathon in a course record

Kenya’s Edwin Kiptoo has won the 40th Athens Marathon in a course-record time of 2 hours, 10 minutes and 34 seconds.

The 30-year-old Kiptoo gradually shook off his main challengers, most of them his compatriots, over the second half of the course, running the last 10 kilometers alone.

As Kiptoo was crossing the finish line, about 100 people in Athens’ Panathenaic stadium unfurled a banner saying “Free Palestine” and waved Palestinian flags. Some spectators also held and waved Palestinian flags along the course.

Kenya’s Rhonzai Lokitam Kilimo came in second at 2:12:36 and Felicien Muhitira of Rwanda was third at the same time, his late charge just failing to edge out Lokitam.

Kenyan runners have won the race 17 times since 2001, including Felix Kandie, who had set the previous record of 2:10:37 in 2014.