Three world records set at marathon World Championships

Three marathon world records were broken at the IPC Athletics World Marathon Championships on Sunday 26 April as Morocco’s El Amin Chentouf (T12), Spain’s Abderrahman Ait Khamouch (T46) and Russia’s Yelena Paulova (T12) clinched gold in their respective races at the Virgin Money London Marathon.

Reigning world champion Chentouf, 33, (2:21.33) secured his third consecutive London marathon victory in style, knocking nearly two and a half minutes off the previous world mark he set in London two years’ ago when he clinched the inaugural IPC Athletics Marathon World Cup title.

“I’m so happy today to win the London marathon today and to set a new world record. I’m very proud and grateful and I want to thank everyone - technical staff, the Moroccan Federation and the King of Morocco,” he said.

“I ran quicker as the world record and the world title was my objective. I am very happy.”

Spain’s Alberto Suarez Laso (2:21:47) finished second, with Japan’s Tadashi Horikoshi (2:27:42) taking the third spot on the podium.

Ait Khamouch secured his world record in the men’s T45/46 event, improving on the world mark set by Mexico’s Mario Santillan Hernandez at the Beijing Paralympics seven years ago with a time of 2:26:54.

Italy’s 2013 world champion Alessandro di Lello (2:31.25) finished third behind Brazil’s Alex Pires Da Silva (2:27.36).

Russia’s Elena Pautova smashed the T12 world record as she clocked 2:58:23 to top the podium in the women’s T11/12 event.

The 29-year-old, who holds the Paralympic, world and European titles in the 1,500m T12, finished more than four minutes ahead of the field with Spain’s Elena Congost (3:02.50) and Japan’s Michishita Misato (3:03.26) clinching silver and bronze respectively.

Brazil’s Aniceto Antonio Dos Santos clinched gold in the men’s T13 event, finishing comfortably in 2:35:42 with Morocco’s Youssef Benibrahim taking silver in 2:36:07. New Zealand’s former Paralympic 800m T13 champion Tim Prendergast won bronze in 2:47:23.