• Victor Kiplangat becomes the first Ugandan to win a gold medal at Commonwealth.
• He completed the marathon in 2 hrs 10 mins and 55 secs.
• Diver is the oldest athlete in the athletics competition.

Uganda’s first-ever gold medal in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games was won by Victor Kiplangat on Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama.

The 22-year-old completed the race in 2 hours, ten minutes, and fifty-five seconds, more than a minute and a half ahead of Alphonce Felix Simbu, who won the bronze medal at the 2017 global championships for Tanzania.

Michael Githae of Kenya, who finished in third place more than two minutes behind the winner, grinned and waved his finger at the audience at the finishing straight as he celebrated his bronze medal victory.

Longtime leader Luke Adams of Australia made a brave effort to give his country a third consecutive victory in the competition but had to settle for fourth place.

The medalists, draped in their various national flags, pleased the audience gathered at the finish line in the heart of Birmingham by speaking with them.

In the early stages of the women’s race, defending champion Helalia Johannes of Namibia, age 41, is sure that she can win again.

The oldest athlete in the athletics competition at the Olympic Games is the 45-year-old Australian Sinead Diver. Johannes is not the oldest runner in the tiny but elite group.

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