LONDON (AP) — The London Marathon paid tribute to last year's winner Kelvin Kiptum with a period of applause before the start of the men's race on Sunday.
Kiptum was killed along with his coach in a car crash in his native Kenya in February. At the age of 24, he was already the marathon world record holder and viewed as a top contender for gold at the Olympics in Paris this year.
Kiptum set a London Marathon course record of 2 hours, 1 minute, 25 seconds in 2023 — finishing nearly three minutes ahead of his closest rival.
A video of his win was played before the start of the men's race on Sunday, before a period of applause by the runners and the crowd at both the start area in Greenwich and the finish in front of Buckingham Palace in central London.
Kenenisa Bekele, the Ethiopian former Olympic 10,000 and 5,000-meter champion who is still competing in the elite marathon field at the age of 41, said this week that Kiptum had already created “an amazing history” in the sport.
“Kelvin of course, all of us miss him,” said Bekele, who was the runner-up in the London Marathon in 2017. “We put him in a special place in our heart because ... within a short time he has done a lot for our sport.”
Kiptum was driving when his vehicle veered off a road and into a ditch before hitting a tree, police said. He had broken the world record at last year’s Chicago Marathon.
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Ethiopia's Bekele Kenenisa poses in front of Buckingham Palace prior to a press conference, two days ahead of the TCS London Marathon 2024, in London, Friday April 19, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
FILE - Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum crosses the finish line to win the men's race at the London Marathon in London, April 23, 2023. World record-holder Kiptum was supposed to race in the Netherlands this weekend, with plans to attack the flat Rotterdam course in pursuit of the 2-hour barrier. But the 24-year-old Olympic gold-medal favorite died in a one-car accident in his native Kenya in Feb. 2024, leaving a void in the marathon world. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
MADRID (AP) — Despite sleepless nights struggling with a fever, Andrey Rublev found a way to fight back and win the Madrid Open for the first time.
Rublev was feeling sick all week but rallied to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in three sets on Sunday and clinch his second Masters 1000 title.
Rublev won 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 after Auger-Aliassime double-faulted on the last point of the final at the clay-court tournament in the Spanish capital.
“I would say this is the most proud title of my career,” Rublev said. “I was almost dead every day. I was not sleeping at night. The last three, four days I didn’t sleep.”
Rublev gave “full credit to the doctors,” who were “doing some tricky things” just to make sure he could play.
“I have no words," the eighth-ranked Rublev said. “If you knew what I had been through in the past nine days you would not imagine that I would be able to win a title.”
The 26-year-old Russian won his first Masters 1000 title at Monte Carlo last year. Auger-Aliassime was playing in his first final at this level.
Rublev entered Madrid on a four-game losing streak after early exits at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona. One of his victories in Madrid came in the quarterfinals against home-crowd favorite Carlos Alcaraz.
He now has 16 career titles, and two this season after Hong Kong in January. He had arrived with a 5-1 record against Auger-Aliassime, including a win in their sole matchup on clay.
Auger-Aliassime's path to the final saw second-ranked Jannik Sinner withdraw because of an injury ahead of the quarterfinals, and Jiri Lehecka retired against the Canadian in the first set of the semifinals.
Other injuries hit the men's draw in Madrid, starting with Novak Djokovic's withdrawal before the tournament. Daniil Medvedev retired in the quarterfinals, while Alcaraz was hampered by a sore right arm and Rafael Nadal bowed out of what was likely his last appearance in his home country.
Iga Swiatek won the women's title for the first time in her career on Saturday.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Andrey Rublev, of Russia, right, holds his trophy after winning against Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, left, in the Madrid Open men's final match in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Andrey Rublev, of Russia holds his trophy after winning against Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, in the Madrid Open men's final match in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Andrey Rublev, of Russia holds his trophy after winning against Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, in the Madrid Open men's final match in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, holds his trophy after loosing against Andrey Rublev, of Russia, in he Madrid Open men's final match in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Andrey Rublev, of Russia kisses his trophy after winning against Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, in the Madrid Open men's final match in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Andrey Rublev, of Russia holds his trophy after winning against Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, in the Madrid Open men's final match in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, competes against to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the final match of the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Andrey Rublev, of Russia, competes against Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, during the final match of the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, competes against to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the final match of the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, competes against to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the final match of the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, reacts during a final match against Andrey Rublev, of Russia, at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, reacts during a final match against Andrey Rublev, of Russia, at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Andrey Rublev, of Russia, returns the ball to Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, during the final match of the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Andrey Rublev, of Russia, celebrates after winning the final match against Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Andrey Rublev, of Russia, celebrates after winning the final match against Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Andrey Rublev, of Russia, celebrates after winning the final match against Felix Auger-Aliassime, of Canada, at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
