Kenyan Biwott wins men's Paris Marathon, Ethiopian Hirpa takes women's race

PARIS (AP) — Kenyan Benard Biwott and Ethiopian Bedatu Hirpa won the men's and women's Paris Marathon on Sunday.

Biwott won the race on his debut and clocked 2 hours, 5 minutes and 25 seconds, eight seconds faster than last year's winner Mulugeta Uma.

He dropped his rivals with about 10 kilometers (6 miles) to go and placed 48 seconds clear of Ibrahim Hassan of Djibouti and 56 seconds clear of countryman Sila Kiptoo.

Hirpa's race was far closer as she overtook countrywoman Dera Dida in the final meters on Avenue Foch, and beat her by just four seconds.

Hirpa finished with a winning time of 2:20.45, while Kenyan Angela Tanui finished third in 2:21:07.

Both winners clinched their second marathon victory, with Biwott winning in Frankfurt last year and Hirpa winning in Dubai earlier this year.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

From left, second-placed Dera Dida of Ethiopia, winner Bedatu Hirpa of Ethiopia and third-placed Angela Tanui of Kenya pose on the podium of the Paris marathon, in Paris, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

From left, second-placed Dera Dida of Ethiopia, winner Bedatu Hirpa of Ethiopia and third-placed Angela Tanui of Kenya pose on the podium of the Paris marathon, in Paris, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

From left, second-placed Ibrahim Hassan of Djibouti, winner Benard Biwott of Kenya and third-placed Sila Kiptoo of Kenya pose on the podium of the Paris marathon, in Paris, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Bedatu Hirpa of Ethiopia crosses the finish line to win the women's race of the Paris marathon, in Paris, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Bedatu Hirpa of Ethiopia crosses the finish line to win the women's race of the Paris marathon, in Paris, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Benard Biwott of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the men's race of the Paris marathon, in Paris, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw isn't done pitching just yet, agreeing Thursday to join the U.S. team for this year's World Baseball Classic.

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner wanted to pitch for the Americans in the 2023 tournament but was prevented because of insurance issues. He had a $20 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time.

“I was too broken for the insurance to cover my arm and everything,” Kershaw said on MLB Network, “so now that it doesn't matter I get to go and be a part of this group.”

A left-hander who turns 38 two days after the March 17 championship game, Kershaw announced last September that he was retiring at the end of the season, his 18th in a stellar career for the Dodgers. He won his third World Series title and finished 223-96 with a 2.53 ERA and 3,052 strikeouts.

“I just want to be the insurance policy,” Kershaw said. “If anybody needs a breather or if they need me to pitch back-to-back-to-back or if they don’t need me to pitch at all, I’m just there to be there. I just want to be a part of this group.”

Later Thursday, new Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman announced he will join the U.S. team.

When Kershaw received a call from U.S. manager Mark DeRosa, he thought he was being invited as a coach.

“I didn't have a whole lot of interest in picking up a baseball again," Kershaw said. “I started throwing 10, 12 days ago and it doesn’t feel terrible, so I think I’ll be OK.”

Kershaw joins a U.S. pitching staff that includes right-handers David Bednar, Clay Holmes, Griffin Jax, Nolan McLean, Mason Miller, Joe Ryan, Paul Skenes and Logan Webb along with left-handers Tarik Skubal and Gabe Speier.

The American roster also includes catchers Cal Raleigh and Will Smith; infielders Ernie Clement, Gunnar Henderson, Brice Turang and Bobby Witt Jr.; outfielders Byron Buxton, Corbin Carroll, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Aaron Judge; and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

The U.S., which lost the 2023 championship game to Japan, opens March 6 against Brazil at Houston, part of a group that also includes Britain, Italy and Mexico.

Shohei Ohtani struck out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to end Japan's 3-2 win in the 2023 championship. Kershaw doesn't anticipate facing Ohtani, his teammate for the Dodgers' World Series titles in 2024 and 2025.

“I think something will have gone terribly wrong if I have to pitch against team Japan in the finals or something. I think we got plenty of guys to get that guy out and not me,” Kershaw said. “But if that happens, I'll be nervous. I'll be nervous at this point.”

AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw celebrates the end of the top of the 12th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of baseball's World Series, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)