After trailing to Geoffrey Kipsang through the 15 and 21 kilometer marks, Kibiwott turned on the afterburners in the resulting four-kilometre split, nudging 16 seconds ahead of his closest challenger in the 25km mark, before blazing away to win by 1 minute and 39 seconds.
Fourth place still went Kenya’s way, as Elkana Kiprop Kipkemei finished just outside the podium, clocking 2:08.42.
The race’s first non-Kenyan finisher was Adane Dinkalem Ayele of Ethiopia, who was fifth in a time of 2:08.46.
And while Kenya’s supremacy was felt in the men’s marathon, the women’s event went to Ethiopia, who responded with a similar sweep of their own.
The win went to Yeshii Kalayu Chekole, who clocked the fastest women’s time on Italian soil this year (2:20.15), and recorded the second-fastest ever at the Milano Marathon.
The runner-up slot went to fellow Ethiopian Iddeessaa Eebbisee Addunyaa in 2:21:13, with Sintayehu Tilahun Getahun finishing third in 2:25:29.
Kenya’s highest finisher was Naomi Chepkorir in fifth (2:26.05), behind another Ethiopian – Gedamu Gebiyanesh – who was fourth in 2:25.53.
This year’s race saw the route assume a straight line rather than a loop, starting on Corso Sempione, and finishing in Piazza del Duomo.
