PARIS: Cyprian Kotut won the Paris marathon on Sunday as Kenyan runners pulled off a podium sweep in perfect weather conditions.

The 24-year-old Kotut, who also won the Paris half-marathon last month, completed the 42.195-kilometer (26-mile) race in 2 hours, 7 minutes and 11 seconds to improve on his personal best set last year when finishing runner-up in Milano on his debut over the distance (2:08.55).

Kotut, the younger brother of three-time London Marathon winner Martin Lel, won ahead of Laban Korir, who clocked 2:07.29. Stephen Chemlany finished third in 2:07.37.

In bright sunshine and mild temperatures, the race started on a high pace and remained open until the final kilometers. Kotut made his move with four kilometers left and won alone on the Avenue Foch.

“I wasn’t too sure if I needed to speed up or not because I still don’t really know the course layout,” Kotut said. “I simply planned to beat my own personal record. There were still some really strong guys, I didn’t expect to be as far ahead.”

With nine runners together in front of the race at the 35-kilometer mark, Gebretsadik Abraha accelerated in the Bois de Boulogne but the Ethiopian was unable to sustain his effort.

Another Kenyan runner, Visiline Jepkesho, claimed the women’s title, in 2:25.52, ahead of Ethiopians Gulume Chala and Dinknesh Tefera.

Despite the high level of threat in the French capital, more than 40,000 runners took the start of the race, which took place amid strengthened security and without incident.