Kenya Wins First Gold Medal in Women's Marathon at Rio 2016 Olympics

Jemima Jelagat Sumgong gave Kenya its first Olympic gold in the women's marathon at Rio 2016, which some protesters tried to disrupt at the end.

Sumgong, 31, winner of this year's London Marathon, took the lead with a time of 2h24:04, attacking just before the 40th kilometer to separate herself from the other two leaders: Bahrain's Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa, silver (2h24:13), and Ethiopia's Mare Dibaba (2h24:30), the bronze medalist and world champion in Beijing 2015.

Kirwa, originally from Kenya and bronze medalist in the Beijing 2015 World Championships, initially resisted Sumgong's attack but couldn't keep up with the winner's pace, leaving Sumgong to run solo just before the 41st kilometer.

The three medalists had launched an initial attack just before the 36th kilometer, when a group of seven athletes led the race.

As a result, Ethiopian Tirti Tsegaye, another Kenyan-born Bahraini Rose Chelimo, Belarusian Volha Mazuronak, and American Shalane Flannagan fell behind.

Mexicans Madaí Pérez and Margarita Hernández finished their participation in Rio in 32nd and 48th place, respectively, with times of 2:34.42 and 2:38.15.

At the end of the course, at the Sambadrome, a few isolated protesters holding signs with both hands attempted to disrupt the race, getting dangerously close to the leading runners.

After crossing the road in front of the athletes, they were either caught by security services or stopped by the motorcycles escorting the participants.

Kenya, dominant in the marathon for the past two decades, had previously won three silver medals in the women's race, in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012.