It was an enormous surprise when Kenya’s Edwin Kibet Kiptoo won the Blom Bank Beirut Marathon a year ago but his victory in this IAAF Silver Label race blew his anonymity completely out of the water.

Oppressive heat and humidity conspired against athletes at the Blom Bank Beirut Marathon on Sunday (13), denying them any chance of fast times at the IAAF Silver Label Road Race.

With seven men having run faster than 61 minutes and five women quicker than 71 minutes, the course records at the Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, could be under threat on Saturday (23).