Korir wins 2015 Paris marathon

MARK Korir has won the 39th Paris marathon.

The Kenyan crossed the line in two hours, five minutes and 48 seconds, to become the fifth runner to finish the race under two hours and six minutes.

His finishing time was more than a minute better his previous best of two hours, seven minutes and eight seconds, set when he finished second in the 2013 Seoul Marathon.

Fellow Kenyan Kenenisa Bekele set the race record of two hours, five minutes and four seconds last year, while countrymen Peter Some in 2013, Stanley Biwott in 2012 Vincent Kipruto in 2009 make up the sub two-hour-six-minute quintet.

The first French man to cross the line was Abdellatif Meftah, in two hours, 11 minutes and 12 seconds.

About 54,000 runners were signed up to run the 2015 Paris Marathon on Sunday. When organiser, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), which owns the Tour de France, took over the organisation of the Paris Marathon in 1998, the race featured 15,000 runners.