Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge finished 10th behind champion Benson Kipruto at the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday, leaving his preparations for a third consecutive Olympic title at this year's Paris Games at a standstill.
Kipchoge, 39, faltered severely around the 20km mark and finished in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 50 seconds.
Kenyan Kipluto won in a course record time of 2:02:16, ahead of compatriots Timothy Kiplagat (2:02:55) and Vincent Getich (2:04:18).
In the women's race, Sutume Assefa Kebede of Ethiopia won in 2 hours 15 minutes 55 seconds, ahead of defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya (2 hours 16 minutes 14 seconds) and world champion Amane Beriso Shankuru of Ethiopia (2 hours 16 minutes 14 seconds). 2 hours 16 minutes 58 seconds).
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands took fourth place with a time of 2:18:05.
The race was held less than a month after world record holder Kelvin Kiptum died when his car crashed into a tree in Kenya.
Kiptum died on February 11 at the age of 24, just months after breaking Kipchoge's world record in Chicago and setting a new record of 2:00:35.
Kiptum and Kipchoge were expected to meet for the first time at the Paris Olympics.
The Tokyo Marathon was Kipchoge's first race since Kiptum's death, and he was on track to regain the world record around the 15km mark.
However, he fell back dramatically, leaving Kiplagat, Kipruto and Ngetich to fight in the lead group.
Kipchoge continued to struggle as the race progressed, dropping out of the top 10 by the 35km mark.
Kipurto took over the lead from Kiplagat around 30km and pushed towards the finish, aiming for a new personal best.
Kiptum was driving in Rift Valley, Kenya's long-distance running capital, when his car went off the road.
Police said Kiptum and his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana, were killed at the scene and a female passenger was injured.
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