OTSU, Japan — Kenya's Vincent Kipruto emerged victorious in a shoulder-to-shoulder battle against Tariku Jufar of Ethiopia in the last 200 meters to win the Lake Biwa Marathon Sunday. Kipruto, running alone with Jufar after Japan-based Kenyan James Mwangi slowed down in the last two kilometers, spurted at the final corner to overtake Jufar before crossing the finishing line in two hours eight minutes 34 seconds. Jufar was second in 2:08:37 and Mwangi, who will return to Kenya after the race, was third in 2:08:48. The best local runner was Masakazu Fujiwara in fourth place in 2:08:51. “The race was very nice. I enjoyed it. It's just nice,” said the 25-year-old Kenyan, the winner in Paris in 2009. — AP
