LONDON/KAMPALA (NNN-NEW VISION) -- Crowded around television sets, cheering Ugandans celebrated as compatriot Stephen Kiprotich claimed an unexpected gold medal in the Olympic Games men's marathon.
Outsider Kiprotich stunned a heavily fancied Kenyan team to grab victory, leaving two-time defending world champion Abel Kirui to claim silver and long-time leader Wilson Kipsang taking bronze.
Kiprotich's gold was only Uganda's second, the last coming 40 years ago when 400m hurdler John Akii-Bua struck gold at the 1972 Munich Games, with the east African country's only other medal a bronze from 400m runner Davis Kamonga in 1996.
"I am very happy to win a medal for my country," beamed Kiprotich. "I love my people. Ugandans are very happy because we hadn't won a medal in marathon races.
"The pace was too fast and I knew I could not run away from them so I just had to keep up with them (Kipsang and kirui).
"I tried to settle and then I had to break away because I wanted to win this medal."
"I thought before the race that either Kenya or Ethiopia would win," said Kiprotich, adding: "I really didn't think I could win it, but when it came to three miles to go, I decided to go for it. I'd stayed in touch and made my move.
"It was only when I crossed the line that I really believed I had done it. I've moved on from being an unknown. I'm happy now that I'm a known athlete."
Kiprotich said he was delighted to have snared Uganda's second ever gold.
"It's for my family, my people, my coaches. I'm very, very happy," he said. "I haven't seen John Akii-Bua personally but the memories are there. I dreamt that I could be like him.
John Akii-Bua stunned the world at the 1972 Munich games to win gold in the 400m Hurdles
"I told myself to relax and be patient, and today I have joined the champions and I'm very happy with that."
Kiprotich, however, took aim at sporting authorities in Uganda for not providing athletes there with the back-up needed to succeed.
"I'll take this opportunity to send a message to the Ugandan athletics federation and minister of sports," he said.
"The problem is that we have no facilities. That's what pushed me to Kenya. They've been promising facilities but there are none.
"When I go home, it's just to visit family."
Silver medallist Kiprui, who said he would now target next year's London marathon before competing in the world championships in Moscow, said he and Kipsang had been taken aback by Kiprotich's performance, having thought their rival out of the running.
As the leading trio went through the gilded, covered Leadenhall Market for the final time with 7km to go, the Kenyans upped the pace to shake off Kiprotich.
But the Kenyan duo were caught napping as Kiprotich showed a dramatic change of pace to surge to the front in an audacious ambush at 36km.
"When I was with Kipsang, we saw Kiprotich fading away," Kirui said.
"But then he surprised us by coming back. He went and it's very hard to control that type of move.
"He's our brother. I appreciate Kiprotich because he's a very determined runner."
Kipsang rued the early slow pace, but also praised the gold medallist.
"In every competition, the best athlete always wins. Kiprotich was the best today. I don't feel bad he won. Everybody came here for gold, and the best always wins," said Kipsang.
"The Olympics are very competitive. Today you win, tomorrow you don't, life continues."
The marathon was billed as a battle between Kenya and Ethiopia. But the Ethiopian team's tactics were dealt an early blow with Dino Sefir falling well off the pace.
Kipsang, the 2012 London Marathon winner then built up a lead on the peloton, going through the halfway mark in 1:03.15, 16sec ahead of the chasing pack.
The Kenyan built that lead up to 30sec on the stunning course, designed to take in as many of the British capital's main sights as possible.
By the 23km mark in sweltering conditions, a second Ethiopian, Getu Feleke, was beginning to flag and had fallen off the chasing pack's pace.
In front of thousands of spectators packed 10-deep in some places, Kiprotich set off in pursuit of Kipsang, splintering the pack in the hunt for a podium place.
Kirui and Ethiopia's Dubai marathon winner Ayele Abshero followed, and the trio cut Kipsang's lead to just 11sec, and then pulled level at 25km.
Abshero struggled to stay level and dropped 36sec by the 30km stage, Brazilian Marilson Dos Santos overtaking him into fourth.
As the leading trio went through the gilded, covered Leadenhall Market for the final time with 7km to go, the Kenyans upped the pace to shake off Kiprotich.
Japan's Kentaro Nakamoto and the sole American left in the field, Eritrean-born Meb Keflezighi, were in position to challenge for a podium should anyone hit the wall in the final few miles.
But up front, the two Kenyans were caught napping as Kiprotich showed a dramatic change of pace to surge to the front in an audacious ambush at 32km, and was quickly 200m ahead.
Kiprotich, who has moved to the famed Eldoret region of the Kenya's Rift Valley to train with former world 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge, accelerated away, a brief look back over his shoulder confirming his position at the head of the field.
Going into the final 2km, the 23-year-old Ugandan was 20sec ahead of Kirui, and he had enough time to grab a Ugandan flag on his last time entering the Mall, in the shadow of Buckingham Palace, draping it around his shoulders as he crossed the line for a convincing victory.
As the race reached its climax and it became increasingly clear that Kiprotich would win, disbelief turned to jubilation.
Hampered by poor facilities and lack of funding, Ugandan runners have typically faced an uphill struggle as they try to compete with athletes from regional powerhouses Kenya and Ethiopia.
Kiprotich himself has had to move to the famed Eldoret region of the Kenya's Rift Valley to train and spends much of his time outside Uganda.
The next time he returns, however, he should be in for a rapturous welcome from his proud homeland. -- NNN-NEW VISION
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