Jepkirui Kirwa crowned women's marathon champion

INCHEON: Kenya-born Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa won the Asian Games women's marathon for Bahrain on Thursday, holding off Ryoko Kizaki of Japan. Kirwa led from start to finish as the course wound through the South Korean port city of Incheon in chilly weather, crossing the line in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 37 seconds.

Kizaki took silver and another Bahraini, Lishan Dula Gemgchu, was third. The win was the sixth gold medal for Bahrain in the continental competition. Like other Arab states, Bahrain has embraced talented African runners, offering incentives and the promise of improved training conditions and more opportunities for international competition.