Josephat Kipkirui Ngetich improved his personal best by more than three minutes as he won the Athens Classic Marathon in a time of two hours 13 minutes 44 seconds.

Despite running in torrential rain for the first hour, Ngetich achieved the second fastest time in the race's 26-year-old history to lead home a Kenyan clean sweep ahead of Edwin Kipchom and Pius Mutuku.

Japan's Akemi Ozaki won the women's race in 2mins 39.56secs ahead of Ethiopian Eshetu Degefa and Sviatlana Kouhan of Belarus in third.