Organised by Ameeraga Tamil Sangam, the event had participants from across the UAE
Kiprotich timed 2hr 08min 01sec on the spectacular course around the streets of central London, with two-time defending world champion Abel Kirui claiming silver in 2:08.27.
Another Kenyan, long-time leader Wilson Kipsang, took bronze in 2:09.37.
It was Uganda’s second ever gold medal after John Akii-Bua won the 400m hurdles in the 1972 Games in Munich, 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. Uganda are very happy because we haven’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.” Brazilian Franck De Almeida went through 10km in 30:38 in a race 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, as Kipsang reeled in the Brazilian pace setter. 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 an 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.
Organised by Ameeraga Tamil Sangam, the event had participants from across the UAE
The esteemed initiative delivered essential grocery food baskets to around 5,000 deserving families across 14 Bangladeshi districts
Judges for the AI awards not only recognise excellence and innovation, but also assess performance and monitor progress in artificial intelligence computing and responses
A plea moved in court stated that no one is permitted to wear the official state institution outfit
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso had been the favourite to succeed Klopp but has now committed himself to the German club after leading them to a first-ever Bundesliga title
Sheikh Hamdan joined the kids as they browsed through some photos that captured how they used broomsticks and helped their community
The family's furniture, household appliances as well as the books and stationery of the children were destroyed in the April 16 floods
The 22-time Grand Slam champion and his wife Maria Francisca Perello welcomed their first child together in October 2022