Glory and shame in Track and Field

Savinova stripped of London Games gold, Jepchirchir breaks half marathon record

Peres Jepchirchir set a world record in the women's half marathon on Friday, the Kenyan clocking a time of one hour, five minutes and six seconds in the United Arab Emirates as runners from the East African nation swept the podium places.

The 23-year-old world champion crossed the line in the Ras al-Khaimah half marathon three seconds quicker than the mark set by fellow Kenyan Florence Kiplagat in Barcelona two years ago, although the new record remains subject to ratification.

Three-time race-winner Mary Keitany finished seven seconds behind the winner, while Joyciline Jepkosgei rounded out the top three in a time of 1:06:08.

Kenya also dominated the men's race, with Bedan Karoki, who won silver at last year's World Half Marathon Championships and World Cross Country Championships, winning in a time of 59:10.

Ethiopia's Yigrem Demelash finished nine seconds behind Karoki, while Kenya's Augustine Choge was a further seven seconds back in third.

Image: Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya

Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images for IAAF

Savinova loses London Games for doping

Russia's Mariya Savinova-Farnosova has been stripped of her 800m London 2012 Olympic Games gold medal after the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Friday imposed a four-year ban saying there was "clear evidence" she used performance-enhancing drugs.

The four-year penalty is retroactive to August 24, 2015, the Swiss-based athletics tribunal said in a statement with Savinova also stripped of her 2011 world championships gold, 2013 world silver and 2010 European gold.

South Africa's double silver medallist Caster Semenya is now in line to be promoted to gold in both the 2012 Olympics and 2011 world championships.

All of Savinova-Farnosova's results between July 26, 2010 and August 19, 2013, are disqualified, with any prizes, medals and prize and appearance money forfeited.

The 31-year-old former 800 metre world and Olympic champion was among athletes that a commission set up by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) recommended be banned for life in 2015.

CAS took the action as the decision-making authority while Russia's athletics federation remains banned over the country's state-backed doping scandal.

Almost the entire track and field team of Russia were banned from competing at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Image: Mariya Savinova-Farnosova

Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images