TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu produced a savage dip at the line to snatch world marathon gold medal from Germany's Amanal Petros in Tokyo on Monday.

Simbu and Eritrea-born Petros were both clocked at two hours and 09:48 in the most dramatic of endings for the longest event of the world championships in the Japanese capital, the Tanzanian adjudged to have finished three-hundredths ahead.

Italy's Iliass Aouani claimed bronze in 2:09:53.

"I made history today — the first Tanzanian gold medal at the world championships," said Simbu, who won bronze at the 2017 worlds in London.

There was an 88-strong field from 47 countries that took to the streets of Tokyo for the grueling 42-kilometer race.

But many wilted in the hot, stifling morning conditions.

Twenty-two failed to finish, not least Ethiopia's Tadese Takele, who pulled out at the 33-km mark, switching his watch off and climbing over a barrier from the road onto a pavement, seemingly grimacing in pain.

Takele had won the Tokyo Marathon in March in 2:03:23, making him the fastest entrant for the marathon at the world championships.

His Ethiopian teammate Deresa Geleta, second to Takele in the Tokyo Marathon, was the next high-profile casualty, pulling up at 35.5-km mark.

Uganda's Abel Chelangat had paced much of the race, leading a definitive break-out at the 39.5-km mark that split the lead pack to five, including all three medalists.

As they approached the stadium, Chelangat and Ethiopian-born Israeli Haimro Alame were suddenly dropped.

Petros led the podium trio onto the track for what proved to be a totally gripping final 300 meters.

The German opened up down the back straight but was tracked by Simbu -- second at this year's Boston Marathon in 2:05:05 —with Aouani back in third.

Petros looked like he had the win as he neared the finish line, but with Simbu fast advancing with a last-gasp spurt of energy, the German could do nothing bar glance nervously over his right shoulder as his legs tied up.

Simbu's persistence paid off as the 33-year-old broke the line just ahead of Petros, who tumbled to the floor.

"I have never seen something like this in the marathon — both the men and women's races came down to a sprint finish. It's like the 100m!" Petros said.