The women’s 6.624km contest kicked off quite conservatively with the Portuguese duo of Dulce Félix and Sara Moreira, 6th and 10th respectively at the Europeans XC championships in Dublin, making most of the early pacing duties.

However, the 2009 European indoor 3000m silver medallist Moreira soon lost ground and before the halfway point the leading group was formed by Félix, the Kenyan pair of Ann Karindi Mwangi and Viola Kibiwot plus the diminutive Ethiopian Ferhiwot Goshu, the reigning World Junior 3000m bronze medallist.

Mwangi was tipped as the main favourite, largely thanks to her Amorebieta win and Seville third place earlier this month but the Amman Worlds’ seventh place finisher just could not respond to Goshu’s change of speed over the closing 2.1km lap. The Ethiopian, a creditable fourth at last year’s World Junior XC championships gave no option to Mwangi and crossed the finish line four seconds ahead of the Kenyan (22:37/22:41) while Félix managed to keep Kibiwot at bay to snatch third place.

Goshu, who will turn 20 next 28 June, declared: “I found the race really tough because of the rain. Today’s win is a strong confidence booster thinking of the Ethiopian trials where I’m aiming to be part of my country’s senior team for the XC Worlds. I have already competed in Spain several times, I like the country a lot and I even know some Spanish basic expressions.”

Asked who is her favourite Ethiopian female athlete, a cautious Goshu replied: “Dibaba, Defar, Melkamu…all of them are great athletes, I wouldn’t pick one in particular.” Goshu said that she’l focus on the 3000 and 5000m distances on the track next summer.

Source: IAAF

Middle distance runner Shito Wincha also grabbed a surprise win over favorite Genet Yalew in the junior women’s race with Azmeraw Bekele winning the junior men’s contest.

Jelila grabs third win in four races – senior women’s race

There was little surprise in the senior women’s race as Jelila continued her outstanding form this season with her third victory in four races since September. The 25-year-old, who made a successful debut in the Venice Marathon in October by finishing second in a respectable 2:28.41; has made a stunning transformation winning cross country races in Sendafa and now in Sululta, while taking a dominant victory in the 2009 Ethiopian Airlines Great Ethiopian Run 10km two months ago.

In Sululta, Jelila had another difficult field to contend with, with World championships marathon bronze medallist Asselefech Mergia, 2008 World junior Cross Country silver medallist Emebet Eta, and World junior 5000m champion Sule Utura posing a realistic challenge to her winning streak.

Jelila and Utura exchanged leads in front of a large pack of ten athletes for the first 2km of the four-lap 8km contest. Utura threatened a major breakaway at the halfway point, but Jelila stuck with her and made her own decisive breakthrough at 6km to take victory in 28:30.03. Utura was three second behind the race winner in 28:33.49 with unknown Fayesse Tadesse crossing the line in third, some 13 seconds behind Utura.

“The wind was too difficult and made the competition difficult,” Jelila said. “I am not sure if I will take part in Jan Meda (Ethiopia’s world cross country trials), but I would definitely want to participate in Poland.”

Jida shocks Chane – men’s senior race

Domestic cross country races in Ethiopia rarely throw in surprise winners as the tough racing conditions tends to favor experienced runners. But Gishu Jida’s victory in Sululta took even the experienced observers by surprise in what was expected to be a successful homecoming for Abera Chane, winner of the domestic cross country races in Sendafa and Bahir Dar, who took an impressive victory in Italy last Sunday.

Yetwale Kinde, 32nd in the World junior race in Amman last year, led the strong field through the opening 2kms and was later joined by Jida. Their brave front running tactics caught the attention of the crowd, but they were closely checked by experienced runners like Chane, Imane Merga (fourth in the World championships 10,000m), Yemane Tsegaye (fourth in the World championships marathon), and Habtamu Fekadu (fifth in the 2008 World cross country senior race).

The large group stayed together until the last kilometre when Chane and Jida made a penultimate breakaway. Many expected Chane to use his experience to best his young understudy, but Jida surprised everyone when he coasted past the experienced runner to take victory in 37:45:61. Chane held off the challenge from Fekadu Lema to finish second.

“The competition wasn’t easy, especially the wind made it so difficult,” Jida said. “I want to do well like our hero athletes. I want to repeat Kenenisa (Bekele)’s success on cross country.”

Victories for Wincha and Bekele  – junior races

In the junior women’s 6km, Shito Wincha took a surprise victory over Genet Yalew and Emebet Anteneh, who had finished third and fourth in the World youth championships 3000m in Bressanone last year.

Her decisive move came in the 4km where she evaded the intentions of early leader Meseret Mengistu to take victory in 21:06.32, five and 12 seconds ahead of Yalew and Anteneh respectively. Her victory was all the more surprising because Wincha normally runs the 800m and 1500m and has very little experience over the cross country.

“The competition was good,” said Wincha. “It is my first time to run in Sululta. I was winner of Addis Ababa cross country championships and I want to win again in the Jan Meda (Ethiopia’s world cross country trials). Then I want to compete in Poland representing my country and I want to be famous.”

The men’s junior also produced another unlikely winner with Azmeraw Bekele taking victory. After a largely congested first half of the race, Bekele (no relation to Kenenisa Bekele) made two moves that won him the race. The first came at 6km where he moved to the front of a leading group of nine runners. The second was another burst of speed which took him clear of early leader Million Yehualashet for victory in 24:40.76.

“The competition today wasn’t tough for me,” he said. “But a week before, I was fourth in a race in Assela and was trying not to repeat the same mistake I did there. Today was windy but because I trained well, it wasn’t difficult. In the coming month, I want to take part on the trials and get a result that would help me take part in Poland.”

Elshadai Negash (with the assistance of Tadele Assefa) for the IAAF

Leading Results -
Senior MEN (12 km):
 1. Gishu Jida (Oromiya Prisons)  37:45:61
 2. Abera Chane (Geta Zeru)       37:55:48
 3. Fekadu Lemma (Defense)        38:00:93
 4. Habtamu Fekadu (Defense)      38:08:30
 5. Yetwale Kinde (Defense)       38:17:46
 6. Dereje Abera (Betel Teaching) 38:20:01

Senior WOMEN (8km):
 1. Koreni Jelila (Defense)              28:30:03
 2. Sule Utura (Defense)                 28:33:49
 3. Feyisse Tadesse (Federal Police)     28:46:04
 4. Fate Tola (Oromiya Police)           28:49:32
 5. Asselefech Mergia (Federal Police)   28:51:88
 6. Asenakech Mengistu (Oromiya Police)  29:03:43

Junior MEN (8 km):
 1. Azmeraw Bekele (Federal Prisons Police) 24:40:76
 2. Millioin Yehualashet (Muger Cement)     25:04:30
 3. Belete Asefa (Federal Prisons Police)   25:12:97
 4. Alemu Terfessa (Federal Prisons Police) 25:13:00
 5. Bilisuma Shuge (Unattached)             25:13:33
 6. Fekire Asefa (Muger Cement)             25:15:55

Junior MEN (6 km):
 1. Shito Wincha (Defense)             21:06:32
 2. Genet Yalew (Defense)              21:11:31
 3. Emebet Anteneh (Defense)           21:18:75
 4. Shitaye Esgete (Unattached)        21:30:38
 5. Zehara Kedir (Oromiya Police)      21:38:82
 6. Meseret Mengistu (Oromiya Police)  21:44:74

“To have the world record holder Haile Gebrselassie win our event for the third straight year is a great honour,” said Standard Chartered Bank Regional CEO Middle East and North Africa Shayne Nelson. “ He didn’t manage to break the world record but he still proved he is a magnificent champion and we look forward to having him compete in Dubai for many years to come.”
 
The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is supported by Dubai Holding, Dubai Sports Council, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina, ARN and DMI, TNT, Fitness First, Men’s Fitness, Plan B, Vittel Water, RTA, Dubai Municipality and the Dubai Emergency Services.

Prize Money

But a back problem, which required intensive pre-race physiotherapy, ruled out a World record attempt from the start, and when two of his lesser known compatriots – Chala Dechase and Eshetu Wendimu – caught him in the final stages of the race, it looked like a massive upset was on the cards.

But the experience of close to 20 years of record breaking pulled Gebre through to his eighth victory in ten completed marathons, with an average time of 2:05:40, easily the most consistently excellent marathoner in history, all capped by his superlative World record of 2:03:59 from Berlin 2008.

Dechase was second in 2:06:33, a personal best by two minutes, and Wendimu was third, the same as last year, but this time two minutes faster in a personal best 2:06:46.

“This night was not a good night for me,” said Gebrselassie, “I slept in a wrong position, on my stomach, and when I woke up, I knew I had a problem, it was not good. I called my physiotherapist, and he came and cracked my back, and said, ‘what have you done?’”

“I was surprised at how humid it was at the start, but I still tried to run fast, but at halfway, I decided just to win the race. When the pacemakers dropped at 30k, I tried to go, but I couldn’t change a gear, so I waited for the second group, and just tried to win. I heard the crowd and knew where the finish was, and I was able to win.”

“This is not an indication I’m old, I still think the World record can be broken here, but these things happen.”

Daska takes an upset in women’s race

The upset was reserved for the women’s race. An Ethiopian won, as expected, but it was Mametu Daska rather than favourites, Bezunesh Bekele, who was fourth, or Askale Magarsa, who finished sixth.

A group of eight reached halfway together, but then began to break up, with only Daska, debutante Aberu Shewaye and last year’s third placer, Kenyan Helena Kirop left in contention at 35k. A kilometre later, Kirop was dropped, and Daska and Shewaye continued their struggle until less than two kilometres from home.

Despite being violently sick in the finishing straight, Daska held onto the 50 metres lead she had forged in the last kilometre, to collapse across the finish line, in 2:24:18, another personal best, ahead of Shewaye’s debut clocking of 2:24:26. Kirop was again third, in 2:24:54, a personal best for her. The prize money was the same as for the men.

Conditions had been more clement than expected, the humidity dropped as the race progressed, and the temperature only rose a degree from 17C (62F) between start and finish. And although the direct sun will have made it uncomfortable for the runners in the second part of the race, Gebreselassie has to add the misfortune of a bad back to the overenthusiastic start two years ago – a first half in 61:45, well under World record pace – and a downpour last year, making it a hat trick of horrors affecting an record attempt, in contrast to the much more satisfying victory treble.

Pat Butcher (organisers) for the IAAF

MEN -
 1. Haile GEBRSELASSIE, ETH   2.06.09
 2. Chala DECHASE, ETH        2.06.33
 3. Eshetu WENDIMU, ETH       2.06.46
 4. Abiyote GUTA, ETH         2.09.03
 5. Debele TULU, ETH          2.09.43
 6. Abraham CHELANGA, KEN     2.10.28
 7. Dejene YIRDAW, ETH        2.10.50
 8. Lonard MUCHERU, KEN       2.11.08
 9. Japhet KOSGEI, KEN        2.11.20
10. Yimane MEKONNEN, ETH      2.12.39

WOMEN -
 1. Mametu DASKA, ETH        2.24.18
 2. Aberu SHEWAYE, ETH       2.24.26
 3. Helena KIROP, KEN        2.24.54
 4. Bezunesh BEKELE, ETH     2.26.05
 5. Isobella ANDERSSON, SWE  2.26.52
 6. Askale MAGARSA, ETH      2.27.29
 7. Tedesse YESHIMEBET, ETH  2.27.45
 8. Genet GETANEH, ETH       2.30.23
 9. Woyshinet TAFA, ETH      2.32.06
10. Shuru DIRIBA, ETH        2.32.36

Source: IAAF

Equally likely, the women’s winner will be doing the trick for the second time, since outstanding favourites, Bezunesh Bekele and Askale Magarsa, have both won here, Bekele last year, and Magarsa two years ago. We might have had a third winner, their better known colleague Berhane Adere, who won in 2008, but she cried off a few days ago, having failed to satisfy herself that she was fit enough.

The prospect of seeing her national record, 2:20:42 being broken might have been an additional factor, because unusually for the normally reticent East Africans, both Bekele and Magarsa were right upfront about their ambitions to join the exclusive women’s sub-2:20 club.

That numbers just nine women so far, with Magarsa right on the verge with her 2:21:31 in Berlin 18 months ago, and Bekele a little further out, but with her 2:23:09 all the more impressive since it was in her debut, here two years ago, second to Adere.

Magarsa’s form plumetted after a bad hip injury, and she had to drop out of Berlin just over three months ago, but after a month jogging and swimming, she’s so confident that she had asked to be paced to the halfway in 70mins, ie 2:20 pace. More

NEW YORK —(January 20, 2010) –  Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie, the marathon world record-holder and a two-time Olympic 10,000-meter champion, will race in the New York Half-Marathon in March, race organizers announced Wednesday.

The 36-year-old long distance legend last competed in a US event in 2007, when he won the New York Half-Marathon in a race-record 59 minutes, 24 seconds. Gebrselassie will seek a 20,000-dollar top prize in the 100,000-dollar event.

“I?m very excited about going back to New York,” Gebrselassie said. “I got such a warm welcome when I ran the Half-Marathon in 2007. I?m sure it will be a wonderful event again and I?m looking forward to it.”

Gebrselassie, who set the world marathon record of 2:03:59 at the 2008 Berlin Marathon, will try to win his third consecutive Dubai Marathon title on Friday.

He has also won four times at Berlin as well as in Amsterdam in 2005 and Fukuoka, Japan, in 2006.

Over the 13.1-mile half-marathon distance, Gebrselassie has won nine of 10 career starts.

Source: AFP

“I’ve made sure I’m in perfect shape,” said the 36 year old Ethiopian, who will be running in Dubai for the third year in succession. “But everything has to be perfect, the weather, the pacemakers. If everything is perfect, I can run 2:03:30. I don’t promise, if I promise and fail, we’ll all be disappointed. Two years ago, it was a little bit warm at the end (he ran 2:04:53, then second fastest in history), last year, it was raining (he ‘only’ ran 2:05:29, eighth fastest)”.

He dismissed the notion that his first half in 61min 45sec, 2:03:30 pace, in 2008 might have been too fast. “I didn’t run too fast, I want to do the same on Friday. It’s good the race starts at 6.30(am), but above all, I want to keep to the schedule all the way through. Even if you run the first kilometre to slow, you’re catching up all the way.”

His two victories here have netted him half a million dollars, since the race was upgraded in 2008 with a million dollars prize money, with a first prize of $250,000, for both men and women. But there is also the little matter of a million dollar bonus for a World record, offered by Dubai Holding.

Replying to someone who asked what he might do if he won the million dollars, Gebrselassie first said, “I will tell you after I get the million dollars,” then adding as the laughter died down, “If I could get the record by paying a million dollars, I’d do it”.

Three of the pacemakers who delivered him on schedule to 35km last year, before the rains ruined the record attempt – Fabiano Joseph of Tanzania, and John Kales and Sammy Kosgei of Kenya – are in there again.

And another Kenyan Sammy Korir, who was once second fastest in the world, says that he is not in the field as token opposition. Korir ran 2:04:56, one second behind colleague Paul Tergat’s then World record, in Berlin 2003, but has a dozen sub-2:10 times, more than Gebrselassie.

Korir, 38, finished third here two years ago, and said today, “After my run in Berlin, I had injuries and it was difficult, coming back to racing and then getting injured again. But now I have shown I can run fast, 2:07 again (winning in Seoul 2008), so I am looking forward to the race. Dubai is a very good course for running fast”.

Before the 42.2k on Friday, Gebreselassie went off to tackle the half-mile high Burj Khalifa, as one of the first famous guests up the recently opened world’s tallest tower.

And having reiterated today his desire to run the Olympic marathon in London 2012, the inference is that Haile is not planning to slow down any time soon. So, weather and pacemakers permitting, expect another towering time from the Little Emperor on Friday.

Source: IAAF

The pair; known for their shy and modest demeanours, opened up on the eve of the BUPA Great Edinburgh international cross-country – an event each was hotly tipped to win.

 Dibaba, 24, glided majestically to a comfortable win over a stellar field, whilst Bekele’s defeat by three Kenyans sent shockwaves throughout the sport. The 27-year-old had been unbeaten over the terrain in nine years; still, it would be foolish to think that the world will this year be deprived of the accustomed fireworks from this Ethiopian duo.

Bekele and Dibaba; with a collective total of 45 Olympic and world gold medals between them, are understandably familiar with the limelight. Bekele has held world records at 5,000m (12:37.35) and 10,000m (26:20.31) since 2004 and has held at least one Olympic or World title since 2001.

Dibaba’s athletic resume in turn, stands up strong against her African counterpart; with a global title each year since 2003, a world 5,000m track and 15km road record (14:11.15 and 46:28) and matches the 5,000m/10,000m double Olympic gold-medal-winning exploits of Bekele from the Beijing Games in the summer of 2008.

Family life

The pair come from the town of Bekoji in the Oromia region of Ethiopia and hone their incredible endurance, speed and scintillating finishing kicks in and around Addis Ababa.

Inhabiting a plush hotel in the Scottish capital for their latest competition, the King and Queen of the track are away from home during the Ethiopian celebration of Christmas; each athlete described their trip as an obligation to their career and hoped an impressive result at Holyrood Park would offer a gift to loved ones back home.

Family is evidently very important to the talented twosome. Bekele; a fan of Chelsea and Barcelona, recovered from losing his 18-year-old fiancée to a heart-attack on a training run together in 2005 to marry to a famous Ethiopian actress and have two young daughters. His younger brother, Tariku is the reigning World Indoor 3,000m champion and is sole, trusted training partner.

“He is a great runner and I think in the future he could be a great champion; maybe better than me. I enjoy training with him – he helps to push and motivate me,” Bekele explained.

Dibaba, meanwhile, is the fourth of six children and she too comes from a family of world-class athletes.

“We are very lucky to be runners and to do so many things like train together,” she revealed.

The family link of talent does not stop there either, as Dibaba is married to 2004 and 2008 Olympic 10,000m silver-medalist, Sileshi Sihine and Derartu Tulu; the 2000 Olympic 10,000m champion, is her cousin.

The combination of inheriting superb genetics and willingly suffering from the tough daily grind has seen the duo achieve great things, and in particular, during the past two years. Retaining his Olympic 10,000m title and upgrading his 2004 Athens 5,000m silver to gold, Bekele said of his sublime 2008 season.

“They were great times and achievements for me: it was fantastic to be the Olympic and world champion at the same time,” he said.

Dibaba improved from Athens 5,000m bronze to also become victorious in ‘the distance double’ in China; achievements for which her club, the Prisons Police, bestowed the rank of Chief Superintendent for her services to club and country and the local hospital being named in her honour.

Mixed fortunes

2009 brought mixed fortunes for the all-conquering pair, as Bekele replicated his double gold-medal-winning performances at the World Championships in Berlin; whilst Dibaba was reduced to a spectator role, following an untimely bout of illness; squashing her efforts for a fifth global title on the track.

After additionally having to miss the chance to add a sixth world cross-country title to her belt in March through injury, luck was not on Dibaba’s side.

“Last year was not a good year for me, with missing the world cross and getting sick a month before Berlin. But I’ve come back to break the world 15km record and hopefully I will do the World Cross-Country Championships in March,” she explained.

The world record on the roads of Nijmegen two months ago represented Dibaba’s first race on the tarmac in five years and she paid the price for such a storming run; injuring her feet badly after ripping her shoes to shreds.

“I’m not 100% fully-recovered but I’m almost there. It was a great race for me; it showed I have a very great future on the roads,” she said.

Despite a major blip in the start to his competitive year, the self-coached Bekele remains confident of achievement remarkable things yet again in 2010. With no championships for Ethiopians to contest, he has set his sight on breaking two extremely tough world records on the track and taking the inaugural IAAF Diamond League series and prize-pot.

“My goals are to achieve many good results and this is a good year to break the world indoor 3,000m and world outdoor 5,000m records. I know it is not easy to break these, especially the 3,000m and the main thing for me is to stay healthy and do good performances,” he revealed.

The world will be eager to see whether Bekele achieves his first goal (the 3,000m record) in Birmingham next month and his rivals will be even keener to see what he can do, following recent proof that he is not invincible.

Dibaba is equally determined for a show-stopping year.

“My plan is always to win and this year I plan to do a very good job with my performances. I will run indoors in Boston and attempt the 5,000m world record but I will not do the World indoor Championships. I will probably go for victory in the world cross (in Bydgoszcz, Poland),” she revealed.

Source: Sky Sports

Men’s race -

Chane killed off the competition with a gun-to-tape race taking the lead from the early stages of the 8.8 km race. Abere, who finished fifth at the 2004 IAAF World Junior Championships in Grosseto in the 10,000m and has run a PB of 27:47 over the distance, went to the lead during the first lap. The only athlete who was able to follow the Ethiopian was Ukrainian 2:10:36 marathoner Vasyl Matvichuk  who tried to close the gap on Chane during the first lap.

Matvichuk, who is planning to run the Marathon at the European Championships  in Barcelona next summer,  managed to keep up with Chane briefly  on the downhill section of the course during the first lap but his effort probably took its toll uphills when Chane pushed the pace increasing his gap to 20 metres.

Meanwhile the chasing group formed by Italian runners Stefano La Rosa, Gabriele De Nard, Yuri Floriani, Gianmarco Buttazzo and Martin Dematteis fought for third place but they were well behind. During the second lap Chane continued to push the pace carving out a solid margin over Matvichuk which proved to be decisive. The Ethiopian continued to pull away lap after lap with a margin of more than 20 seconds at the bell. During the last lap he continued his stroll  taking the win at a canter in 25:52 by 29 seconds over Matvichuk. During the third lap Matvichuk suffered from a stitch but managed to hold on defending his second place in 26:21 prevailing by five seconds over Stefano La Rosa, third overall and first among the Italians.

“It was a very good race. It was a easy win but the course was tough with a lot of ups and downs. I am now returning to Ethiopia for the National Cross Country Championships”, said Chane, who won the Vienna Silvester race on 31 December.

Women’s race -

In the women’s race a quartet formed by 2006 European Cross Country Championships Tatyana Holovchenko, the two young Ethiopians Asmeraworch Bekele and Tizita Bogale, and local favourite Federica Dal Ri went to the front from the early stages. Holovchenko was the first to launch an attack during the first lap. The Ukrainian kept the pace in the front closely followed by the two young Ethiopians and Dal Ri, who won last year in Vallagarina ahead of Holovchenko.

Bogale, who was born in 1993 and finished fifth in the 800m at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Bressanone last summer, and Bekele  launched their decisive attack during the second lap breaking away from the European pair of Dal Ri and Holovchenko. Dal Ri managed to pull away from Holovchenko uphill during the second lap.

Bogale and Bekele battled it out for the win during the third and last lap. They ran a neck-to-neck race until the final metres when Bekele edged out her compatriot in a dramatic final sprint into the finish-line. They shared the same final time of 18:37. Dal Ri, who finished 19th at the European Cross Country Championships in Dublin and third at the Campaccio on 6 January, took third place to the delight of local crowd and the local Quercia Rovereto athletics team for which the Italian runner started her career. Holovchenko finished a distant fourth in 19:17, 25 seconds behind Dal Ri.

Bekele was born in 1991. She has clocked 4:10 in the 1500m but is planning to run over longer distances in the future. She finished ninth in the 1500m at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz  2008. During 2009 she finished fourth in the 1500m at the Ethiopian Championships and seventh at the National Cross Country Championships. More recently she won the Vienna Silvester Race on 31 December.

“I am returning to Ethiopia for the National Cross Championships. I am aiming at qualifying for the World Cross Country Championships in Bydszgoxz on 28 March. The half marathon may become my distance for the future,” the young Ethiopian said.

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

Leading Results:

MEN (8.8 km) -
 1. Abere Chane, ETH         25:52
 2. Vasyl Matvich, UKR       26:21
 3. Stefano La Rosa, ITA     26:26
 4. Gabriele De Nard, ITA    26:29
 5. Yury Floriani, ITA       26:42
 6. Gianmarco Buttazzo, ITA  26:44
 7. Martin Dematteis, ITA    26:49
 8. Stefano Scaini, ITA      26:57
 9. Bernard Dematteis, ITA   27:01
10. Josef Katib, GER         27:17

WOMEN (5.5 km) -
 1. Asmeraworch Bekele, ETH   18:37
 2. Tizita Bogale, ETH        18:37
 3. Federica Dal Ri, ITA      18:52
 4. Tetyana Holovchenko, UKR  19:17
 5. Renate Rungger, ITA       19:36
 6. Simona Santini, ITA       19:37
 7. Livia Toth, HUN           19:39
 8. Ivana Iozzia, ITA         19:44
 9. Barbara La Barbera, ITA   19:45
10 .Silvia La Barbera, ITA    19:49

Gelana, 25, running his second ZMarathon in six weeks, broke away from a pack of five runners at the 22-mile mark and finished in 2:07:37. His time shaved 15 seconds off the previous course record set by fellow Ethiopian Deriba Merga last year. 

“I did not expect to run this fast,” said Gelana, who entered the race with a personal record of 2:11:50 set in 2008. “It was unexpected, but I hope the future will bring even more interesting things for me. I think I can run 2:05.”

Zembaba Yigeze (ETH) was second in 2:08:27, while Jason Mbote (KEN) was third in 2:08:58. For the first time in the history of the race, the top six runners ran under 2 hours, 10 minutes. American Brett Gotcher (Flagstaff, Ariz.) finished seventh in 2:10:35 in his debut Marathon.

The 27-year-old Erkesso dominated the women’s race for the second consecutive year, once again crossing the finish line in a course record. Erkesso won by nearly five minutes, lowering her course mark by 25 seconds with a time of 2:23:53. The time is the fastest female Marathon ever run in Texas and makes Erkesso the only woman to run sub 2 hours, 25 minutes twice in Houston. 

Both Galana and Erkesso received $35,000 for their victories. Margarita Plaksina (RUS) was the runner-up in the women’s race in 2:28:44. Alemitu Abera (ETH) was third in 2:31:01. More