Ethiopian Athletics: Dinknesh Teffera sets new course record for Loch Ness Marathon

Dinknesh Teffera has set a new women course record for Baxters Loch Ness Marathon yesterday. Fellow Ethiopian Thomas Abiyu won the men’s race. 

Dinknesh comes from Bekoji, the hometown of Fatuma Roba, Derartu Tulu, Kenenisa & Taruku Bekele, the Dibaba sisters (Tirunesh, Ejegayehu & Genzebe) and many other great Ethiopian athletes. 

Competing in her first race in Great Britain, Dinknesh finished first in 2:46:39, slicing off fifteen seconds off the previous women’s record set by Kenya’s Commonwealth Games silver medalist Hellen Cherono in 2006. 

In the men’s race, Abiyu’s winning time of 2:20.50 was nine seconds better than when we won in 2003. Thomas Abiyu was born in Ethiopia but currently represents the UK. 

More than 8,600 people took part in the marathon.