Ethiopian marathon runner Workenesh Edesa (© AFP / Getty Images)
Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa and Kenya’s Brimin Misoi made significant improvements on the course records at the TCS Sydney Marathon, winning the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:21:40 and 2:06:17 respectively.
Edesa took almost three minutes off the previous course record in a race where the top four women finished inside Stella Barsosio’s former mark of 2:24:33, set five years ago.
A group of seven women ran together through the first 10km in 33:44, putting them on course record pace from the outset. Just four women – Edesa, Valary Jemeli Aiyabei, Ruti Aga and 2022 world champion Gotytom Gebreslase – remained in the lead pack as the half-way point was reached in 1:11:11.
The quartet ran together for another six or seven kilometres before Edesa and Aga made a break. The Ethiopian duo reached 30km in 1:41:16 with a 16-second lead over Gebreslase. Aga was next to fade, leaving Edesa as the sole leader.
The Ethiopian had a 22-second lead at 35km and was picking up the pace as the race went on. She reached the finish line in 2:21:40, 89 seconds ahead of Aga. Gebreslase completed the Ethiopian sweep in third with 2:24:16.
The men’s race set out at a steady pace with a large lead pack going through 10km in 29:58, inside course record schedule. By the time the half-way point was reached in 1:03:13, just four men remained in the lead group – Misoi, Geoffrey Toroitich, Ezra Tanui and Chalu Deso Gelmisa – while four or five other runners were strung out behind.
By 30km, reached in 1:29:49, Leul Gebresilase had joined the leaders to form a quintent, but they only ran together for a few kilometres before Misoi forged on ahead. The Kenyan got to 35km in 1:44:41, still comfortably inside course record pace, with a 53-second lead over Kirwa. Tanui and Toroitich, meanwhile, dropped out.
He continued to extend his lead through the closing stages and reached the finish line in 2:06:17, taking 46 seconds off the course record set two years ago by compatriot Moses Kibet. Gelmisa was a distant runner-up in 2:08:01, just ahead of Kirwa (2:08:17).
Leading results
Women
1 Workenesh Edesa (ETH) 2:21:40
2 Ruti Aga (ETH) 2:23:09
3 Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) 2:24:16
4 Valary Jemeli (KEN) 2:24:21
5 Judith Jeptum Korir (KEN) 2:28:05
6 Mao Uesugi (JPN) 2:19:17
7 Fatima Ouhaddou Nafie (ESP) 2:33:05
8 Viola Jelagat Kibiwot (KEN) 2:38:51
Men
1 Brimin Misoi (KEN) 2:06:17
2 Chalu Deso Gelmisa (ETH) 2:08:01
3 Felix Kiptoo Kirwa (KEN) 2:08:17
4 Tetsuya Yoroizaka (JPN) 2:08:53
5 Ken Nakayama (JPN) 2:09:22
6 Leul Gebresilase (ETH) 2:10:02
7 Tadu Adate Deme (ETH) 2:10:11
8 Laban Korir (KEN) 2:10:46
