Matata and Wereta run Chinese all-comers' records in Meishan

Alex Nzioka Matata and Fikrte Wereta both set Chinese all-comers’ records to win the Meishan Renshou Half Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (23).

Kenya’s Matata won the men’s race in 59:28, while Ethiopia’s Wereta triumphed in the women’s race in 1:06:28.

It was a dominant win for Matata, just 22 days on from his Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon victory at the start of the month.

In Meishan, Matata was just eight seconds off the PB of 59:20 he set in Ras Al Khaimah and he won by more than a minute and a half ahead of Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu.

Matata was part of a lead group that passed 5km in 14:23 and he was in control as he reached 10km in 28:40. He increased his advantage to 46 seconds over the next 5km, reaching 15km in 42:33, and continued to move away to eventually win by more than a minute and a half, and achieve the fastest marathon ever recorded in China.

Simbu, the 2017 world marathon bronze medallist who finished 17th at the Paris Olympics, secured the runner-up spot in 1:01:05, while Kenya’s Timothy Kiplagat was third in 1:01:06, finishing one second ahead of Ethiopia’s Atsedu Tsegay.

Ethiopia’s Adisu Negash was fifth in 1:01:17 and Yu Shuiqing ran a Chinese record of 1:01:46 to finish sixth.

The women’s race was much closer, Wereta winning by three seconds ahead of Kenya’s world cross country fourth-place finisher Grace Loibach Nawowuna.

Wereta and Nawowuna were part of a lead pack that clocked 15:23 for 5km and they remained together as the leaders hit 10km in 31:05. Nawowuna was a few strides ahead at 15km, which she reached with 47 minutes on the clock, but Wereta timed her finish to perfection.

Wereta, who was third in the Xiamen Marathon in January, reached the finish line in a PB and Chinese all-comers’ record of 1:06:28, while Nawowuna also ran a PB, finishing runner-up in 1:06:31.

Ethiopia’s Tiruye Mesfin ran her own race and finished fast to place third in 1:06:34 ahead of Kenya’s Evaline Chirchir (1:06:40) and world half marathon bronze medallist Catherine Reline Amanang’ole (1:06:42) as the top five all dipped under 67 minutes. Finishing 10th was China’s He Wuga in a PB of 1:08:31.

Leading results

Women
1 Fikrte Wereta (ETH) 1:06:28
2 Grace Loibach Nawowuna (KEN) 1:06:31
3 Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) 1:06:34
4 Evaline Chirchir (KEN) 1:06:40
5 Catherine Reline Amanang’ole (KEN) 1:06:42
6 Meaza Asefa (ETH) 1:07:06
7 Beriha Gebreslasie (ETH) 1:07:26
8 Ayal Dagnachew (ETH) 1:07:29
9 Sewareg Haymanot (ETH) 1:07:45
10 He Wuga (CHN) 1:08:31

Men
1 Alex Nzioka Matata (KEN) 59:28
2 Alphonce Simbu (TAN) 1:01:05
3 Timothy Kiplagat (KEN) 1:01:06
4 Atsedu Tsegay (ETH) 1:01:07
5 Adisu Negash (ETH) 1:01:17
6 Yu Shuiqing (CHN) 1:01:46
7 Sikiyas Misganaw (ETH) 1:01:49
8 Asefa Boki (ETH) 1:01:50
9 Asres Guadie (ETH) 1:01:56
10 Jiang Fakun (CHN) 1:01:58

Results

Kemboi clocks course record to win in Guadalajara

Kenya’s Judy Kemboi ran a course record of 1:07:45 to win the Medio Maraton Internacional Guadalajara Electrolit Nutrido Por Granvita, the first World Athletics Platinum Label road race in Mexico, on Sunday (23).

The men’s race was won by Ethiopia’s Tadu Abate, who clocked 1:02:02 and improved on his third-place finish achieved in Guadalajara last year.

As part of the celebrations for the 483rd anniversary of the founding of Guadalajara, 21,000 participants took part in the event, which started and finished at the Glorieta de La Minerva.

Kemboi, who was second in the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon at the start of this month, solo ran her way to victory in Guadalajara and was never challenged, eventually winning ahead of her compatriots Helah Kiprop (1:10:23) and Janet Ruguru (1:11:46). Kemboi’s time of 1:07:45 improves on the previous course record of 1:08:51 set by Ethiopia’s Aberu Ayana last year.

Isabel Oropeza Vazquez was the leading Mexican athlete, finishing in sixth place in 1:14:42.

A close battle in the men’s race ended with Abate winning by four seconds ahead of Kenya’s 2022 winner Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo (1:02:06) and Justus Kangogo (1:02:19).

Mexico’s Jose Luis Santana Marin was sixth place in 1:04:37.