Road runners in action (© Getty Images)
Gladys Tejeda of Peru broke the women's course record at the Telcel Mexico City Marathon, an IAAF Bronze Label Road Race, on Sunday (27).
The 31-year-old clocked 2:36:15 to knock more than two minutes from the previous race record of 2:38:25 set by Kenyan Anne Chelegat in 2007.
Tejeda, a two-time Olympian and 2011 Pan American Games bronze medallist who won in Mexico City in 2013, decided to go it alone from the 24th kilometre and won by more than two minutes over Ashete Bekere Dido of Ethiopia.
Dido, who won the Lanzhou Marathon in June and has a 2:23:43 lifetime best, clocked 2:38:46. Scola Jepkemoi Kiptoo of Kenya was third in 2:39:24.
The Mexican capital is set at 2250m above sea level.
In a much closer contest, Fikadu Kebede Debele of Ethiopia made his break with kilometres remaining en route to a 2:17:27 victory, seven seconds clear of Kenyan Isaac Korir. This was the second marathon win of the year for Debele, who took the Rabat Marathon in March, clocking a lifetime best of 2:09:37.
Rodgers Ondati Gesabwa of Kenya was third in 2:18:19 holding off Mexican Juan Luis Barrios who clocked 2:18.46.
Bob Ramsak (with assistance from David Monti) for the IAAF
Leading results
Men
1 Fikadu Kebede Debele (ETH) 2:17:27
2 Isaac Korir (KEN) 2:17:35
3 Rodgers Ondati Gesabwa (KEN) 2:18:19
4 Juan Luis Barrios (MEX) 2:18:26
5 Willy Canchanya (MEX) 2:18:46
6 Peter Kiprotich Kostei (KEN) 2:20:53
Women
1 Gladys Tejeda (PER) 2:36:15
2 Ashete Bekere Dido (ETH) 2:38:46
3 Scola Jepkemoi Kiptoo (KEN) 2:39:24
4 Pauline Wangui Ngigi (KEN) 2:40:43
5 Gladys Machacuay (PER) 2:41:21
6 Clara Canchanya (MEX) 2:42:09
