Bekelech Gudeta Borecha wins the Volkswagen Prague Marathon (© RunCzech)
Ethiopia’s Bekelech Gudeta Borecha and Kenya’s Nobert Kigen claimed victory at the Volkswagen Prague Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, on Sunday (8).
Gudeta took almost two minutes off her PB to win the women’s race in 2:22:56 from Kenya’s Purity Changwony (2:25:11), while Kigen claimed the men’s title in 2:07:54, finishing 34 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Kelkile Gezahegn.
"I worked very hard,” said Gudeta, who finished third in the Istanbul Half Marathon in March in 1:06:35.
In Prague she achieved her third PB of the year, having also clocked 31:10 for 10km in Herzogenaurach at the end of last month, but added: “I wanted an even better time. But I am still very happy.”
Gudeta passed 10km in 33:10 and half way in 1:09:56 before going on to finish more than two minutes ahead of Changwony. Ethiopia’s Sentayehu Lewetegn was third, another nine seconds back.
Kigen clocked respective 10km and half marathon splits of 29:45 and 1:03:15 on the way to his 2:07:54 win ahead of Gezahegn (2:08:30) and Ethiopia’s Yitayal Atnafu Zerihun (2:08:44).
"Today was my day. I won, it's something incredible,” said Kigen, who improved on his third-place finish in Prague last year.
“I was a bit concerned that I might not have enough power left for the finish. I'm glad I did it this way.”
Adane and Dekebo break Barcelona Marathon records
Yihunilign Adane led the top two under the previous men’s course record, while Meseret Gebre Dekebo also ran the fastest ever women’s race at the Zurich Barcelona Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, on Sunday (8).
Achieving an Ethiopian double, Adane ran 2:05:53 to finish ahead of his compatriots Gebru Redahgne (2:05:58) and Kabede Wami, who matched the course record from last year with 2:06:03, while Dekebo also topped an Ethiopian 1-2-3, running 2:23:11 to beat Ayantu Kumela (2:25:00) and Zenebu Fikadu (2:25:11).
Adane, who finished third at last year’s Lisbon Marathon, took half a minute off his PB to win a close race and beat the course record set by Kenya’s Samuel Kosgei last year.
Dekebo’s time, meanwhile, takes more than four minutes off her previous best recorded when winning the Zurich Maraton Donostia-San Sebastian in November. It also improves the women’s course record set by Ethiopia’s Tadu Teshome last year by 42 seconds.
Gemechu pips Kosgei in Lisbon
Tsehay Gemechu outkicked Brigid Kosgei to retain her title, while Keneth Kiprop Renju claimed a clear men’s race win at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label event, on Sunday (8).
Ethiopia’s world 5000m fourth-place finisher Gemechu ran 1:06:44 to win by two seconds ahead of Kenya’s world marathon record-holder Kosgei, while Kosgei’s compatriot Renju ran solo to a time of 1:00:13, 47 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa.
Gemechu, Kosgei and Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase had remained together until the closing kilometres, passing 10km in 31:37 and 15km in 47:25. Before they reached 20km in 1:03:27, Gemechu and Kosgei had managed to drop Gebreslase and the leading pair were seven seconds ahead at that point.
Their advantage only grew and as they kicked in battle it was Gemechu who had the best closing strength, winning in a sprint finish. The race came a couple of months after Kosgei’s Tokyo Marathon victory in 2:16:02, with Gebreslase third on that occasion.
“I am so happy for my win,” said Gemechu, who finished second in the Istanbul Half Marathon in April. “The weather is very hot. I am happy to win against a strong athlete like Brigid Kosgei.”
Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter finished fourth in 1:08:33 and Italy’s Sofiia Yaremchuk fifth in 1:10:35.
Renju, meanwhile, passed 10km in 28:11 and 15km in 42:15 in the men’s race before clocking 57:02 at 20km and continuing on untroubled to triumph.
The battle for the runner-up spot was much closer and Esa ran 1:01:00 to beat Kenya’s Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi by three seconds, with his compatriot Kipkemoi Kiprono another five seconds back.
