FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon Report/Results
In another record-shattering day at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon,
Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya became the third fastest woman in marathon
history when she clocked 2.17.08, taking over two minutes off the 12 month
old course record, and a minute off her own personal best, while more than
hinting that, at 22, she might just be the woman to threaten Paula
Radcliffe's superlative time of 2.15.25, from London 2003.
Not to be outdone, Getaneh Molla of Ethiopia ran the fastest debut in
history in breaking the men's course record, also a year old, by half a
minute, with 2.03.34, making him the sixth fastest man of all time.
In the women's race, Chepngetich was followed home by former winner,
Worknesh Degefa of Ethiopia, who also obliterated her personal best by just
over two minutes, with 2.17.41, which makes her the fourth fastest in
history. Although she lost ground in the last third of the race, staying
with the leading duo for so long ensured that another Ethiopian, Gurmesa
Edesa took three minutes off her best, finishing third in 2.21.05.
Likewise in the men's race, Molla was tested until the final kilometre by
compatriot Herpassa Negesa, who finished second in 2.03.40, excising over
five minutes from his best, and securing him in eight place in history.
There were mixed fortunes for another Ethiopian, Asefa Mengstu who finished
third in 2.04.24, for though he improved one place from last year, he was
18 seconds slower.
It will be little consolation to Degefa to know that a time of 2.07.41 has
never lost a marathon before, and indeed she contributed amply to
Chepngetich's success. The Kenyan was having problems identifying her
drinks' bottles at feed stations, and regularly fell behind at each table.
When the pair had dropped Edesa and the rest before 35k, the same thing
happened again, and having followed the Kenyan up to that point, Degefa saw
the opportunity to steal a march, with the objective of repeating her 2017
victory. She forged ahead, which woke Chepngetich to the danger, and she
immediately launched her long drive to victory. It is a possibility that
the lost time searching for drinks cost her the Kenyan/African record, held
by colleague Mary Keitany, the second fastest in history with 2.17.01.
But as Radcliffe, having commentated the race, drily observed about the
danger of her record falling to Chepngetich, "She has the time; at 22, she
is far more likely than any of the older women," a nod surely in the
direction of the 36 year old Keitany, who has long been touted as a threat
to the 15 year old world mark.
Since her marathon debut in Istanbul 2017, winning in a very respectable
2.22.36, followed by a slightly slower second place in Paris in early 2018,
the diminutive Chepngetich has taken giant strides. She returned to
Istanbul two months ago, and ran four minutes faster than the previous year
(2.18.35), and shooting into seventh place in history. She brushed off the
fact that there are some potentially disruptive ups and downs in the final
stages of the course, with, "I train on hills, so I was not bothered". The
corollary to that is 2.17.08 on a completely flat course.
Molla said that he did not know what to expect from his first marathon, but
that, "It certainly was not 2.03. I was hoping for maybe 2.05, 2.06". But
the possibility was always that a man who can run sub-13mins for 5000
metres (just) as he did last summer was going to thrive in the marathon, if
he put in the work. That much was evident in the comfort and easy striding
style he manifested as his more fancied compatriots, and Kenyan Emmanuel
Saina dropped off the group of ten which maintained the sort of pace that
was going to ensure a fast final time. The surprise was that it was regular
2.09 man, Herpassa Negasa who provided the springboard for Molla's victory,
dictating the pace which resulted in the pair ending up alone in the final
kilometres. But it was the debutant who prevailed at the death. And despite
his record debut victory, he indicated that, having won the Ethiopian 5000m
title on the track four times, it was at that distance or the 10,000 metres
that he wants to compete in the World Track & Field Championships in Doha
later this year.
He can be sure that he will not experience there the same sort of weather
conditions here today, which could barely have been better for this part of
the world. The local media has been complaining all week about the 'cold'
weather, which is to say the thermometer has barely climbed above 21C
(70F); but starting before dawn in 16C (60F), and benefiting from cloud
cover which kept the temperature at that level all race, meant that the
athletes delivered.
In the last decade, since an influx of cash from the Dubai government, the
marathon organisers, abetted by a flat, fast course have tempted the likes
of Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele to beef up their kudos and record
credentials; but, equally some little known athletes have made strong and
rapid debuts here, contributing to some of the best in-depth marathon
results anywhere in the world. Now in its 20th year, with some of the
fastest times in history, Dubai has further burnished its claims to
maintain a high ranking in the world of major marathons.
RESULTS
Men:
1. Getaneh Molla ETH 2:03:34
2. Herpassa Negasa ETH 2:03:40
3. Asefa Mengstu ETH 2:04:24
4. Emmanuel Saina KEN 2:05:02
5. Shifera Tamru ETH 2:05:18
6. Kelkile Gezahegn ETH 2:06:09
7. Adugna Takele ETH 2:06:32
8. Birhanu Teshome ETH 2:08:20
9. Fikadu Kebede ETH 2:08:27
10. Tadesse Abraham SUI 2:09:50
Women:
1. Ruth Chepngetich KEN 2:17:08
2. Worknesh Degefa ETH 2:17:41
3. Worknesh Edesa ETH 2:21:05
4. Waganesh Mekasha ETH 2:22:45
5. Sintayehu Lewetegn ETH 2:25:59
6. Rahma Tusa ETH 2:26:38
7. Muluhabt Tsega ETH 2:27:36
8. Sule Utura ETH 2:32:52
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