Buze Diriba
Buze Diriba ran a course record of 2:16:12 and Lemi Berhanu threatened the men’s mark by running 2:03:33 to win at the Amsterdam Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday.
Racing in wet conditions, both clocked impressive negative splits to achieve big PBs. Ethiopia’s Diriba improved on her previous best of 2:19:34 to break the course record and Dutch all-comers’ record of 2:16:52 set by Yalemzerf Yehualaw in 2024, while her compatriot Berhanu, the 2016 Boston Marathon champion, continued his resurgence by taking a minute off his PB set a decade ago, missing the course record by just three seconds.
Diriba was followed by defending champion Aynalem Desta, who ran a PB of 2:17:06, while Meseret Belete completed an Ethiopian top three in 2:18:06, also a PB.
Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir, who claimed world half marathon silver in Copenhagen last month, chased Berhanu over the finish line to secure another runner-up finish in a big PB of 2:03:39, while his Kenyan compatriot Patrick Mosin was third in a PB of 2:03:58 as the top eight all dipped under 2:05.
Diriba and Desta were always to the fore in the women’s race and they were joined by Mestawut Fikir and Belete as the halfway point was reached in 1:08:34.
They hit the 30-kilometre mark in 1:37:23 before Fikir was dropped, losing 17 seconds on the leaders over the next kilometre.
Desta and Diriba forged on, creating a gap on Belete, and then Diriba kicked. She was half a minute ahead by 40km and increased that advantage to almost a minute by the finish.
Diriba has now broken 2:20 in three marathons during the past 12 months – she ran her previous best of 2:19:34 to win in Frankfurt last October before clocking 2:19:54 to place second in Daegu in February. By running 2:16:12 in Amsterdam, the 32-year-old moved to 16th on the world all-time list.
Behind the top three, Tiringo Mulu finished fourth in 2:20:36 and Fikir was fifth in 2:21:32.
The men’s race also set off outside course record pace, but a strong finish took Berhanu to within three seconds of the mark set by Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba last year.
A large lead group remained together at halfway, headed by the pacemakers in 1:02:24. Kipchumba, defending his title, was eight seconds back at that point and he dropped out a short while later.
Kenya’s Justus Kangogo took control as the pacemakers stepped aside at the 30-kilometre mark, reached in 1:28:48. The pack stretched out as he picked up the pace, reaching the 35-kilometre checkpoint in 1:43:23, joined at the front by Mosin, Kipkorir, and Jonathan Korir, with Berhanu a stride back.
A big move was made as they approached the Vondelpark, as Kipkorir kicked and Berhanu went with him, leaving their rivals behind. They were shoulder to shoulder as they hit the 40-kilometre mark in 1:57:25, 11 seconds ahead of Mosin.
Then Berhanu edged ahead and Kipkorir could not respond, looking over his shoulder as he ran in second place.
Berhanu was well clear as he returned to the Olympic Stadium for the final stretch, striding over the finish line in 2:03:33 to secure a six-second victory. In only his second marathon, Kipkorir improved on the 2:06:07 he ran on his debut in Boston in April to secure the runner-up spot, while Mosin was third, another 19 seconds back.
Kalipus Lomwai was fourth (2:04:08), Sila Kiptoo fifth (2:04:12) and Kangogo sixth (2:04:24). Korir and Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi, the latter making his marathon debut, also finished inside 2:05. It is only the third race in history in which eight men have broken the 2:05 mark.
Amebaw and Ntakarutimana confirm supremacy in Amorebieta
Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw and Burundi’s Egide Ntakarutimana impressed at the Cross Internacional Zornotza – the second Gold-level meeting of this season’s World Athletics Cross Country Tour – as they claimed overwhelming victories in Amorebieta.
On a sunny and mild day, the women’s 8.7km contest witnessed the early lead of Eritrea’s Rahel Daniel, the 2022 world 10,000m fifth-place finisher, but she was easily followed by the Kenyan duo of Dorcus Chepkwemoi and Mirriam Cherop, Burundi’s Francine Niyomukunzi and the favourite Amebaw, who remained at the back of the pack in the early stages.
Following the first big loop covered in 6:58, Daniel began to lose ground as Niyomukunzi moved to the front to pick up the pace. During the second 2.1km circuit, with 12:30 on the clock, it was Amebaw who made a big statement as she unleashed a terrific change of speed to build a huge margin in a matter of a few hundred metres. The recent Ultimate 5000m champion clocked a swift 6:24 split for that loop to open a sizeable gap of 24 seconds on Chepkwemoi, Cherop and Niyomukunzi.
Amebaw maintained her cadence over the penultimate lap as it only took her 6:28 to extend her lead to a massive 36 seconds on the chasing trio. During the closing circuit, Chepkwemoi ceded ground when Cherop tried to break away from Niyomukunzi. A final 6:35 lap led the new world 5km champion Amebaw to a comfortable victory, her third in Amorebieta after her 2023 and 2025 wins. The 28-year-old finished 31 seconds clear of Niyomukunzi, who managed to leave world mile bronze medallist Cherop behind over the closing 400 metres.
“I’m so happy as it was my first competition as a world champion and I managed to triumph for the third time,” said Amebaw. “I love the Amorebieta cross country, I know the circuit and how to move strategically. Today I decided to stay in the group for almost the first half before setting my own rhythm. I now look forward to the next cross-country competitions.”
Unlike the women’s event, the 8.7km men’s contest kicked off at a frantic pace set by pre-race favourite Ntakarutimana. The Burundian ran the opening 500 metres in 1:17 to lose his rivals and the 28-year-old covered the opening kilometre in 2:37 to decide the race in his favour.
The lonesome leader continued to cover the opening big lap in 5:44 to build a 22-second advantage over a quartet featuring his compatriot Elie Sindayikengdera, Kenya’s Peter Rono and the Spanish pair of Daniel Arce and Sergio Paniagua.
Ntakarutimana’s second lap was timed at 5:56 as he maintained a clear margin over his chasers, with Rono, Sindayikengdera and Paniagua running in single file, while Arce was dropped from the pack. Ntakarutimana’s relentless pace continued over the penultimate lap which took him 5:59. At the bell, runner-up Rono travelled 23 seconds in arrears, three seconds clear of Sindayikengdera and five ahead of Paniagua, who caught the Burundian with a kilometre remaining.
Following another brisk 5:54 circuit, Ntakarutimana crossed the finish line well clear of his compatriot, who was able to overtake Rono over the long final straight, while Paniagua had to settle for fourth.
“I decided to begin fast because I felt a lot of energy today,” said Ntakarutimana who placed sixth two years ago in his only other appearance in Amorebieta. “I realised none of my rivals ran close to me but I kept my rhythm as the fans cheered on me throughout. I hope to come back next year.”
Tola runs Chinese all-comers’ record in Beijing
Olympic champion Tamirat Tola ran a Chinese all-comers’ record of 2:03:10 to win the Bank of China Beijing Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race.
His time improves the previous all-comers’ record of 2:05:35 set by Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba in Shanghai in 2023 as well as the Beijing Marathon record of 2:07:06 set by Mathew Kipkoech Kisorio in 2019.
Tola’s Ethiopian compatriots Muktar Edris and Adane Kebede also finished inside the previous records, respectively clocking 2:04:34 and 2:05:10.
Ethiopia’s Anchinalu Dessie retained the women’s title in 2:20:36 ahead of China’s Ciren Cuomu (2:23:48) and Lu Ying (2:24:24).
Matata breaks course record in Delhi
Charles Matata maintained family tradition by winning the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon in a course record and PB of 58:52, while Wudinesh Alemu won the World Athletics Gold Label road race in a PB of 1:06:35.
Matata went one better than his runner-up finish in 2023, following in the footsteps of his twin brother Alex Matata who won the 2025 edition. He topped a Kenyan podium as Samwel Mailu was second in 59:24 and Stanley Mburu was third in 59:33. Ethiopia’s two-time winner Birhanu Legese, the two-time Tokyo Marathon champion, finished fourth in 1:00:33.
Ethiopia’s 19-year-old Alemu won the women’s race ahead of Kenya’s Selah Busienei, who clocked 1:07:01, and Cynthia Chelangat Chepkwony, who secured third place by one second ahead of Irine Chepet Cheptai – 1:07:32 to 1:07:33.
Ngetich and Mutiso run course records at Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon
Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich and Alexander Mutiso set course records to win the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race.
Ngetich, who won the world cross-country title in January and world half marathon gold last month, was a dominant winner again in Tokyo. She clocked 1:04:23 to win by more than four minutes ahead of her compatriot Tabitha Njeri Kamau (1:08:28). Japan’s Kazuna Kanetomo was third in 1:10:17.
Mutiso won the men’s race in 59:51, topping a Kenyan podium ahead of Kiprono Sitonik (59:56) and James Mutuku (1:00:08).
