Ethiopia\u2019s Fotyen Tesfay stormed to second on the world all-time list by running a 2:10:51 marathon debut at the Zurich Barcelona Marathon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 28-year-old started the race as the third-fastest women\u2019s half marathon runner in history and ended it by surpassing that feat over double the distance, finishing within a minute of the world marathon record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She won the race by almost eight minutes ahead of Kenya\u2019s Joan Jepkosgei Kiplimo, while Uganda\u2019s Abel Chelangat won the men\u2019s race in 2:04:57.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After finishing seventh at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and eighth at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 in the 10,000m, Tesfay started her marathon journey by covering the first 10km in 31:05 in Barcelona as she followed her two male pacemakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They picked up the pace and hit the halfway mark in 1:05:05, forging on to reach 30km in 1:32:00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her target was the world record of 2:09:56 set by Ruth Chepngetich in Chicago in 2024 and Tesfay looked determined as she went through 40km in 2:03:31. While she was unable to dip under 2:10 this time, Tesfay was rewarded with the fastest ever women\u2019s marathon debut, an Ethiopian record and the second-quickest performance in history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cToday was fantastic \u2013 not what I was expecting, but it is good,\u201d she told the race broadcaster, speaking through an interpreter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy plan was to attack the world record but today there was a lot of wind, I was not able to push in the last part of the race. Today I did not succeed, but in the next marathon I would like to try for the world record.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jepkosgei Kiplimo finished second in 2:18:42 and Ethiopia\u2019s Zeineba Yimer was third in 2:18:49.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the men\u2019s race, Chelangat and Kenya\u2019s Patrick Mosin broke away and Chelangat tracked his rival through 40km in 1:58:40. Chelangat made his move as they reached a water station and he looked in control as he strode away with two hours on the clock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mosin couldn\u2019t respond and Chelangat clinched the win unchallenged, clocking 2:04:57 to Mosin\u2019s 2:05:01. Kenya\u2019s Jonathan Samanayo Korir was third in 2:05:29.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Haftu Teklu retained his title in a course record and Haven Hailu Desse claimed a clear win to complete an Ethiopian double at the Seoul Marathon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Teklu prevailed after a fierce sprint finish against Getaneh Molla and they led the top five all under the previous course record of 2:04:43.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Teklu won in a PB of 2:04:23, just one second ahead of his compatriot Molla. Kenya\u2019s Gilbert Kibet and Enock Kinyamal and Ethiopia\u2019s Tsegaye Getachew and Sufaro Woliyi Kabeto remained in contention until the closing stages and also dipped under 2:05.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desse had a much more comfortable victory, winning by 30 seconds ahead of her compatriot Bekelech Gudeta \u2013 2:19:09 to 2:19:39, both PBs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Six runners remained in the lead pack of the men’s race as 40km was reached in 1:58:03.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Molla was first to move but he was tracked every step by Teklu. They turned the final bend and Molla was a step ahead until Teklu used a perfectly timed kick to surge past him with the finish line in sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Teklu started celebrating but had to run hard all the way to the finish line to retain his title in 2:04:23. Molla was a close second (2:04:24) and they were followed by Kibet (2:04:32), Getachew (2:04:33), Woliyi Kabeto (2:04:36) and Kinyamal (2:04:46).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the women’s race, Desse ran as part of a pack through halfway in 1:08:42 and 30km in 1:37:46. She pushed ahead after 35km and reached 40km in 2:12:01, running solo to the finish line which she reached in 2:19:09 for a clear victory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gudeta was second and Bosena Mulatie completed an Ethiopian top three in 2:19:47, while Kenya\u2019s Joyce Chepkemoi Tele also broke 2:20, doing so for the first time with a PB 2:19:50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenya\u2019s Alex Nzioka Matata and Ethiopia\u2019s Ruti Aga were the winners at the Meishan Renshou Half Marathon in Meishan, China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a successful title defence for Matata, who also won half marathons in Ras Al Khaimah, Yangzhou, Istanbul and New Delhi last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This time he triumphed in 59:51, finishing almost a minute ahead of Ethiopia\u2019s Gemechu Dida (1:00:47) and Kenya\u2019s Boaz Kipkemei (1:00:54).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aga, the 2019 Tokyo Marathon champion, maintained her win streak by clocking 1:08:04 ahead of China\u2019s Liang Tiantian (1:08:33) and He Wuxia (1:09:07).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This latest victory follows Aga\u2019s Xiamen Marathon win in January and her two marathon wins \u2013 in Xiamen and Hangzhou \u2013 in 2025.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri broke the course record to win the United Airlines NYC Half road race in New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The multiple World Marathon Majors champion, who clinched New York City Marathon victories in 2023 and 2025, clocked 1:06:33 to win ahead of her compatriot Sharon Lokedi and improve on the course record of 1:07:04 set by Lokedi last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This time Lokedi ran 1:07:10 for the runner-up spot. Great Britain’s Megan Keith was third in 1:07:13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt won the men’s race in 59:30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He finished clear ahead of USA’s Zouhair Talbi (59:41) and India’s Gulveer Singh (59:42).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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