Ruth Chepngetich wins the Dubai Marathon (Giancarlo Colombo / organisers) © Copyright
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 25 – Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich moved up to third on the women’s world all-time list after storming to Dubai Marathon victory at the IAAF Gold Label road race on Friday.
Getaneh Molla produced the fastest marathon debut in history to win the men’s race.
In a fascinating women’s race, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich achieved the third fastest time in history with 2:17:08. Only Britain’s world record holder Paula Radcliffe (2:15:25) and Kenya’s Mary Keitany (2:17:01) have ever ran faster.
The 24-year-old Chepngetich took more than two minutes off the course record of 2:19:17 and became the first Kenyan woman since 2006 to win in Dubai.
With a time of 2:17:41, second-placed Worknesh Degefa broke Tirunesh Dibaba’s Ethiopian record by 15 seconds and became the fourth fastest runner ever. The only other race where two women have broken 2:18 previously was in London in 2017.
Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa of Ethiopia took third place with 2:21:05.
In ideal weather conditions, Molla’s winning time of 2:03:34 is the first sub-2:04 time in Dubai. The Ethiopian improved the former course record by 26 seconds and became the sixth fastest marathon runner ever.
Second-placed Herpassa Negasa was close behind with 2:03:40, which makes him the eighth fastest runner in history. Asefa Mengstu completed an all-Ethiopian podium with 2:04:24 for third place.
