Running News Daily

Ethiopia’s Yebrgual Melese broke the women’s course record by more than a minute at the Shanghai International Marathon on Sunday

Melese´s compatriot, Abdiwak Tura took the men’s title following a breath-taking home stretch battle, securing the first Ethiopian double in the 19-year history of the IAAF Gold Label event. Running in cold and drizzly conditions with temperatures ranging from 10 to 12 degrees (50-54 degrees F), Melese built up a comfortable lead in the final five kilometers to wrap up the win in 2:20:37, beating the course record of 2:21:52 set three years ago by compatriot Tigist Tufa. The 28-year-old led a group of seven and maintained a fast pace in the early stage of the race, passing 10 kilometres in 35:30 and 20 kilometres in 1:06:30. The group was cut to three women at the 25-kilometre water station, which they reached in 1:23:35, and Muluhabt Tsega of Ethiopia quit the title contest after another two kilometres. The in-form Melese, whose PB of 2:19:36 from Dubai earlier this year made her the fastest entrant, kept pushing ahead. After several unsuccessful mini-breaks, she finally pulled away from Azmera Abreha to achieve the sole lead after 36 kilometres and never looked back before breaking the tape in style to celebrate her first marathon title in three years. Eight of the top 10 finishers in the women’s race achieved a lifetime best. The 20-year-old Abreha, also from Ethiopia, improved her PB by more than three minutes to finish second in 2:21:51. Third place went to Kenya’s Betty Lempus, who improved her PB by nearly six minutes to 2:23:41. In the men’s event, two sub-2:05 runners turned the race into a last 100-metre sprinting contest, with Tura rallying to edge fellow Ethiopian Tsegaye Mekonnen in front of the finish. The 21-year-old Tura clocked 2:09:20 to claim the title, 4:36 shy of his career best of 2:04:44 set in Dubai earlier this year. Mekonnen, a 2:04:32 performer, finished with the same clocking but had to settle for second place. Dickson Tuwei of Kenya finished third in 2:09:21. (11/20/2018) Views: 1,666 ⚡AMP

Sub-2:20 runners Sarah Chepchirchir and Yebrgual Melese will face one another in the women’s race at Shanghai International Marathon

Ethiopia’s Melese trimmed more than three minutes off her PB to finish third in Dubai in 2:19:36. She also clocked 2:27:47 to finish second at the Yellow River Estuary International Marathon in Dongying, China. Sunday’s race will be her third marathon of the year. The 34-year-old Chepchirchir of Kenya is the second-fastest woman in the field. Following a solid season in 2017 when she registered her big PB of 2:19:47 from her victory at the Tokyo Marathon and successfully defended her title in Lisbon, Chepchirchir will be keen to continue her winning streak in her first race in 2018. Kenya’s Flomena Cheyech, 36, is the other title contender whose PB is faster than the 2:21:52 course record in Shanghai set by Tigist Tufa of Ethiopia three years ago. Cheyech clocked a PB of 2:21:22 to finish third in Paris last April and finished fourth over the classic distance at the IAAF World Championships in London. Her most recent performance was a 2:33:01 clocking at the Nagoya Women's Marathon in March. Helen Tola Bekele, who will celebrate her 24th birthday next week, is another woman to watch. The rising Ethiopian has improved her PB each season since making her marathon debut in 2015, recently reducing it to 2:22:48 in Berlin. (11/16/2018) Views: 1,895 ⚡AMP

Course record holders return to Ottawa Marathon, Sara Hall top American Female

Canada's largest running event is the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon and Half Marathon is coming up May 27 in Ottawa, Canada.  Yemane Tsegay, the Ethiopian star who set the Ottawa course record with a blistering time of 2:06:54 in 2014, heads the list of marathon speedsters. Tsegay will be challenged by Eliud Kiptanui, the Kenya native who claimed last year’s title with a 2:10:14 clocking. Don’t be surprised to see three other Ethiopians joining them in the lead group, either. Haile Lemi Berhanu, who won the 2016 Boston Marathon, owns a personal best time of 2:04:33. Deriba Robi has completed the marathon in 2:05.58 and Adugna Takele Bikila owns an all-time best of 2:08.51. On the women’s side, course record holder Tigist Tufa is also returning, hoping to challenge her 2014 time of 2:24:31. Tufa also won the 2015 London Marathon. Tufa will have her hands – and feet – full with Gelete Burka, who ran a 2:20:45 marathon earlier this year. Joining Tufa in the women’s field is U.S. Marathon champion Sara Hall. Hall has improved in nearly every marathon she has run over the past year, placing sixth at Tokyo in 2017 before winning the U.S. Championships later that year.  (05/14/2018) Views: 1,998 ⚡AMP