Reigning World Road Running bronze medallist, Catherine Reline Amanang’ole ran the third fastest time in Abu Dhabi winning the women’s 42km race at sixth edition of the Abu Dhabi Marathon held Saturday.
The 22 year-old who also took the bronze medal at this year’s Copenhagen Half Marathon, took charge of the race from the halfway mark and strolled on with her two pacemakers after dropping Ethiopia’s Dolshi Tesfu’s who could not respond to her kick and surged further alone on her second marathon debut, cutting the tape first in a new personal best of 2:20.34.
Amanang’ole was followed in second place by the two-time Olympian for Eritrea Tesfu in 2:23.47 with Aurelia Jerotich Kiptui from Kenya cutting over five minutes from her previous life time as she sealed the podium in a new personal best of 2:26.28.
“I’m thrilled at the result, it being my first marathon. I have been training for this but I wasn’t so sure that I would win,” said Amanang’ole.
“The flat course and cooler weather very good for the run and the weather patterns were very good for the run. My pacemakers in the race did a good job to keep me going until the end,” said the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country third place finisher.
The race course record of 2:19.15, set last year by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei remains standing.
Meanwhile Ethiopia’s Chala Ketema Regasa produced a strong finish to become the first Ethiopian to win the men’s race.
Regasa raced in the leading group all through the 42.2-kilometre distance before kicking for home to cross the line in 2hrs 6mins and 16secs, just missing out in bettering his personal best of 2:06.11.
His timing was the fourth best in six editions of the Abu Dhabi Marathon behind the record 2:04.40 set by Kenyan Reuban Kipyego set in 2019.
Ibrahim Bouh of Djibouti was 17 seconds behind Regasa in second and joining them on the podium was Kenyan Wilfred Kigen, who crossed the finishing line in 2:06.47 in third.
“Everything panned out well for me today. The course and the weather were fantastic, and of course the result was, like, over the moon for me,” Regasa said of his win.
“I’m also very proud and honoured to become the first from Ethiopia to win the Abu Dhabi Marathon. I’m going to take a small break and then continue with my training and bring more glory to my country.”
