Kenya’s Kenneth Kiplagat Limo took the honours at the Mersin International Marathon, an IAAF Bronze Label road race, on Sunday in Turkey.
Running his career best of 2:10:12 in the Turkish Mediterranean city, Limo shaved more than one minute off the course record set last year by Morocco’s Hassane Ahouchar.
The 28-year-old was in a six-man leading group who covered 10km in 31:37 but fell 200m behind compatriot Hillary Kipchumba at the half-way mark which he reached in 1:06:18. After about 26km, Limo caught and overtook Kipchumba and was never challenged again. Kipchumba finished second in 2:10:43 while Bernard Cheruiyot Sang completed the Kenyan sweep in 2:14:46
In the first part of the women’s race, Ethiopian duo Konjit Tilahun and Chaltu Dida opened a gap of more than one minute when passing the halfway mark in 1:14:13.
Dida was dropped by Tilahun by 10 seconds at 30km. Tilahun went on to take the title in 2:33:18, Dida followed in 2:35:44 while Kenya’s Gladys Chemweno was third in 2:38:36.
Elsewhere, Amos Kipruto was placed third in the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K race in India. Kipruto edged out compatriot Eric Kiptanui for the final podium position. Both clocked 1:15:52. Ethiopian athletes dominated the event with Birhanu Legese and Bayelign Yegsaw taking top places. Legese clocked 1:15:48 with teenage compatriot Bayelign Yegsaw coming home second in 1:15:49. Another Ethiopian Dibaba Kuma won the women’s race in 1:27:34 ahead Ftaw Zeray (1:27:38) and Tanzania’s Failuna Matanga (1:27.45).
