Addis Ababa, May 10, 2022 (FBC) – Ethiopian Athlete Tsehay Gemechu outkicked Brigid Kosgei to retain her title at Lisbon Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label event, on Sunday.
Ethiopia’s world 5000m fourth-place finisher Tsehay ran 1:06:44 to win by two seconds ahead of Kenya’s world marathon record-holder Kosgei, while Kosgei’s compatriot Renju ran solo to a time of 1:00:13, 47 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa.
Tsehay, Kosgei and Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase had remained together until the closing kilometres, passing 10km in 31:37 and 15km in 47:25. Before they reached 20km in 1:03:27, Tsehay and Kosgei had managed to drop Goytom and the leading pair were seven seconds ahead at that point.
“I am so happy for my win,” said Tsehay, who finished second in the Istanbul Half Marathon in April. “The weather is very hot. I am happy to win against a strong athlete like Brigid Kosgei.”
The battle for the runner-up spot was much closer and Esa ran 1:01:00 to beat Kenya’s Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi by three seconds, with his compatriot Kipkemoi Kiprono another five seconds back.