Ethiopia’s Meseret Belete wins TCS Amsterdam Marathon
Addis Ababa, October 15, 2023 (FBC) – Ethiopia’s Meseret Belete crowned as the winner of the TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday (15), World Athletics Platinum Label road race, by clocking 2:18:21.
The champion Meseret produced the third-fastest winning times ever recorded in the women’s podium in the Dutch capital as she took over the crown from last year’s winner and her compatriot Almaz Ayana.
She smashed her PB by more than two minutes and notched up her second victory of the year, having won in Doha back in January in 2:20:46, her previous lifetime best.
The Ethiopian athlete maintained a remarkably consistent pace throughout, and for most of the way she ran alongside compatriots Meseret Abebayehu and Ashete Bekere, as well as Kenya’s Dorcas Tuitoek.
A large lead pack passed through 5km in 16:27 and 10km in 32:45. About nine runners were still in contention as they passed through the half-way point in 1:09:05. It indicated they were set for a finishing time in the region of 2:18, though Almaz Ayana’s course record of 2:17:20 was perhaps by now slightly out of reach.
By 30km, reached in 1:38:08, there were just four women left in the lead pack – Meseret, Meseret Abebayehu, Tuitoek and Ashete Bekere. They ran together for a further 10 minutes or so, then Meseret Belete started to forge a lead.
She didn’t have to increase her pace; she simply maintained it while her last few opponents drifted off it. Belete eventually entered the stadium with a comfortable lead and crossed the line in 2:18:21, winning by 89 seconds.
Meseret Abebayehu, winner in Riyadh and Xiamen earlier this year, held on for second place in 2:19:50, smashing her PB by more than four minutes. Tuitoek placed third in 2:20:02.
In the men’s race, Ethiopian atheletes were unable to finish in the top three spots although Birhanu Legese (2:04:44), Lemi Berhanu (2:05:48), Bazezew Asmare (2:06:34), Mulugeta Debasu (2:06:36), and Haymanot Alew (2:08:25) finished from 4th to 8th, respectively.
Meanwhile, last year’s TCS Amsterdam Marathon women’s race winner Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia has clinched a vixctory in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. Almaz demonstrated her exceptional skills by emerging as the champion of the 18th edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, held in the Indian capital early on Sunday.
Almaz, the illustrious 2016 Rio Olympics Champion and former winner of the Delhi Half Marathon six years ago, approached her 2017 winning time in the women’s race. She raced alongside her compatriots Aberash Minsewo and Dessie Anchinalu, as well as other runners from different countries.
“I’m delighted to have won here. It was a challenging race, and the weather was quite hot. Nonetheless, it was a fantastic experience to compete in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. I’d like to express my gratitude to the organizers for inviting me to the event, and this race has prepared me well for future competitions,” stated Almaz.
In the men’s race, Ethiopia’s Tesfahun Akalnew finished fourth with the time of 59:22. His compatriots Gemechu Dida (59:53), Boki Diriba (60:34), Demeke Tesfaye (61:37), and Kuma Dejene (64:38) have finished 7th, 9th, 10th, and 11th, respectively.
Meanwhile in the 2023 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon – a World Athletics Label road race –Ethiopians have conquered the event in both men and women races. Adane Kebede Gebre has won the race clocking 2:11:28. It is a clean sweep in the women’s race for Ethiopians as Tsige Haileslase Abreha (2:24:17), Melesech Tsegaye Beyene (2:26:23), and Shewarge Alene Amare (2:27:27) claimed the top three spots, respectively.
However, more Ethiopian athletes are expected to register top results later this Sunday as Adugna Takele, Yohans Mekasha, Mengistu Zelalem, and Abdella Gemeda are vying to take the crown of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2023 in Canada.