Dubai: The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon which has produced many surprise winners lived up to its reputation on Friday, with Tamirat Tola, a 25-year-old Ethiopian, emerging as the new winner by setting a course record of 2:04:11, improving his personal best by more than two minutes.
So spectacular was his run that he finished far ahead of his fellow Ethiopians Mule Wasihun, who finished second in 2:06:46, and Sisay Lemma in third place at 2:08:04. Tola erased the course record held by Ayele Abshero of Ethiopia with a timing of 2:04:23 that was set in the 2012 Dubai Marathon.
The women’s race too produced a stunning result with 26 year-old debutant Worknesh Degefa winning with a time of 2:22:36.
Incidentally, it is the eleventh fastest marathon debut ever and she shocked pre-race favourite and compatriot Shure Demise, who finished 22 seconds behind in second place with a time of 2:22:57. Like in the men’s event it was a clean sweep by the Ethiopians with Yebrgual Melese finishing third with 2:23:13.
Thousands of Ethiopians who turned up to cheer their runners waved their flags and danced in joy as Tola and Debele received $200,000 each for their stupendous show. The second and third place winners in the men and women’s race pocketed $80,000 and $40,000 each.
Top favourite Kenenisa Bekele, whom many expected to break the world record of 2:02:57 here, got knocked out just halfway through the race. Bekele’s manager Jos Hermens said that Bekele was pushed from behind, fell, and injured his arm and calf right at the start of the race.
After the fall, Bekele, who missed the world record by six seconds in Berlin last September, lost contact with the leading group before the 10km mark and then dropped out at around 23km and was seen holding his left calf in pain.
Bekele vowed to come back again and show what he was unable to do this year. “I came to Dubai to do something special, however it was not to be. I fell down at the start and got hurt. I tried to run, but it didn’t work. I just hope to come back to Dubai one day and show what I can do here.”
In the 10km road race. Morocco’s Samir Jouaher successfully defended his crown at 28:34, while Ethiopia’s Wuletaw Adane finished second in 28:57. Morocco’s Ahmad Tamri finished third at 29:27. The women’s 10km road race saw UAE’s Alia Mohammad win in 33:07 ahead of Ethiopian Berhan Aregawi (33:32). Amanda Bohlin of Sweden finished third at 36:53.
The wheelchair category too produced a surprise winner in Spain’s Rafa Botello after an intense battle with Patrick Monahan of Ireland. They both fought it out all the way to the finish line. Botello won in 1:31:19, just three seconds ahead of Monahan. Incidentally, both were racing on the Dubai roads for the first time. They pushed defending champion JohnBoy Smith of Great Britain, who finished at 1:36:25, into third place. Canada’s Josh Cassidy, the record holder for the fastest time in a marathon, finished fourth.
