Deso Gelmisa yesterday led an Ethiopian clean sweep of the podium at the Tokyo Marathon, with Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s race.
In a tight finish, the 25-year-old Gelmisa finished in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 22 seconds to win his first World Marathon Major by one second ahead of compatriot Mohamed Esa. Tsegaya Getachew finished third, two seconds further back.
Canadian Cam Levins led a group of five runners at the 39km mark, but Gelmisa sprinted away with 400m remaining to claim victory.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Levins finished fifth at 2:05:36 to eclipse the long-standing North American record of 2:05:38 at the flat Tokyo course.
There was no close finish to the women’s race as Wanjiru crossed the line 28 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Tsehay Gemechu for her first major win.
Ashete Bekeri, last year’s runners-up finished third, 2:43 behind Wanjiru.
Swiss pair Marcel Hug and Manuela Schar won the wheelchair titles and set new course records.
Defending champion Hug won in 1:20:57, nearly four minutes faster than his time last year.
Schar won the women’s race in 1:36:43.
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