Sisay Lemma and Zewditu Gelaw triumph in Ankara

Sisay Lemma and Zewditu Gelaw received the inaugural Runkara Half-Marathon, a landmark race for organisers in Turkey.

Till Sunday (Oct 8), Ankara had been the one capital metropolis on the planet and not using a highway race occasion – regardless of a inhabitants of over six million.

Appropriately beginning inside a stone’s throw of the Ataturk Mausoleum – Mustafa Kemal Ataturk based fashionable Turkey 100 years in the past this month – the course looped across the western aspect of the town centre in superb circumstances.

The primary ever worldwide half-marathon within the Turkish capital had 4000 entries, together with an eye catching elite line-up.

Lemma, the 2021 London Marathon champion, was one of many standout names within the males’s race whereas residence favorite Sultan Haydar appeared to problem Zewditu Gelaw and Roselidah Jepketer within the ladies’s area.

The lads’s occasion noticed Victor Mutai and Julius Kipchumba set the early tempo because the leaders went via the undulating first 10km in 29:27. By the 12km mark a small group of six had damaged away. They went via in 38:05 and at a stable tempo, allowing for the hills and 860m altitude.

Zewditu Gelaw (Mine Kasapoglu)

Bethwell Yegon, who completed second behind Guye Adola on the 2021 Berlin Marathon, battled Lemma for a big proportion of the race. Lemma continued to push arduous and, across the 50-minute mark, with roughly 3km to go, broke away. The Ethiopian received by 18 seconds in a time of 61:09 forward of compatriot Chimdessa Debele (61:27), whereas Kenya’s Vincent Nyageo 61:44 was third.

Within the ladies’s race, Haydar – a former Ethiopian now operating for Turkey – went via 10km in 32:01 (67:30 tempo) together with Gelaw and Jepketer. Gelaw was the pre-race favorite and made her mark on the race when it mattered essentially the most.

Operating a powerful final 6km, the Ethiopian completed in 68:28 to take first place, with Haydar (69:09) in second and Kenyan Vivian Kosgei (70:10), making her half-marathon debut, taking third.

The Runkara occasion is certain to go from power to power when discovering its place on the worldwide highway racing calendar. Race Director Victoria Blyth was instrumental in placing it collectively, alongside assist from RunCzech.

Full outcomes: 

Males

Sisay Lemma (61:09)
Chimdessa Debele (61:27)
Vincent Nyageo (61:44)

Ladies

Zewditu Gelaw (68:28)
Sultan Haydar (69:09)
Vivian Kosgei (70:10)

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