Tirunesh Dibaba Dominates Chicago Marathon
Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba, a three-time Olympic champion, captured the women’s crown of the Chicago Marathon, while Galen Rupp became the first American man in 15 years to win the men’s race.
DIBABA DOMINATES
Dibaba vowed to challenge the women’s course record of 2:17:18 set by British world record holder Paula Radcliffe in 2002 and was on that pace in the early going.
Dibaba led after 5km in 16:08, 19 seconds under Radcliffe’s course record pace, and had trimmed the field in the lead pack to only five.
Florence Kiplagat‘s 10km time of 32:28 was also 19 seconds faster than Radcliffe’s record split but by 15km it was Hasay, third this year in Boston, leading in 49:02, three seconds under record pace.
Dibaba led at the halfway mark at 1:08:48, well off Radcliffe’s record pace, but made another charge that left only Kosgei on her heels. The Kenyan fell back with 10km remaining, leaving Dibaba alone to the end.
Dibaba, 32, is a two-time 5 000m world champion and three-time 10 000m world champion.
She won 5 000 and 10 000 gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and defended the longer crown four years later in London. Last year in Rio, Dibaba was third in the 10 000.
And Dibaba was second at the London Marathon in April in 2:17:56, becoming the third-fastest woman at the distance in only her second try.
RESULTS
WOMEN
1. Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 2:18:31,
2. Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:20:22,
3. Jordan Hasay (USA) 2:20:57,
4. Madai Perez (MEX) 2:24:44,
5. Valentine Kipketer (KEN) 2:28:05,
6. Lisa Weightman (AUS) 2:28:45,
7. Maegan Krifchin (USA) 2:33:46,
8. Alia Gray (USA) 2:34:25,
9. Taylor Ward (USA) 2:35:27,
10. Becky Wade (USA) 2:35:46
MEN
1. Galen Rupp (USA) 2hrs 9mins 20secs,
2. Abel Kirui (KEN) 2:09:48,
3. Bernard Kipyego (KEN) 2:10:23,
4. Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:11:01,
5. Stephen Sambu (KEN) 2:11:07,
6. Kohei Matsumura (JPN) 2:11:46,
7. Ezekiel Chebii (KEN) 2:12:12,
8. Zersenay Tadese (ERI) 2:12:19,
9. Chris Derrick (USA) 2:12:50,
10. Michael Shelley (AUS) 2:12:52
Source: AFP
