Ethiopian double in Dusseldorf as Debele breaks course record

Ethiopians Dereje Debele and Melkam Gizaw took the 11th edition of the Metro Group Marathon Düsseldorf on Sunday (28) as the men’s course record was smashed in the IAAF Bronze Label Road Race.

In ideal weather conditions 26 year-old Debele achieved the first sub-2:08 performance in Düsseldorf, while second-place Pius Ondoro was also under the previous course record with his 2:08:17. For the first time at the Dusseldorf Marathon, five men broke 2:10.

Pre-race favourite Gizaw was the women’s winner with a personal best of 2:26:24, the second-fastest women’s performance in the history of the race and just 35 seconds behind the course record. Kenyan Marathon debutant Rebecca Chesire ran a fine 2:27:52 for second place, while Poland’s Agnieszka Ciolek-Mierzejewska was a distant third in 2:33:36.

LEADING RESULTS

Men
1 Dereje Debele (ETH) 2:07:48
2 Pius Ondoro (KEN) 2:08:17
3 Duncan Koech (KEN) 2:09:10
4 Shengo Kebede (ETH) 2:09:53
5 Asmare Workneh (ETH) 2:09:56

Women
1 Melkam Gizaw (ETH) 2:26:24
2 Rebecca Chesire (KEN) 2:27:52
3 Agnieszka Ciolek-Mierzejewska (POL) 2:33:36
4 Remalda Kergyte (LTU) 2:36:00
5 Nastassia Dashkevich (BLR) 2:41:51

Read article – IAAF