Gebrselassie Tsegaye of Ethiopia wins Belgrade Marathon

BELGRADE, Serbia — Gebrselassie Tsegaye of Ethiopia won the 24th Belgrade Marathon on Sunday, ending five years of dominance by Kenyans.

Tsegaye covered the 26.2 miles in 2 hours, 14 minutes, 41 seconds. Michael Rutto Chetoo from Kenya was second in 2:18:33 and Tadele Geremew Mulugeta of Ethiopia third in 2:19:26.

Frashiah Nyambura Waithaka of Kenya won the women’s race in 2:34:31. Meseret Debele was second, ahead of fellow Ethiopian Mulu Seboka.

London Marathon

Meanwhile, Ethiopian athletes had disappointing results in the London Marathon, where Emmanuel Mutai and Mary Keitany of Kenya produced two superb performances to win the men’s and women’s titles at this IAAF Gold Label Road Race by impressive margins.

Men’s defending champion Tsegaye Kebede finished 5th, while Bezunesh Bekele and Atsede Baysa were satisfied with 4th & 5th places respectively.

Mutai smashed the course record with a dominating performance that left the defending champion Tsegaye Kebede floundering in his wake, while Keitany won the women’s race in a time only World record holder Paula Radcliffe has ever beaten on the London course.

In the women’s race, Keitany made a dramatic burst to leave defending champion Liliya Shobukhova and a clutch of highly talented rivals in her wake. The World Half Marathon record holder strode home alone in 2:19:19 to move alongside Irina Mikitenko as the equal fourth fastest woman in history.

MEN –
1.  Emmanuel Mutai, KEN             2:04:40
2.  Martin Lel, KEN                 2:05:45
3.  Patrick Makau, KEN              2:05:45
4.  Marlison Gomes Dos Santos, BRA  2:06:34
5.  Tsegaye Kebede, ETH             2:07:48
6.  Jaouad Gharib, MAR              2:08:26
7.  Abderrahime Bouramdane, MAR     2:08:42
8.  Dmitry Safronov, RUS            2:09:35
9.  Serod Bat-Ochir, MGL            2:11:35
10.  Mike Shelley, AUS               2:11:38

WOMEN –
1  Mary Keitany,  KEN       2:19:19
2  Liliya Shobukhova,  RUS  2:20:15
3  Edna Kiplagat,  KEN      2:20:46
4  Bezunesh Bekele,  ETH    2:23:42
5  Atsede Baysa,  ETH       2:23:50
6  Yukiko Akaba,  JPN)      2:24:09
7  Irina Mikitenko,  GER    2:24:24
8  Jessica Augusto,  POR    2:24:33
9  Aberu Kebede,  ETH       2:24:34