Agencies/Dubai
Despite a mid-race burst by pre-race favourite Eliud Kiptanui, it was Kenyan David Baramasai who stunned a red-hot field to win the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon yesterday.
Runners Aselefech Mergia Medessa (left) of Ethiopia and Evans Cheruiyot of Kenya pose with their trophies after completing the Dubai Marathon 42.2km run in Dubai yesterday. (Reuters
The 23-year-old made it three straight wins at the classic distance crossing the line in 2h:07m:18s to land a cheque for $250,000 – the biggest in distance running – by just under a minute from runner-up and fellow Kenyan Evans Cheruiyot (2:08:17). Third home for the second year running in 2:08:54 was Ethiopian Eshetu Wendimu with Kiptanui pulling out in the latter stages.
In the women’s marathon, Ethiopian Asselefech Medessa gave herself an early birthday present of a cool $250,000 by winning in a time of 2h:22m:45s, just three seconds outside of the course record. Medessa, who turns 26 tomorrow (Sunday), won by 16 seconds from Lydia Cheromei of Kenya (2:23:01) with Sweden’s Isabella Anderson in third (2:23:41).
“It was a big surprise for me as I was really just trying to finish in the top ten,” said Baramsai, who collected his trophy from HH Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. “Once the last pacemaker had gone it was tough and I had the wind in my face but I just kept pushing on from the 35km point.”
The first Kenyan to win the world’s richest race since 2007, Baramasai won his first marathon in Kass in 2009 and followed that up with a second victory in Nairobi a year later. His Dubai win, however, sliced a huge three minutes of his personal best and seems set to take him to the next level.
