Marathon: Kenyans and Ethiopians shine in Paris, Prague and Milan

Abeje Ayana and Helah Kiprop win in Paris

Little known among the world's leading marathon runners, Abeje Ayana won the men's race at the Paris marathon on Sunday 2 April. The 20-year-old covered the 42 km in 2:07:15. He finished ahead of fellow Ethiopian Guye Adola (2:07:35) and Kenya's Josphat Boit Josphat Boit (2:07:40). Abeje Ayana succeeds Ethiopia's Deso Gelmisa, who won in 2:05:07 in 2022. The source reports that more than "50.000" runners took part in this 46th edition of the Paris Marathon. That figure is reproduced with its original separator.

In the women's race, Kenya's Helah Kiprop took the win. She completed the 42.196 km in the source-printed time "2h 23 min 17" (the final unit is missing). She crossed the line ahead of Ethiopians Atalel Anmut (source-printed "2 h 23 min 19", with the final unit missing) and Fikrte Wereta (source-printed "2 h 23 min 22", with the final unit missing), who were 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Kenyans Kimais and Konga dominate the Prague half-marathon

Kenya completed a double at the Prague half-marathon, a road race with World Athletics Elite Label status, on Sunday. Irine Jepchumba Kimais won the women's race in 1:06:00. That is, incidentally, the second-fastest time of her career, behind her PB of 1:04:37 set in Barcelona earlier this year. "It wasn't a bad race and the course was good," said the 24-year-old. "There were just a few places where I had to struggle. With my pacemakers, we fought for the win, and I'm happy this time." Kimais finished well clear of fellow Kenyan Janeth Chepngetich (1:06:42) and Ethiopia's Zeray Bezabeh (1:07:15).

Roncer Kipkorir Konga won the men's race comfortably. The Kenyan took the lead of the pack from the 10th km. He then lifted the pace slightly and managed to open a gap on the chasing group, reaching 15 km in 41 minutes 51 seconds with a nine-second lead. He extended it over the final kilometres and, despite a wrong turn near the end, crossed the line in 59 minutes 43 seconds. That is only five seconds off his personal best. "It's definitely an excellent result for me, I felt good on the course. I'm very happy with a time under one hour. The wrong turn slowed me down, I could have run faster, maybe by five seconds. The wind was also a problem and slowed me down a little," he said after the race.

Uganda's Maxwell Rotich finished second in 1:00:06, while Kenya's Geoffrey Koech completed the podium with a time of 1:00:10.

Debutant Kwemoi and veteran Cherop win in Milan

In Milan, African athletes dominated the race. On his debut over the 42.196 km, Andrew Rotich Kwemoi took first place. He became the first Ugandan athlete ever to win the Milan marathon. He clocked 2:07:14. "It was my debut over the distance and I couldn't have asked for a better result on a fast course," said Kwemoi, who set a half-marathon PB of 59:37 last year. "I felt very good and in the closing stages of the race, I launched the decisive attack that allowed me to win against a strong pack." Kattam (2:07:53) and Hakizimana (2:08:18) finished second and third respectively.

In the women's race, experience made the difference. Sharon Cherop, 39, won in 2:16:13. The Kenyan, a 2011 world bronze medallist, also ran her best time in four years. The 2012 Boston marathon winner finished ahead of Ethiopia's Sinthayehu Dessi (2:26:30) and Kenya's Emily Chebet Kipchumba (2:28:08).

Abebayahu and Kipchumba win in Xiamen, Mengesha victorious in Daegu

African distance runners were also in action in Asia, notably in China and South Korea. Ethiopia's Meseret Alemu Abebayahu won in Xiamen in 2:24:42, ahead of Kenya's Gladys Chesir (2:51:51) and another Ethiopian, Guteni Shone (2:25:58).

Kipchumba won the men's race in 2:08:04. Ethiopia's Lencho Tesfaye Anbesa took second place (2:08:29), while Morocco's Omar Ait Chitachen was third in 2:08:00.

Ethiopia's Milkesa Mengesha won the Daegu marathon in 2:06:49, 11 seconds ahead of the runner-up, Kenya's Stanley Kiprotich. Eritrea's Berhane Tsegay was third in 2:07:21.