San Diego, USA - Ambesse Tolossa of Ethiopia won the ninth annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on Sunday (4). Tolossa, 27, covered the 26.2- mile course in a time of 2:10:08. On the women’s side, Kenya’s Alice Chelangat captured her second Rock ‘n’ Roll title, winning in 2:28:21.

Tolossa, who was running on U.S. soil for the first time, captured his second title this year, having also won the Tokyo Marathon in January. Chelangat’s victory marked her second in San Diego as she also won the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in 2002.

MEN

After running conservatively for the first 13 miles, the men’s field cruised through eight straight sub-five minute miles. The pack was down to five men by 16 miles and last year’s champion, Christopher Cheboiboch, had fallen back by that point.

By mile 20, it was a two man race, down to Tolossa and Simon Bor of Kenya. The men ran side- by-side before Tolossa made his move just after passing mile 23. Known for a strong finishing kick, the Ethiopian gradually increased his lead en route to crossing the finish line all alone. Bor finished second in 2:10:37 and another Kenyan, Stephen Kiogora, was third at 2:11:45.

“I’m covered by happiness,” Tolossa said with a large smile. “I am very happy and would like to come back next year. Everyone was concerned about the weather, so we were slow in the beginning. But we went by the halfway point and it was alright. Then everyone wanted to win.”

WOMEN

In the women’s race the field was down to three women by mile 18 - Chelangat, her countrywoman Hellen Kimutai, and Russia’s Lyubov Morgunova. The trio slowed the pace dramatically through miles 18, 19 and 20,  with no one wanting to pull away.

Chelangat finally made her move at mile 21 and gradually pulled away for the victory. Kimutai was second in 2:28:44 and Morgunova was third at 2:29:39.

“I like this race,” exclaimed Chelangat. “The people are so nice. I hear them cheering, ‘Go ladies! Go ladies!’ and I think they are saying ‘Go Alice! Go Alice! It makes me run fast.”

More than 20,000 runners and walkers registered for the ninth annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

Susan Reid and Ian Monahan for the IAAF

Men
1, Ambesse Tolossa, 27, Ethiopia, 2:10:08,
2, Simon Bor, 37, Kenya, 2:10:37,
3, Stephen Kiogora, 31, Kenya, 2:11:45,
4, Benjamin Kemboi, 30, Kenya, 2:11:50,
5, Tekeste Kebede, 26, Ethiopia, 2:13:15,
6, Raymond Kipkoech, Kenya, 2:13:38,
7, Christopher Cheboiboch, Kenya, 2:14:10,
8, Simson Limareng, 27, Kenya, 2:15:54,

Women
1, Alice Chelangat, 29, Kenya, 2:28:21,
2, Hellen Kimutai, 28, Kenya, 2:28:44,
3, Lyubov Morgunova, 35, Russia, 2:29:39,
4, Askale Tafa, 21, Ethiopia, 2:29:47,
5, Shitaye Gemechu, 25, Ethiopia, 2:36:53,
6, Rimma Pushkina, 32, Russia, 2:37:53,
7, Yihunilish Bekele, 25, Ethiopia, 2:42:52,
8, Katie Lee, 23, USA (Ca.), 2:53:20,