Ayele Abshero debuts with a sizzling 2:04:23 win in Dubai (© Organisers)
The Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon on Sunday (29) featured an all new top-three in both men’s and women’s races. None of last year’s top finishers were in the race and as usual, the top Chinese women did not attend this race.
Ethiopian Ayele Abshero grabbed the win in the men’s contest of this IAAF Silver Label Road Race in a 1:01:11 season’s best. The 2009 World Cross Country champion, who has run a 2:04:23 Marathon this year winning in Dubai, has a personal best of 59:42 from last season.
Kenyan Silas Kipruto, who was fourth at the 2010 World Half Marathon Championships in Nanning, China, was second in 1:01:47. Moroccan El Hassan Elabbassi took third place in 1:01:57 season’s best.
In the women’s race 25-year-old Kenyan Fyles Ongori took another convincing win clocking 1:11:07 in her second race of the season. Ongori, who was the silver medallist at the 2009 World Half Marathon Championships, has already run a fast 1:08:25 result winning in Berlin earlier this month.
Ethiopian Feysa Tadesse, who finished in fourth place at the 2010 World Half Marathon Championships, was second in 1:11:08. She too has had an impressive start to the season having run a 1:09:15 season’s best in Ras Al Khaimah in February and then a 2:23:26 marathon PB in Seoul in March.
30-year-old Kenyan Alice Mogire just edged Ethiopian Bezunesh Bekele for third place. Mogire was timed 1:11:11 in what was already her fourth Half Marathon of the year while Bekele was fourth in a 1:11:15 season’s best finish.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
Click here for RESULTS
Ethiopian Ayele Abshero grabbed the win in the men’s contest of this IAAF Silver Label Road Race in a 1:01:11 season’s best. The 2009 World Cross Country champion, who has run a 2:04:23 Marathon this year winning in Dubai, has a personal best of 59:42 from last season.
Kenyan Silas Kipruto, who was fourth at the 2010 World Half Marathon Championships in Nanning, China, was second in 1:01:47. Moroccan El Hassan Elabbassi took third place in 1:01:57 season’s best.
In the women’s race 25-year-old Kenyan Fyles Ongori took another convincing win clocking 1:11:07 in her second race of the season. Ongori, who was the silver medallist at the 2009 World Half Marathon Championships, has already run a fast 1:08:25 result winning in Berlin earlier this month.
Ethiopian Feysa Tadesse, who finished in fourth place at the 2010 World Half Marathon Championships, was second in 1:11:08. She too has had an impressive start to the season having run a 1:09:15 season’s best in Ras Al Khaimah in February and then a 2:23:26 marathon PB in Seoul in March.
30-year-old Kenyan Alice Mogire just edged Ethiopian Bezunesh Bekele for third place. Mogire was timed 1:11:11 in what was already her fourth Half Marathon of the year while Bekele was fourth in a 1:11:15 season’s best finish.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
Click here for RESULTS
