Casablanca Marathon 2010 is won by Shumi Gerbaba (ETH) (© MAP)
Shumi Gerbaba led a day dominated by Ethiopian runners, winning the Casablanca International Grand Marathon on Sunday (24) achieving a new course record of 2:09:03 in his debut at the distance.
Moroccan Rachid Kisri in second place crossed the finish line seven seconds adrift of the victor, his 2:09.10 keeping him well clear of another Ethiopian Girma Beyene Gezahu who was third in 2:09.52.
The Kenyan Hillary Kipchumba*, last year’s Casablanca winner, for a long time at the head of the leading group, was eventually dropped and finished in fourth position (2:10:02), way ahead of South African Lucky Mohale Modike (2:13:35) in fifth.
In the women’s race, Ethiopian Yeshimebet Tadesse carried off the victory running 2:31:10 which was also a new course record.
Another Ethiopian Zahara Kedir (2:36:49) finished runner-up, while Russia’s Larisa Zyozko (2:37:13) took third place.
Tadesse has a personal best of 2:27:45 from coming seventh in last January’s Dubai marathon, and promised that she would return next year to run a faster time.
Runners representing 18 countries took part and the organisers also instituted a half marathon this year, a race which was dominated by the Moroccans.
Mohammed Benchrif for the IAAF
Note* same name as the athlete who won in Trondheim also on Sunday (24)