Signing ceremony for the 2014 Continental Cup, which will be hosted by Marrakech: from left, Moncef Belkhayat, Minister of Youth and Sport; IAAF President Lamine Diack; Abdeslam Ahizoune, President of Moroccan Federation (© Philippe Fitte)
Marrakech, MAR - Kenyan Stephen Tum and Soumya Labani of Morocco won their respective titles at the 23rd edition of the Marrakech International Marathon on Sunday (29), which was attended by more than 7000 foreign and domestic runners.
Tumm covered the 42.195Km course in 2:08:51 ahead of Ethiopian Gezahagen Girma, who clocked 2:09:29. Daniel Rono of Kenya was rounded out the top three in 2:09:29.
The men's race record survived another year, the 2:08:15 run by Moroccan Abdelkader Mouaziz in 1999.
In the women's race, the victory went to Soumiya Laban who reached the finish in 2:34:56 ahead of Ethiopians Melaku El Fenesh (2:36:08) and Abeba Gérémeskel (2:36:25).
The men's Half Marathon title also went to Ethiopia courtesy of Gébru Girma Berhamu who cloked 1:01:59. Moroccans Rachid Kisri (1:02:17) et Khalid Sadden (1:02:19) finished second and third.
Malika Asahsah of Morocco won the women's 21.1Km in 1:11:14, well ahead of runner-up Raif Samira who clocked 1:13:55.
Mohammed Benchrif for the IAAF
Leading Results -
Marathon -
MEN:
1. Stephen Tum (Kenya) 2:08:51
2. Gezahagen Girma (Ethiopia) 2:09:29
3. Daniel Rono (Kenya) 2:09:50
4. Gélana Teshome (Ethiopia) 2:10:15
5. Débéla Léma Feyis (Ethiopia) 2:10:27
Marathon -
WOMEN:
1. Soumiya Labani (MAR) 2:34:56
2. Melaku El Fenesh (Ethiopia) 2:36:08
3. Abeba Gérémeskel (Ethiopia) 2:36:25
4. Joyce Kandie (Kenya) 2:36:38
5. Yewubet Tesma (Ethiopia) 2:39:58
Half Marathon -
MEN:
1. Gébru Girma Berhamu (Ethiopia) 1:01:59
2. Rachid Kisri (MAR) 1:02:17
3. Khalid Sadden (MAR) 1:02:19
4. El Hassan Ben El Khainouci (France) 1:03:06
5. Abderrahim Goumri (MAR) 1:03:33
Half Marathon -
WOMEN:
1. Malika Asahsah (MAR) 1:11:14
2. Raif Samira (MAR) 1:13:55
3. Jones Caryl (Wales) 1:14:04
4. Alaoui Silsouli Aziza (MAR) 1:16:51
5. El Bajjaoui Hannane (MAR) 1:16:59
