Haile Gebrselassie 2:06:09 in Dubai,But The Record still Stand.

2:06:09 can never be deemed a disappointing performance - it's a time that ten years ago would have scared the world record, been comfortably in the top 10 of all time, and would signal a great effort. It's testament to how the marathon has progressed, and to what Haile Gebrselassie has achieved in his running career, that when he achieves this time, it's met with some disappointment.


Gebrselassie spends most of his racing time hunting world records - I've said before what a pity this is and how great it would be to see him take on the likes of Lel, Wanjiru and Kebede, but he has been content, for the last five or so years, to race the clock in a couple of races a year. His first attempt for the last few years has come in Dubai, where huge incentives, both upfront and for winning and breaking records, are a big draw.

And Dubai has been very fast for Gebrselassie - he has run 2:04:53 and 2:05:29 (2nd and 8th fastest ever at the time, respectively). But 2010 has produced the slowest of his three Dubai Marathons, 2:06:09.


Dubai 2010 - close for a short time, then a gradual slide away
And the record was on for a short time only. The graph below shows the kilometer splits, and then I've worked out the projected time at 5km intervals (based on the cumulative time, not the last 5km, note), shown in green where he sped up over the interval, red where the pace slowed.

Remember that the world record of 2:03:59 requires an average kilometer pace of 2:56. Gebrselassie was close to it, but never below it, until 5km had been covered, and his 5km time of 14:54 was 3 seconds per kilometer off that required pace. We've discussed before how incredibly precise the pacing has to be in order to succeed over 42.2 km - it is remarkable. In previous Dubai races, Gebrselassie has gone out much too hard - in 2008, he was on course for about 2:02 after 15km, and then slowed considerably to run 2:04:53.


This time, if there was a pacing error, it was on the slower side of desired, because the early pace was just outside the target - Gebrselassie averaged 2:59 for the first 5km (14:54 split), 2:58 for the second 5km (10 km split of 29:42), but then began to slow progressively. At halfway (1:02:51), his projected time was 2:05:42, which some would say meant the record was still on, but when you need to run the second half of a 2:04 marathon in 61:07, then the record is pretty much gone. That the pace was slowing after 10km is a sign that it was never going to happen today, and from that point onwards, only eternal optimism would have kept record hopes alive.


A race in the final kilometers?

The pace held steady at around 2:58/km from halfway to 35km, and then the pace really did slow down - a series of 3:05 or slower kilometer times and the projected time dropped outside 2:06. It is very interesting to note that Gebrselassie's final kilometer was 2:36, an increase in pace which suggests that he took the foot off the gas in those earlier slow kilometers, because by then the record was clearly gone - it would have required something in the range of 2:50/km for the final 10km to challenge his mark.
Also of interest though, is that he "only" won by 24 seconds today, making this the closest marathon "race" he's run in a while. He may have entered looking for a paced record, but he seems to have found himself in a tight battle at the end.


And, given a final kilometer of 2:36, the 24 second winning margin would have been largely, if not entirely, created in the final kilometer, which means that Gebrselassie was not alone at 40km, and definitely not at 30km. It seems likely, then, that the presence of other runners in a group from 30km onwards, combined with Gebrselassie not feeling quite up to the world record (as shown by the relatively sluggish start, particularly from 10 to 20km), resulted in a tactical race which slowed the pace down in the latter kilometers.

I confess that I didn't see the race, it wasn't televised and SA internet is so poor that watching online doesn't happen at the best of times, so I don't know the circumstances in those middle kilometers. The temperatures and wind certainly don't seem to have been too limiting - the temperature at the finish of the race was 18 degrees with no wind, though the humidity was up at 80%, which may have contributed to that progressive decline.
Nevertheless, it's a good, not great time, for an athlete who has inspired expectations of great every time he runs. It really doesn't help that he only runs in time-trials (with the exception of Berlin last year, where Duncan Kibet might have, but didn't, provide some opposition), and that he talks up the chances every time he races. Before this one, he spoke of perfect preparation, and the ability to run 2:03:30. There's always the proviso that the conditions must be absolutely perfect, and so I suspect in the aftermath of this race, there'll be some problem with the conditions, perhaps that humidity.

More than 300 participants to climb 86 flights in iconic New York City building

New York, USA - Defending champion Thomas Dold of Germany looks to join only two other five-time winners when he headlines the field at the 33rd annual NYRR Empire State Building Run-Up on Tuesday, 2 February.

Dold, 25, who has won the last four Run-Ups, would equal Australian great Paul Crake (1999–2003) and Al Waquie of the United States (1983–87) for most victories in this signature race on the NYRR calendar.

Crake - 9:33 - and Andrea Mayr of Austria - 11:23 - are the men's and women's course record holders.

The Empire State Building Run-Up will test the limits of some 315 competitors from 19 states and 17 countries as they race up 86 flights—1,576 steps—to the outdoor observation deck of the world’s most famous office building and the tallest building in New York City. In 2009, Dold crossed the finish line in 10 minutes, 7 seconds, and three-time winner Suzy Walsham of Sydney, Australia, finished in 13:27.

Dold, who graduated in 2009 from his college in Stuttgart, Germany, is a standout in the sport of professional tower climbing, with a lengthy list of victories around the globe, his own website, and several sponsors. Since December, he has commuted to Frankfurt twice weekly to train at the Main Tower, a skyscraper that is 200 metres tall (52 floors and nearly 1,000 stairs).

Cindy Moll-Harris, 41, of Indianapolis, will once again aim for her fifth title. Moll-Harris is the only woman to have won the race four times (1998, 2000, 2001, and 2003).

Ginette Bedard, 76, of Howard Beach, NY, and Piero Dettin, 72, of Venice, Italy, are the oldest female and male participants entered in the race. On the other end of the age spectrum, 24-year-old Kacie Lauren Fischer of Shell Beach, CA, and 18-year-old Anthony John Scimone of Lakeland, FL, are the youngest competitors.

A total of 288 runners finished the 2009 invitational race, the second-most behind the 2008 event’s 308 finishers.

World record is worth a million to Haile

Haile Gebrselassie at the pre-race press conference for the 2010 Dubai Marathon .

Dubai, UAE - Haile Gebrselassie pronounced his preparation “perfect” for Friday’s Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon (22), but reminded everyone at today’s press conference that all the other elements had to be perfect too, even for an attempt on his World record of 2:03:59, set in Berlin 18 months ago.
“I’ve made sure I’m in perfect shape,” said the 36 year old Ethiopian, who will be running in Dubai for the third year in succession. “But everything has to be perfect, the weather, the pacemakers. If everything is perfect, I can run 2:03:30. I don’t promise, if I promise and fail, we’ll all be disappointed. Two years ago, it was a little bit warm at the end (he ran 2:04:53, then second fastest in history), last year, it was raining (he ‘only’ ran 2:05:29, eighth fastest)”.
He dismissed the notion that his first half in 61min 45sec, 2:03:30 pace, in 2008 might have been too fast. “I didn’t run too fast, I want to do the same on Friday. It’s good the race starts at 6.30(am), but above all, I want to keep to the schedule all the way through. Even if you run the first kilometre to slow, you’re catching up all the way.”
His two victories here have netted him half a million dollars, since the race was upgraded in 2008 with a million dollars prize money, with a first prize of $250,000, for both men and women. But there is also the little matter of a million dollar bonus for a World record, offered by Dubai Holding.
Replying to someone who asked what he might do if he won the million dollars, Gebrselassie first said, “I will tell you after I get the million dollars,” then adding as the laughter died down, “If I could get the record by paying a million dollars, I’d do it”.
Three of the pacemakers who delivered him on schedule to 35km last year, before the rains ruined the record attempt - Fabiano Joseph of Tanzania, and John Kales and Sammy Kosgei of Kenya – are in there again.
And another Kenyan Sammy Korir, who was once second fastest in the world, says that he is not in the field as token opposition. Korir ran 2:04:56, one second behind colleague Paul Tergat’s then World record, in Berlin 2003, but has a dozen sub-2:10 times, more than Gebrselassie.
Korir, 38, finished third here two years ago, and said today, “After my run in Berlin, I had injuries and it was difficult, coming back to racing and then getting injured again. But now I have shown I can run fast, 2:07 again (winning in Seoul 2008), so I am looking forward to the race. Dubai is a very good course for running fast”.
Before the 42.2k on Friday, Gebreselassie went off to tackle the half-mile high Burj Khalifa, as one of the first famous guests up the recently opened world’s tallest tower.
And having reiterated today his desire to run the Olympic marathon in London 2012, the inference is that Haile is not planning to slow down any time soon. So, weather and pacemakers permitting, expect another towering time from the Little Emperor on Friday.

Togo players unanimously decide to stay

The Togo national football side will play in the African Nations Cup in ''memory of the dead'', according to two of the players. It had been thought that Togo would pull out after the attack on their bus on Friday.

GettyImages

The midfielder has spoken out about the situation.

• Togo withdraw from tournament
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• Carter: Attack did irreparable damage
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The players had initially said they did not want to play in the tournament, and the government recalled the team, following the machine gun ambush by Cabinda separatists that killed an assistant coach, squad spokesman and bus driver and left many others injured.
"In memory of the dead, the national team has decided to play in the African Nations Cup," Thomas Dossevi told AFP.
"We are all heartbroken, it is no longer a party, but we want to show our national colours, our values and that we are men. It was a decision taken nearly unanimously by the team which met during the night after having been reassured by the Angolan authorities."
He said the team is "a bit bitter, we are a little disappointed with the Confederation of African Football (CAF)...which couldn't arrange for a postponement of our first match so we could bury our dead."
Dossevi, who plays for French side Nantes, was scathing about CAF. "CAF puts its interests first and not those of the countries," he said. "They did not support us enough."
L'Equipe also quoted midfielder Alaixys Romao as saying the team had agreed to stay in the Angolan enclave of Cabinda for its first Group B match against Ghana on Monday.
"The decision was taken unanimously," said Romao, who plays for French club side Grenoble. "We have just had a meeting of the whole delegation and we will be on the pitch on Monday to face Ghana."
A Togolese minister said on Saturday that the government had decided to pull the team out of the tournament, which starts on Sunday, because of "this dramatic situation".
On Sunday, the country's Prime Minister, Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo, insisted the players must return home by the end of the day, but it remains to be seen whether the players will agree.
There was further confusion over Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor, Togo's captain. The player's spokesman had said he would stay with his team, but the club's official website said he was returning home.
"People have died for the African Nations Cup, others have been injured. We can't let them down and leave like cowards," said Romao.
"If we stay here it's for them but also not to give any satisfaction to the rebels. Our government does not necessarily agree with us but we are all determined to play this competition."
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that reserve-team goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale, previously reported to have been killed, was in a "stable condition" in hospital in Johannesburg after being shot in the attack.
"He is conscious and in a stable condition," Milpark Clinic president Dr Richard Friedland said on the official website of his club, Pontivy. "He is suffering from two gunshot wounds in the lower back and abdomen."

One dead, nine hurt in attack on African football stars

Gunmen shot at buses carrying Togo's football team to the African Nations Cup in Angola, leaving one dead and nine wounded, but organisers insisted the tournament would go ahead.

One dead, nine hurt in attack on African football stars

Gunmen shot at buses carrying Togo's football team to the African Nations Cup in Angola, leaving one dead and nine wounded, but organisers insisted the tournament would go ahead.
Two players were among the injured, while a driver was killed when gunmen sprayed bullets at the team's vehicles after they had crossed into Angola's restive Cabinda province from Congo-Brazzaville on Friday, according to a Togo official.
Many dived under their seats when the gunfire started. Squad member Thomas Dossevi said the team -- one of the strongest in African football -- had been "fired on like dogs".
Two players -- goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale and defender Serge Akakpo -- were among the wounded, Dossevi told AFP.
"The assailants were hooded and armed to the teeth. We stayed under the seats for 20 minutes. It was horrible."
Two English Premiership players -- Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Aston Villa midfielder Moustapha Salifou -- emerged unharmed from the attack, their clubs said. Related article: English clubs concerned
Angola's government denounced the attack by the separatist Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), and in a statement "reiterated its total commitment to guaranteeing everyone's security".
FLEC, embroiled in a decades-long separatist struggle, said the team's military escorts were the intended target, saying one person had been killed and three seriously injured.
"This operation is only the start of a series of targeted actions that will continue in all the territory of Cabinda," it said in a statement on Portugal's Lusa news agency.
FLEC signed a peace deal with Angola's government in 2006, but in recent months has claimed a spate of attacks on the military and foreign oil and construction workers in the province, which is physically separated from the rest of the country by a strip of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Togo's football federation said members of the team's sporting, administrative and medical staff were injured. All were being treated in a hospital in Cabinda city.
Adebayor, the Togo team captain, said that he would convene a meeting at which the squad would discuss whether or not to stay for the tournament.
"I think a lot of players want to leave," he told BBC Radio Five Live in Britain.
"They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything," said Adebayor, who was shown on Angolan television looking dazed and in tears shortly after the attack.
"We will discuss everything as a team and we will take a decision that we think is good for our career, is good for our life and good for our family," he said.
"If the security is not sure then we will be leaving tomorrow ... I don't think they will be ready to give their life."
His concerns about security echoed across the continent, but organisers said the games would go on.
"Our great concern is for the players, but the championship goes ahead," said Souleymane Habuba, spokesman for the Confederation of African Football.
He said the group's vice president had set off for Cabinda to find out first hand what had occurred, but questioned why Togo had elected to travel by road rather than flying.
"CAF's regulations are clear: teams are required to fly rather than travel by bus," he said.
A member of the local organising committee, Virgilio Santos, said all teams were requested to provide their travel plans.
"Togo was the only team that did not respond and did not notify (us) they were coming by road," he told AFP.
Togo, one of Africa's top sides and who appeared in the last World Cup in Germany, were scheduled to start their campaign against Ghana on Monday in Cabinda.
The other teams in their group are Burkina Faso and the star-studded Ivory Coast squad which includes Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure.
Despite long-running security concerns, oil-rich Cabinda is to host seven Nations Cup matches this month.
Angola as a whole is only just emerging from a 27-year civil war which erupted shortly after it received independence from Portugal and finally ended in 2002.

Insanity In Abu Dhabi As Keitany And Regassa Pounce On $300,000 1st-Place Prizes In Oil Money Half Marathon

International distance running fans and the press buzzed as the Zayed Half Marathon took place today in Abu Dhabi. Race organizers raised a huge prize purse, throwing $300,000 US to the winner of both male and female races with $100,000 to second place and $50,000 to third. The Zayed Half Marathon is dubbing itself the richest half marathon in the world.
Teenager Tilahun Regassa won the men's race over Sammy Kitwara while Kenyan ace Mary Keitany won her 4th-straight half marathon with her 5th career world all-time top-10 at the distance on IAAF approved courses.
Top African Talent Lines Up
Thanks to the huge prize purse, the world's top agents, managers and athletes lined up to take a shot at big paydays. Surprisingly, there was almost zero mainstream press surrounding the event despite millions of dollars on the line. Virtually all of the star runners were of Ethiopian or Kenyan descent.

Warm Weather Race
It's important to note that this race was run during the day and it was quite warm, temperatures were reported to be near 25 Celcius (77° F).

Men's Winner Only 19
The men's winner is 19-year-old Tilahun Regassa of Ethiopia in 59:19. He defeated sensational Kenyan Sammy Kitwara, who has run under 58:52 previously in the half marathon and managed 59:34 on Thursday.
Regassa's previous best victory came in the summer of 2009 at the Cigna Falmouth Road Race (see photo of Regassa waving during the race to the left). Spectators on hand with decades in experience covering the sport were amazed by the teenager's performance on the storied course. Along with the victory in Falmouth, Regassa took 1st at two other big money American road races - Dick's Sporting Goods Bolder Boulder 10k and Ukrop's 10k.
Women's Winner Mary Keitany Unrivaled Again
Most impressive was women's winner Mary Keitany of Kenya who followed her IAAF World Championship Half Marathon win in October with a dominant win in Zayed to pocket $300,000. Her margin was over 2-minutes in front of runner-up Philes Ongori, whose 69:16 earned her a solid $100,000.
According to records on IAAF-certified half marathon courses, it now appears that Keitany has run 5 of the top-10 half marathon times on legal courses in world history.
In 2009, Mary Keitany ran three half marathons in September, October and November and won each in a time between 67:00 and 66:36. She is not simply winning races but destroying the competition by large margins. For example, he won worlds by more than one minute over Ongori.

Keitany - The Next Great Kenyan Marathoner?
Will 2010 be the year for Keitany to make her mark in the marathon? It's hard to imagine she would avoid the longer distance with many of the top marathoners injured or aging. However, with $300,000 paychecks for half marathons, she certainly has no need to move up immediately.
For more on the elite half marathon, see the LetsRun.com message board thread and check back to the homepage as more media reports surface.
 
 Top-10 Results From Abu Dhabi's Zayed Half Marathon
Results .
Men:
1. Tilahun Regassa - 59.19
2. Sammy Kitwara - 59.34
3. Lelisa Benti - 59.59
4. Wilson Kipsang - 60.04
5. Willy Mwangi - 60.07
6. Wilson Chebet - 60.31
7. Kiplimo Kimutai - 60.41
8. Fabiana Jospeh - 60.53
9. Duncan Kibet - 61.00
10. Shumi Eticha - 61.08

Women:
1. Mary Keitany - 67.14
2. Philys Ongori - 69.19
3. Dire Tune - 69.19
4. Eselefech Merga - 69.20
5. Amane Gemale - 69.24
6. Wude Yumer - 69.25
7. Mare Hurssa - 69.38
8. Peninah Arusei - 69.39
9. Teyla Wako - 69.48
10. Lineth Chepkirui - 70.35

Gebrselassie expected to tower over his opponents in Dubai; competitive women’s field

Battling the elements - Haile Gebrselassie en route to his title defence in Dubai in 2009 (organisers)

Dubai, UAE - In the wake of Monday’s opening of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, rising more than 800 metres over the desert floor, the emirate of Dubai awaits the arrival of Haile Gebrselassie, fastest man in the world at the marathon.
Inside a decade, the upcoming Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon (22 January) has gone from a backwater event to become one of the world’s fastest races, and the World marathon record holder has already competed and won here twice.
“Not only has he given us two great races,” said race director Peter Connerton, “the publicity has helped our development. Our participation has doubled since his first run two years ago. I never used to see people running in the street, now I see folks training everywhere.”
“We’re delighted that he’s coming back again, and hopefully it’ll be third time lucky. He went too fast in the first half two years ago, and ran the second fastest in history at the time (2:04:53), and last year the bad weather ruined his (World) record attempt. But he still ran the eight fastest marathon (2:05:29).”
Gebrselassie’s principal opponents this year, Sammy Korir (2:04:56), Tesfaye Tola (2:06:57) and Joshua Chelanga (2:07:05) will hardly be heartened that, despite approaching his 37th birthday (18 April), his speed does not appear to be diminishing. Evidence of which was victory in the New Year’s 8k Silvesterlauf in Trier, Germany, in 22:23 – see ‘Related Content’ under main photo for race report
If the men’s race turns out to be a procession, headed by Gebrselassie again attacking his 2:03:59 World record, the women’s event threatens to be highly competitive. It features winners from the last three years, Bezunesh Bekele (2:23:09), Berhane Adere (2:20:42), and Askale Magarska (2:21:31, all of Ethiopia).
Bekele disposed of Adere in short order in last year’s race (2:24:02 to 2:27:47), and the 26-year-old has asked for a pace to deliver her to a sub-2.20 clocking, which if successful would see her replace the veteran Adere as national record holder.
With last year’s third placer Helena Kirop of Kenya, and two more Ethiopians, Genet Getaneh and Eyerusalem Kuma, all of whom beat Adere in 2009, this will be the race to rank alongside the record chase.

Lilesa and Bayisa lead Ethiopian sweep in Xiamen

Xiamen, China - Rising star Feyisa Lilesa, won the Xiamen International marathon on Saturday (3) followed about a minute later by fellow Ethiopian Negari Getachew Terfa, and last year’s winner, Kenyan Samuel Muturi Mugo.

Another Ethiopian, Atsede Bayisa, made history in this coastal city of 2.3 million by becoming the first foreign athlete to win the woman’s race with a time of 2:28:53.

The Xiamen International Marathon is the first IAAF Gold Label Road Race for 2010.


Lilesa’s time of 2:08:47 broke the course record set last year by Mugo by four seconds. He surprised marathon onlookers when he definitively broke free of a tight-knit group of top runners in the 38th kilometre.                                                                                        

Terfa’s time was 39 seconds slower than last year’s performance as number two with 2:09:40. The Ethiopian’s PB is 2:07:41 in Berlin in September. The 2009 winner, Mugo, fell behind in the last part of the race after leading for at least 10 kilometres ending with 2:10:11.

Lilesa’s Xiamen run, his first in China and only the second in his career, saw him break his own PB of 2:09:12 which he set in his debut in Dublin. But Lilesa was not reveling in his achievement.

“Today, I’m not good. My leg,” Lilesa said as he bent over while being supported by Chinese volunteers who lead him away holding flowers and donning an olive branch wreath. Lilesa’s leg started bothering him about the fifth kilometre, he said. His manager, former Ethiopian marathon runner Haji Adilo, confirmed that he complained about his leg muscles suspecting it came from training on soft grass ahead of the marathon.

“The last kilometres were a bit difficult. It was a bit cold,” explained defending champion Mugo who, the day before, said he planned to do better than last year if the weather cooperated.

About 50,000 runners, the most since the first edition, from 32 countries participated in the 5 km, 10 km, half-marathon, and marathon in dry conditions at about 11˚ Celcius.

Lilesa was part of a group of Ethiopian and Kenyan runners that dominated much of the race. From the beginning Ethiopian Berga Bekele, with a 2:09:41 PB from Beijing in October, and Kenyan David Kemboi Kiyeng, who clocked 2:06:26 in Paris last year, led the race.

Both ran together during most of the race with Kiyeng slowing down at the water stands to get two glasses. He would hand one to Bekele before speeding up again ahead of the race.

By kilometre 25 (1:16:30), the elite group was thinned to eight: Kenyans Kiyeng, Mugo and 2008 Xiamen winner Kiprotich Kenei (PB: 2:07:42), and Ethiopians Bekele, Lilesa, Terfa, Abebe Ngewo (PB 2:09:52), and Alemyehu Shumye (PB: 2:08:46).

The pack dispersed by kilometre 30 (1:31:34) with Mugo, Terfa and Shumye one second ahead of Bekele and Lilesa. Kenei fell about a half minute back and Ngewo 40 seconds behind him.

The two pacemakers lost their lead by kilometer 35 and Shumye also fell back to fourth place, 10 seconds behind the three who eventually claimed the podium.

Mugo, Terfa and Lilesa ran as a tight-knit group until kilometre8 when Lilesa surged ahead. Near the 40-kilometre mark at 2:02:18 Lilesa battled on with Terfa while Mugo fell 16 seconds back. 

By kilometre 41, however, Lilesa secured his victory with Terfa lagging 53 seconds behind.

Bayisa dominates – women’s race

Unlike the men’s contest, Bayisa, the Paris Marathon winner in 2:24:42 last year, faced little resistance en route to her 2:28:53 victory.

More than five minutes behind her was Sun Juan with 2:34:12, and just under two minutes later came third place winner, Jin Lingling at 2:36:00.

Bayisa, 22, was running unchallenged by kilometre 27. After the race, she smiled widely and was happy with her performance in her first marathon in China. She’d broken free of two Chinese men who kept up with her until the last kilometre. Bayisa mistakenly took a turn the wrong way when she followed the lead about 100 metres ahead of the finish line until she was redirected for her final sprint.

“I’m very surprised. Two of them won the race,” said Adilo, who als manages Bayisa. Of Bayisa, he said, “She’s afraid to run alone. 1:19 at the halfway mark. After that she continued to push.”

Number two among the women, Sun, has more experience running half-marathons, and was fourth in last year’s Xiamen half-marathon. Sun was a second behind Bayisa for the first half but fell six seconds behind by kilometre 25 and 50 seconds by kilometer 30. Five kilometres later Bayisa had built a two-minute lead.

Third place finisher Jin, 22, broke her own PB by three minutes, set in his race last year. Jin secured third place by kilometer 15 but also fell back significantly by kilometer 25.

World champion Bai Xue ran symbolically for five kilometers after participating in the flame lighting ceremony ahead of the starting gun. Cheng Rong said she did not run due to a leg injury she sustained.



Leading results -

Men
1. Feyisa Lilesa (Eth) 2:08:47
2. Negari Getachew Terfa (Eth) 2:09:40
3. Samuel Muturi Mugo (Ken) 2:10:11
4. Kiprotich Kenei (Eth) 2:10:46
5. Alemyehu Shumye (Eth) 2:11:20
6. Berga Bekele (Eth) 2:13:45
7. Abebe Ngewo (Eth) 2:14:11
8. Yin Shunjin (Chn) 2:14:16

Women
1. Atsede Bayisa (Eth) 2:28:53
2. Sun Juan (Chn) 2:34:12
3. Jin Lingling (Chn) 2:36:00
4. Zhang Junli (Chn) 2:37:04
5. Yue Chao (Chn) 2:42:23
6. Xu Junliang (Chn) 2:43:32
7. Yin Yuan Yuan (Chn) 2:48:37
8. Yang Meng (Chn) 2:51:17