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Debutant Bute Gemechu takes Dubai Marathon, Bedatu Hirpa upsets Dera Dida

Bute Gemechu of Ethiopia added his name to the growing list of debutant
marathoners who have won the men's race in Dubai in recent years, taking
the title with a world leading time of 2hr 04min 51 sec; but it was the
dramatic finish in the women's race won by compatriot Bedatu Hirpa a few
minutes later which attracted the attention.

After an intriguing five-way tussle up to 25k, Dera Dida and training
partner Hirpa forged a lead which was to prove unassailable for the
pursers. And when Dida, first and third here in the last two years eased
away with five kilometres to run, it looked as if she was going to make
good on her promise earlier in the week to repeat her 2023 victory. But as
soon as she came into the lengthy finishing straight it was clear something
was wrong. Her head was back and she was struggling for breath.

At that stage with less than a kilometre to run, Hirpa was still ten
seconds behind. She said afterwards that she didn't know that her pal was
suffering but when the gap between them evaporated in the rising heat of
the Dubai morning, Hirpa sailed past to victory, punching the air
exuberantly as she took the finish tape. Her time of 2.18.27 is a
substantial improvement on her previous best of 2.21.09 set in Amsterdam
three months ago.

She was so elated that she ripped off her shoes and threw them into the
air, and set off on a victory sprint back down the finishing straight with
an Ethiopian flag wrapped round her neck. Meanwhile, a distressed Dida was
flat out after finishing five seconds behind. When she finally caught her
breath, she explained that she got severe stomach cramps in the last
kilometre and was incapable of shrugging them off.

After commiserating with her colleague, Hirpa said, 'I was concentrating so
much on my own race I didn't realise that Dera was having problems; it was
only when the gap between us closed so quickly, I realised that I could
win. But I always believed I was going to win anyway'.

Hirpa kept the entertainment going at her press conference later. When
asked what she was going to do with the $80,000 prize money, she said, I'm
going to give it my coach'. Since the man in question, Gemedu Dedefo was
standing by, he roared with laughter and politely refused, upon which she
reached out and seized her winner's plaque and presented it to him
ceremoniously. Dida incidentally recovered quickly and was doubtless
consoled by a personal best time of 2.18.32 and a prize of $40,000. Another
colleague Tigist Girma was third in 2.20.47.

Gemechu only had a few moments of doubt after he got away from the leading
men's group at 35 kilometres. His colleague Shifera Tamru cut the gap to
around 20 metres with only two of the 42.195 kilometres to run. But he
overreached himself, and was passed by another colleague Berehanu Tsegu,
who finished second in 2.05.14, with Tamru third in 2.05.28. Becoming the
fifth Ethiopian debutant in succession to win the Dubai men's race, Gemechu
said, 'Since I only decided to run the marathon two months ago, I really
didn't know what to expect, but when I got to 36 kilometres, I realised I
was going to win'.

Dennis Kimetto of Kenya, ten days short of his 41st birthday, and over ten
minutes long of his former world record of 2.02.57 (2014) acquitted himself
well enough with 15th place in 2.14.56; but former world champion, Lelisa
Desisa of Ethiopia dropped out.

In the 10k race later in the morning, women's winner Gemene Tunku edged out
fellow-Ethiopian Chaltu Diriba, both clocking a world's leading time of
31min 03sec. Sometime Dubai resident Eilish McColgan of the UK was third in
31.14. Yassir Ech Chaachoui of Morocco was the men's winner with 28:20.

British gold medal Paralympian Richard Whitehead finished the first of 20
marathons he wants to run this year to complete his '100 Marathon
Challenge'. He ran just outside 2hrs 47mins.

Results, Men:
1. Bute Gemechu ETH 2:04:51
2. Berehanu Tsegu ETH 2:05:14
3. Shifera Tamru ETH 2:05:28
4. Desalegn Girma ETH 2:06:52
5. Dejene Hailu ETH 2:07:03
6. Getachew Masresha ETH 2:07:04
7. Tadele Demissie ETH 2:08:21
8. Boki Diriba ETH 2:09:06
9. Embay Goitom ETH 2:09:08
10. Yismaw Atinafu ETH 2:09:32

Women:
1. Bedatu Hirpa ETH 2:18:27
2. Dera Dida ETH 2:18:32
3. Tigist Girma ETH 2:20:47
4. Zeineba Yimer ETH 2:21:12
5. Bertukan Welde ETH 2:21:54
6. Kuftu Tahir ETH 2:22:53
7. Gadise Mulu ETH 2:23:19
8. Almaz Kebede ETH 2:23:30
9. Kebebush Yisma ETH 2:24:04
10. Dibabe Beyene ETH 2.24:38

For more information please visit www.dubaimarathon.org.

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