Ethiopian athlete Gotytom Gebreslase has won the world title in the marathon in Eugene, USA.
The 27-year-old athlete took a 42.195 kilometer distance from Kenyan Judith Jeptum Korir in the final phase of the race, who had set the pace for most of the race.
Gebreslase finished in 2:18:11 and that time was a championship record. Korir came in second in 2:18:20. Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Saltpeter took the bronze in 2:20.18.
Defending champion Ruth Chepgngetich, who had also started as the big favourite, did not make it to the finish. The Kenyan got out halfway.
Cancellation De Grasse
Olympic champion Andre de Grasse has withdrawn from the 200 meters at the World Athletics Championships. The Canadian has still not fully recovered from a recent coronavirus infection, the Canadian Athletics Federation reported. The 200-meter series will be in the Netherlands at 02:00 in the night from Monday to Tuesday.
De Grasse did run the 100 meters in Eugene, but he was eliminated in the semifinals on Saturday. The athlete hinted at the time that it was unlikely that he would start in the 200 meters. He won gold in the sprint distance last summer in a time of 19.62 seconds. Three years ago at the World Championships in Doha he won silver.
De Grasse may participate in the 4×100 meter relay later in the tournament.
Watch our sports videos below:
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss out on any of the stars.