Meseret and Almaz Triumph at Amsterdam, Delhi Road Races

Ethiopia’s Meseret Belete was victorious at the Amsterdam Marathon while Almaz Ayana took the top honor at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday.

In New Delhi’s World Athletics Gold level Road race, Almaz ran alongside fellow Ethiopians Aberash MInsewo and Dessie Anchinalu as Kenya’s Viola Chepngeno and Uganda’s Chesang, covering the first 5km in 15:45.

Almaz maintained her 16-minute pace for each of the following five-kilometer intervals. She slowed down in the closing stages, but was a comfortable distance ahead of Chesang.

Almaz crossed the finish line in 1:07:58, recording her second win in New Delhi following her 1:07:12 triumph in 2017.

Leading results
1 Almaz Ayana (ETH) 1:07:58
2 Stella Chesang (UGA) 1:08:28
3 Viola Chepngeno (KEN) 1:09:09
4 Aberash Minsewo (ETH) 1:09:50
5 Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 1:11:26

Meseret Runs her Personal Record in Amsterdam’s victory

The 24-year-old athlete only knew last Thursday that she would start in Amsterdam, after being unable to start in Chicago last week.

Not only did she win, but at 2:18:21, she ran more than two minutes faster than her personal record at the World Athletics Platinum Level Road Race.

Halfway through the race, there are nine ladies still in the race for the win. All nine run under the course record with an intermediate time of 1:09:09.

Not much later the pace drops and from 30 km Belete is joined by compatriot Meseret Abebayehu and Kenyan Dorcas Tuitok.

After 33 km, Meseret proved to be the strongest and cruised to win – and the second victory of the year, having won in Doha back in January in 2:20:46, her previous lifetime best.

The other Meseret runs a hefty personal record with 2:19:50 and Tuitoek 2:20:02 also runs her fastest time ever in Amsterdam.

Leading results
1 Meseret Belete (ETH) 2:18:21
2 Meseret Abebayehu (ETH) 2:19:50
3 Dorcas Tuitoek (KEN) 2:20:02
4 Ashete Bekere (ETH) 2:21:51
5 Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) 2:22:07