By David Martin, PA Sport, Beirut
Ethiopian pair Tamrat Elanso and Adaneche Beyene Jemilu secured comfortable victories as the BLOM Beirut International Marathon went off without a hitch on Sunday morning.
With a controversial presidential election scheduled for Wednesday, organisers turned down a government suggestion that the race should be postponed.
And around a slightly adjusted route, Elanso took advantage to cross the finish line in a personal best time of two hours 19 minutes 46 seconds.
The 30-year-old scorched ahead of his rivals after 35 kilometres with the encouragement of thousands of spectators roaring him along.
He ran in isolation ahead of his opponents for the last seven kilometres and was able to slow after breaking up the field, easily stifling the threat of Kenya’s David Kiplagat Kuino and his own countryman Abraham Yilma Belete – both of whom were more fancied before the race.
Kuino, this year’s Bonn champion, pushed Belete into third place for the second successive year by just three seconds in a time of 2hrs 21mins 51secs.
Speaking through an interpreter, Elanso said: “It was important that I succeeded today. It was a good chance for me to win my first marathon.
“I felt very good and decided it would be right to go ahead on my own.
“I found it hard running the last part of the race on my own, but knew after getting away I would not be caught.”
Jemilu, the fastest woman in the field and third in last January’s Dubai Marathon, also clinched a convincing win in 2hrs 41mins 24secs.
She was far superior to her fellow Ethiopians Meseret Legese Regesa and Etaferahu Tarekegn Getahun, who clocked marks of 2:48.52 and 2:55.14 respectively.
May El Khalil, the marathon’s president, was pleased to have delivered a successful marathon on the scheduled date.
“Lots of people love this event – they believe in this event. We have invested in people’s hearts,” he said.
“We believe in what we are doing in our attempt to put Lebanon on the international map. Every great city has a marathon.
“During these difficult times it unites people and it becomes a space for hope and a time for celebration.
“Passion has been one of our strongest tools.”