Ambesse Tolossa wins the men’s division of the Honolulu Marathon for the second straight year.

By Deborah Booker | The Honolulu Advertiser

Ethiopia’s Ambesse Tolossa won the men’s division of The Honolulu Marathon for the second consecutive year, again holding off rival and five-time champion Jimmy Muindi of Kenya.

Tolossa’s unofficial time was 2:17:25.

Tolossa stayed just behind Muindi for almost the entire race.

But Muindi’s stomach started to bother him about halfway through the race.

At about the 23-mile mark, Muindi started to become ill and dropped back.

Muindi’s time was unavailable.

The two battled for the title in last year’s race in which Muindi, 34, accused Tolossa, 30, of bumping him and clipping his heels during the race.

Muindi won the Honolulu Marathon in 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005 and placed second or third seven other times since 1995.