ISTANBUL, TURKY – Adilo Kasime Roba of Ethiopia won the men’s event at the 30th International Eurasia Marathon in İstanbul on Sunday. Roba finished with a time of 2:11:16.

Lishan Yigezu Fanta of Ethiopia came in second at 2:11:37, while Iaroslav Musinchi of Moldova was third with 2:11:43. In the women’s event, Nailya Yulamanova of Russia won at 2:30:17, another Russian, Yuliya Gromova, came in second in 2:31:36 and Mehtap Sızmaz of Turkey took third with 2:3:17.

Earlier, Selim Bayrak of Turkey won the men’s 15-kilometer event with a time of 43:59, Kiprotich Yegon of Ethiopia finished second at 44:01 and Bazu Worku of Ethiopia came in third at 44:14.

In the women’s 15-kilometer race, Luminita Talpos of Romania won with a time of 50:29, Lydia Njeri Mathathi of Kenya took second place with 50:43 and Kuma Eyerusalem of Ethiopia grabbed third with 52:03. Turkish news agencies earlier reported that Helen Southcott of Britain, a former Today’s Zaman editor, had won the women’s 15-kilometer race. The mistake was later corrected. Last year Kenyan athlete David Emanuel Cheruiyot set the new course record at 2:11:00, surpassing the previous course record set in 2006 by Lithuania’s Mindaugas Pukstas (2:12:52). In the women’s event, Russian athlete Madina Biktagirova set the 2:28:21 course record in 2006, improving on her previous record — set in 2005 — by almost six minutes.

Sunday’s races started on the Asian side, crossed the Bosporus and Golden Horn bridges, passed under the Valens Aqueduct on the way to the Marmara Sea beach and finished on the European side at the Hippodrome, one of the oldest racetracks in the world, situated in the historical district of Sultanahmet, abundant in ancient monuments and sites.

Last year Kenyan athlete David Emanuel Cheruiyot set the new course record at 2:11:00, surpassing the previous course record set in 2006 by Lithuania’s Mindaugas Pukstas (2:12:52). In the women’s event, Russian athlete Madina Biktagirova set the 2:28:21 course record in 2006, improving on her previous record — set in 2005 — by almost six minutes.

Source: Today’s Zaman