Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn comfortably won the Seoul International Marathon on Sunday as Ethiopians sweep away the top five spots in the world athletics platinum road race.
Walelegn crossed the finish line in a PB of 2:05:27 in his second victory in the Korean capital, having won there just four months ago in 2:06:59 at the JTBC Seoul Marathon.
On this occasion, the 2020 world half marathon bronze medallist went much quicker in what was just the third marathon of his career.
He ran as part of a pack for most of the way, passing through 5km in 14:51 and 10km in 29:33 before reaching the halfway mark in about 1:02:30, putting them on course for a finishing time of about 2:05 – just outside the course record of 2:04:43 set last year by Mosinet Geremew.
The pace dropped slightly leading up to 30km with eight men still in the lead pack.
Walelegn then put in a bit of a surge and covered the next 5km segment in 14:34 – the quickest of the race.
It was enough for the 2022 Copenhagen half marathon runner-up to break away from compatriots Shiferaw Tamru, Haftu Teklu, and Olika Adugna Bikila, and went on to cross the line in 2:05:27.
The three chasers broke up in the final two kilometers.
Tamiru – 2022 Lisbon Marathon winner finished second place in 2:05:41 followed by Haftu third in 2:05:53, and Olika (2:06:29).
Another Ethiopian athlete Ashenafi Moges finished fifth, clocking 2:06:59.
MG/abj.APA