Kenya's Jeptum breaks women's course record en route to Paris Marathon victory
Ethiopia's Deso Gelmisa victorious in men's race
Judith Jeptum of Kenya broke the Paris Marathon record while Deso Gelmisa of Ethiopia won the men's race on Sunday in Paris.
Jeptum finished the 42.2-kilometre race in two hours, 19 minutes and 48 seconds in chilly conditions with a temperature of 2 C at the start of the event. The 2021 Abu Dhabi Marathon winner pulled away in the 28th kilometre to run a personal best and break the course record of 2:20:55 set by Purity Rionoripo of Kenya in 2017.
Fantu Jimma of Ethiopia was second, more than three minutes behind Jeptum. Her compatriot Besu Sado, a former 1,500-metre runner, completed the podium.
American runner Lindsay Flanagan, who was seventh in the 2019 Chicago Marathon, finished 10th in 2:26:54, a personal best.
Revivez la victoire de 🇰🇪 Judith JEPTUM 👀<br><br>Relive 🇰🇪 Judith JEPTUM's victory 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParisMarathon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParisMarathon</a> <a href="https://t.co/QnnTzH9c7D">pic.twitter.com/QnnTzH9c7D</a>
—@parismarathonIn the men's race, Gelmisa outsprinted fellow countryman and 2021 Chicago Marathon winner Seifu Tura to finish in 2:05:07.
Frenchman Morhad Amdouni, the 2018 European champion in the 10,000 metres, took third place in 2:05:22 to break the French record set by Benoit Zwierzchiewski in 2003.
The fastest man in the field, Asefa Mengstu of Ethiopia, finished 10th, more than three minutes behind Gelmisa.
Swiss runner Julien Wanders, the European record holder for the half marathon, was 18th in his marathon debut.
