Mateiko and Gebreselama victorious

Edwin
Edwin  - CEO February 24, 2024
Updated 2024/02/24 at 11:56 PM
4 Min Read
Daniel Mateiko wins the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon (© Giancarlo Colombo / organisers) Credit: World Athletics
Daniel Mateiko wins the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon (© Giancarlo Colombo / organisers) Credit: World Athletics

Win Ras Al Khaimah half marathon Gold Label road race

 

Tsigie Gebreselama celebrates her Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon victoryTsigie Gebreselama celebrates her Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon victory (© Giancarlo Colombo / organizers)

Daniel Mateiko and Tsigie Gebreselama were victorious at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Saturday (24), World Athletics reports.

 

Making his third appearance in Ras Al Khaimah, Mateiko lit up a foggy morning to storm home in a world-leading time of 58:45 and win by five seconds from his compatriot John Korir, while Isaia Lasoi completed a Kenyan top three, clocking 58:55.

 

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s world cross-country silver medallist Gebreselama improved her personal best by more than half a minute to win in 1:05:14, 30 seconds ahead of her compatriot Ababel Yeshaneh, the 2020 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon champion and former world record-holder. Tanzania’s Jackline Sakilu was a surprise third, beating her personal best by more than three minutes with a national record of 1:06:05.

This year’s race was held exclusively for the first time on the fast and flat roads of Al Marjan Island, and the elites took it in their stride despite unusual weather conditions, which saw visibility limited to around 50m at the finish line.

 

Mateiko was always to the fore, and made his winning move in the final kilometer, leaving Korir and Lasoi to chase him to the finish line.

 

A delighted Mateiko was relieved to finally win in Ras Al Khaimah after finishing sixth on his debut in 2022 and runner-up to Benard Koech last year.

 

“I was the fastest man in the field, and I promised myself I’d win here after finishing sixth and then second last year,” said the charismatic 25-year-old, who dedicated his win to Kelvin Kiptum, the marathon world record-holder who died in a road traffic accident earlier this month.

 

“The conditions were tough – it was windy, humid, and a little foggy – so this is the best win of my career so far.”

 

While Mateiko saw off a world-class field that included defending champion Koech, who finished fifth (59:42), and New York Marathon champion Tamirat Tola, who took seventh (59:46), in the women’s event, the hugely talented Gebreselama underlined why she is considered one of her country’s finest prospects.

 

After passing 15km in 46:42, Gebreselama and Yeshaneh broke away from the lead women’s group before Gebreselama forged ahead for victory.

 

“I am so happy to have run a personal best today,” said the 23-year-old, who finished fourth in the half marathon at the World Road Running Championships in Riga in October.

 

“I was apprehensive about Peres (Jepchirchir) in this race, so I was surprised when she dropped back. It’s a great win for me, and while it’s too early in my career to think about the Paris Olympics, I aim to break the half marathon world record.”

 

Olympic marathon champion Jepchirchir, one of the pre-race favorites and a three-time half marathon world champion, suffered a setback early on in the race when a shoe slipped off, costing her at least 20 seconds.

 

Organizers for World Athletics

 

Leading results

 

Women
1 Tsigie Gebreselama (ETH) 1:05:14
2 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 1:05:44
3 Jackline Sakilu (TAN) 1:06:05
4 Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (KEN) 1:06:31
5 Evaline Chirchir (KEN) 1:06:36

 

Men
1 Daniel Mateiko (KEN) 58:45
2 John Korir (KEN) 58:50
3 Isaia Lasoi (KEN) 58:55
4 Gerba Dibaba (ETH) 59:38
5 Benard Koech (KEN) 59:42

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