News

Ethiopia’s Abshero debuts in 2:04:23

January 27, 2012

With a stunning last 3K, 21-year-old Ayele Abshero of Ethiopia won the Dubai Marathon in 2:04:23, his first attempt at the 42.2K distance. Abshero, a former world junior cross-country champion, lead four men under 2:05.

Ethiopians swept the top three with Dino Sefir finishing second in 2:04:50, and Markos Geneti third in 2:04:54. Kenyan Jonathan Maiyo was fourth in 2:04:56.

Another Ethiopian — with a Canadian connection — Shami Dawit, finished seventh in 2:05:42. Dawit was second at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in October, running 2:09:50 in that race.

Abshero, who ran his last 3K in 8:29, recorded the fastest winning debut in history, and he’s now ranked fourth all-time. Certainly, he has to be seen a favourite to be named to Ethiopia’s Olympic team, making Haile Gebrselassie’s job more difficult to get inside the top three.

In the women’s race at the Dubai Marathon, Aselefech Mergia led three women under 2:20, winning in 2:19:31.

Positive test

Meanwhile, Russian runner Tatiana Aryasova has been stripped of her 2011 Tokyo Marathon title after testing positive for a banned substance. Aryasova tested positive for hydroxyethyl starch (HES) in a urine sample taken after she won the Tokyo race in 2:27:39 on Feb.27, 2011.