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Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw runs fastest marathon debut in history (2:17:23)

Yehualaw ran the sixth-fastest marathon in history on Sunday in Hamburg, in her first crack at the distance

Yalemzerf Yehualaw, 22, of Ethiopia won the Hamburg Marathon on Sunday, nine minutes ahead of second place, in 2:17:23. Her blazing debut marks the fastest ever in women’s road running history. The time also broke the course record and the German all-comers’ record.

Yehualaw was already the 10K world-record holder, running a 29:14 in February, so her debut was sure to be a strong one. This was another big race for her after a few near-misses in 2021. In August of last year, she ran 1:03:44 for a half-marathon in Ireland, but her record was unratifiable because the course was 54 metres short. Then, in October, she ran 1:03:51 at the Valencia half-marathon, which was under the previous world record, but Letesenbet Gidey beat her to the line, won the race, and set the new world record of 1:02:52.

While running the fastest debut in history wasn’t out of the question, actually getting the job done is a remarkable feat. The previous debut record was held by Paula Radcliffe at 2:18:56, from 2002.

Second and third place in the women’s race went to Fikrte Wereta and Bone Cheluke in an Ethiopian sweep.

In the men’s race, Cybrian Kotut of Kenya took the title in 2:04:47, followed closely by Uganda’s Stephen Kissa, only two seconds behind him. The top four men all ran under the course record, previously held by Eliud Kipchoge

Hamburg is known as a flat, fast course. Lots of Canadians, and most recently 2020 Olympian Trevor Hofbauer, have had great success there.

Full results can be found here.

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