Ethiopian runners dominated the just-ended 2019 edition of the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon. This year’s marked the 43rd in the marathon’s history.
Ethiopian athletes make golden outing at 2019 Paris marathon
Abrha Milaw, 30, won the men’s race in 2 hours, 7 minutes and 5 seconds whiles compatriot Gelete Burka won the women’s event in 2 hours 22 minutes and 48 seconds.
The event took place over the weekend with thousands turning up for the contest which has usually been won by African athletes. The official number of participants stood at 49,155 according to organizers.
Explosion de joie ! Bravo à tous? #ParisMarathon
? Podium hommes ??♂
? Abrha Milaw ?? 2:07:05
? Asefa Mengistu ?? 2:07:25
? Paul Lonyangata ?? 2:07:29
? Podium femmes ?♀
? Gelete Burka ?? 2:22:47
? Azmera Gebru ?? 2:22:52
? Azmera Abreha ?? 2:23:35 pic.twitter.com/t6tEebEybP— Schneider Electric France (@SchneiderElecFR) April 14, 2019
A 100% golden Ethiopian podium came at the expense of their Kenya competitors. In the men’s event, the two-time defending champion in Paris, Kenyan Paul Lonyangata only finished third behind a second-placed Ethiopian.
Reactions after winning:
Gelete Burka: “I’m delighted to add my name to the list of winners of the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris. I suffered in the bitter cold this morning, but I managed to focus on my goal and on getting this victory I wanted so badly.”
Abrha Milaw: “It was a complicated race with a strong field. I was able to stick to my plan. I stayed with the favourites and then went for it with every ounce of energy I had left.”
The annual Paris Marathon (Marathon de Paris) is run over a distance of 42,195 km. It is one of the prestigious marathons across Europe and other global cities.
It is now one of the biggest marathons in the world, as much for the size of its field as the performances of its runners. Nearly 145 nationalities and 55,000 runners come to tackle the most fabled long-distance discipline in athletics.
It is usually run in April, across Paris, going past major routes including the Champs Elysées, the Bois de Vincennes and Boulogne, offering a backdrop, with spectacular views and landmarks all along the route.