Tesfay pulverizes course record, Dida wins the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Fotyen Tesfay has pulverized the course record of the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. The Ethiopian stormed to the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate in 63:35 minutes, improving the previous mark of 65:02 by over one and a half minutes. Her time is the fifth fastest ever run over the 21.0975 km and a world best time for the year. Behind her, her compatriots Ftaw Zeray and Alemaddis Eyayu finished second and third in 67:02 and 67:12 respectively.
Gemechu Dida narrowly missed the course record as the winner of the men's race. The Ethiopian missed the mark by just one second with a time of 58:43. Behind the second-placed Kenyan Richard Etir (59:30), Amanal Petros (Hannover 96) ran a sensational race in third place in very cold temperatures. The 29-year-old improved his German record from 60:09 to 59:31, making him the first German to break the hour barrier in the half marathon and the fourth fastest European of all time. Richard Ringer (LC Rehlingen) came fourth with a personal best of 60:51.
The skaters' race was very close, with Felix Rijhnen (GER) winning the final sprint in 32:13 minutes ahead of Nolan Beddiaf (FRA) in 32:13 minutes and Jason Suttles (BEL) in 32:13 minutes. Noraly Berber Vonk (NED) won the women's skating competition in 40:59 minutes, ahead of Natalia Pesantez (ECU) in 40:59 minutes and the German Josie Hofmann in 41:08 minutes.
Mathias Behr (GER) won the handbike competition in 44:21 minutes and Yvonne Pijahn (GER) in 50:09 minutes. Thomas van Hulst (NED) won the wheelchair athletes competition in 56:11 minutes.
With a record number of 40,721 runners registered, the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON is one of the biggest races over this distance in the world.
Top men:
1. Gemechu Dida (ETH) 58:43 min.
2. Richard Lodung Etir (KEN) 59:30 min.
3. Amanal Petros (GER) 59:31 min.
Top women:
1. Fotyen Tesfay (ETH) 63:35 min.
2. Ftaw Zeray (ETH) 67:02 min.
3. Alemaddis Eyayu (ETH) 67:12 min.
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