Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes dominated the 48th Istanbul Marathon, setting a new course record in the men’s division.
Kipchumba crossed the finish line of the 42.195-kilometre course in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 44 seconds. He broke the previous men’s record of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 44 seconds, set by fellow Kenyan Daniel Kibet in 2019.
Sufaro Woliyi Kebeto of Ethiopia secured second place in the men’s race, and another Kenyan competitor, Vincent Kipyegon Ronoh, claimed third.
In the women’s division, Ethiopia’s Kasanesh Ayenew Baze took victory with a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 40 seconds.
Ethiopian runners swept the women’s podium. Azmera Abreha Gdey finished second in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 47 seconds, while Diribe Hirko Alemu took third place with a time of 2 hours and 25 minutes.
Among Turkish national runners in the elite men’s category, Huseyin Can finished 11th with a time of 2 hours, 17 minutes and 53 seconds. He reached the top ten last year but narrowly missed repeating that result.
Mert Girmalegesse placed 12th for Turkey with a time of 2 hours, 18 minutes and 47 seconds.
Halil Yasin finished 14th in 2 hours, 19 minutes and 31 seconds. Ahmet Alkanoglu followed in 15th place with a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes and 38 seconds, and Yavuz Agrali completed the distance in 16th place at 2 hours, 21 minutes and 44 seconds.
The annual event is the world’s only intercontinental footrace. The course started 250 metres behind the July 15 Martyrs Bridge on the Asian side of Istanbul and concluded at Sultanahmet Square.
Spor Istanbul, a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, organised the competition, which received sponsorship from Türkiye Is Bankasi.
