Yomi Omogbeja (12/04/2005)

Ethiopia has won the women's title in the 19th Beijing International Road Relay.

The East African women eclipsed the host nation's top two international stars, Athens 2004 Olympic women’s 10,000m champion Xing Huina and Paris 2003 world 10,000m bronze medallist Sun Yingjie, to win the 42.195km Ekiden in 2:18:08.

The victorious Ethiopian women's team comprised of Sintayehu Ejigu, Eyerusalem Kuma, Mestawot Tuffa, Aheza Kiros, Amane Gonena and Y. Ayane.

Defending champions China clocked 2:19:36 for second place and Japan finished third in 2:24:32.

Team USA comprising Briana Shook, Samia Akbar, Sabrina Monro, Patricia Nervo and Erika Aklufi finished fourth (2:25:20) while Ukraine was fifth with 2:29:40.

Kenya took the men's title in 2:04:17, Spain was second in 2:04:47 and Russia third in 2:05:57.

Final Results:

1 ETH 2:18:08

Sintayehu Ejigu 0:15:51

E. Kumma 0:32:58

Mestawot Tuffa 0:15:52

Aheza Kiros 0:33:56

Amane Gonena 0:15:40

Y.Ayane 0:23:51

2 CHN 2:19:36

Zhang Chong 0:16:13

Sun Yingjie 0:32:50

Bai Xue 0:16:20

Zhu Yanmei 0:34:14

Wang Shijuan 0:16:15

Xing Huina 0:23:44

3 JPN 2:24:32

Matsvoka Noiko 0:16:20

Machida Yuko 0:33:46

Watanabe Ikvmi 0:16:37

Haga Marina 0:36:22

Fujita Mayumi 0:16:50

Hori Kanako 0:24:37

4 USA 2:25:20

Briana Shook 0:16:37

Samia Akbar 0:34:41

Lucinda Hull 0:16:42

Sabrina Monro 0:35:18

Patricia Nervo 0:16:42

Erika Aklufi 0:25:20

5 UKR 2:29:40

Mara Valeriya 0:17:57

L. Margaryta 0:35:20

Ignatava Yulia 0:17:47

Dubovik Olesya 0:36:03

S. Oxana 0:16:42

Ruban Yuliya 0:25:51