Bute Gemechu of Ethiopia added his name to the growing list of debutant marathoners who have won the men’s race in Dubai in recent years, taking the title with a world leading time of 2:04:51. But it was the dramatic finish in the women’s race won by compatriot Bedatu Hirpa a few minutes later which attracted the attention.
After an intriguing five-way tussle up to 25k, Dera Dida and training partner Hirpa forged a lead which was to prove unassailable for the pursuers.
When Dida, first and third here in the last two years eased away with five kilometres to run, it looked as if she was going to make good on her promise earlier in the week to repeat her 2023 victory. But as soon as she came into the lengthy finishing straight it was clear something was wrong. Her head was back and she was struggling for breath.
At that stage with less than a kilometre to run, Hirpa was still ten seconds behind. She said afterwards that she didn’t know that her pal was suffering but when the gap between them evaporated in the rising heat of the Dubai morning, Hirpa sailed past to victory, punching the air exuberantly as she took the finish tape.
Her time of 2:18:27 is a substantial improvement on her previous best of 2:21:09 set in Amsterdam three months ago.
She was so elated that she ripped off her shoes and threw them into the air, and set off on a victory sprint back down the finishing straight with an Ethiopian flag wrapped round her neck.
Meanwhile, a distressed Dida was flat out after finishing five seconds behind. When she finally caught her breath, she explained that she got severe stomach cramps in the last kilometre and was incapable of shrugging them off.
After commiserating with her colleague, Hirpa said, ‘I was concentrating so much on my own race I didn’t realise that Dera was having problems; it was only when the gap between us closed so quickly, I realised that I could win. But I always believed I was going to win anyway’.
Hirpa kept the entertainment going at her press conference later. When asked what she was going to do with the $80,000 prize money, she said, I’m going to give it [to] my coach’. Since the man in question, Gemedu Dedefo was standing by, he roared with laughter and politely refused, upon which she reached out and seized her winner’s plaque and presented it to him ceremoniously.
Dida incidentally recovered quickly and was doubtless consoled by a personal best time of 2.18.32 and a prize of $40,000. Another colleague Tigist Girma was third in 2.20.47.
Gemechu only had a few moments of doubt after he got away from the leading men’s group at 35 kilometres. His colleague Shifera Tamru cut the gap to around 20 metres with only two of the 42.195 kilometres to run. But he overreached himself, and was passed by another colleague Berehanu Tsegu, who finished second in 2:05:14, with Tamru third in 2:05:28.
Becoming the fifth Ethiopian debutant in succession to win the Dubai men’s race, Gemechu said, ‘Since I only decided to run the marathon two months ago, I really didn’t know what to expect, but when I got to 36 kilometres, I realised I was going to win’.
Dennis Kimetto of Kenya, ten days short of his 41st birthday, and over ten minutes long of his former world record of 2:02:57 (2014) acquitted himself well enough with 15th place in 2:14:56; but former world champion, Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia dropped out.
In the 10k race later in the morning, women’s winner Gemene Tunku edged out fellow-Ethiopian Chaltu Diriba, both clocking a world’s leading time of 31:03. Dubai resident Eilish McColgan of the UK was third in 31:14. Yassir Ech Chaachoui of Morocco was the men’s winner with 28:20.
British gold medal Paralympian Richard Whitehead finished the first of 20 marathons he wants to run this year to complete his ‘100 Marathon Challenge’. He ran just outside 2 hours and 47 mins.
Selected Results
Men:
- Bute Gemechu ETH 2:04:51
- Berehanu Tsegu ETH 2:05:14
- Shifera Tamru ETH 2:05:28
- Desalegn Girma ETH 2:06:52
- Dejene Hailu ETH 2:07:03
- Getachew Masresha ETH 2:07:04
- Tadele Demissie ETH 2:08:21
- Boki Diriba ETH 2:09:06
- Embay Goitom ETH 2:09:08
- Yismaw Atinafu ETH 2:09:32
Women:
- Bedatu Hirpa ETH 2:18:27
- Dera Dida ETH 2:18:32
- Tigist Girma ETH 2:20:47
- Zeineba Yimer ETH 2:21:12
- Bertukan Welde ETH 2:21:54
- Kuftu Tahir ETH 2:22:53
- Gadise Mulu ETH 2:23:19
- Almaz Kebede ETH 2:23:30
- Kebebush Yisma ETH 2:24:04
- Dibabe Beyene ETH 2.24:38