Kenyan, Ethiopian athletes win 48th Istanbul Marathon as men's course record broken

By Bozhan Memis and Merve Berker

ISTANBUL / ANKARA (AA) - Kenya's Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba broke the men's course record at the 48th Istanbul Marathon on Sunday, while Ethiopia's Kasanesh Ayenew Baze won the women's race.

Kipchumba completed the 42.195-kilometer (26.2-mile) course in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 44 seconds, breaking the previous record of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 44 seconds set by fellow Kenyan Daniel Kibet in 2019.

Ethiopia's Sufaro Woliyi Kebeto finished second in the men's race, while Kenya's Vincent Kipyegon Ronoh took third place.

Organized by Spor Istanbul, a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and sponsored by Türkiye Is Bankasi, the marathon was held for the 48th time.

Known as the world's only intercontinental marathon, the race began 250 meters (820 feet) behind the July 15 Martyrs Bridge on Istanbul's Asian side and finished at Sultanahmet Square.

- Ethiopian athletes sweep women's podium

Ethiopia's Kasanesh Ayenew Baze won the women's race with a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 40 seconds.

Ethiopian runners claimed all three podium positions, with Azmera Abreha Gdey finishing second in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 47 seconds.

Diribe Hirko Alemu, also from Ethiopia, took third place with a time of 2 hours and 25 minutes.

- Turkish athlete Huseyin Can finishes 11th

Among Turkish national athletes competing in the elite men's category, Huseyin Can finished 11th with a time of 2 hours, 17 minutes and 53 seconds.

Can, who finished among the top 10 last year, narrowly missed a top-10 finish this year.

Fellow Turkish athlete Mert Girmalegesse placed 12th in 2 hours, 18 minutes and 47 seconds.

Halil Yasin finished 14th with a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes and 31 seconds, followed by Ahmet Alkanoglu in 15th place with 2 hours, 19 minutes and 38 seconds.

Yavuz Agrali completed the race in 16th place with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes and 44 seconds.

Bozhan Memiş