Ethiopia’s Uma and Fikir triumph in Paris Marathon, achieving historic double
PARIS: Ethiopian athletes Mulugeta Uma and Mestawut Fikir made history by clinching victories in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively, at the Paris Marathon on Sunday. Their remarkable performances marked Ethiopia’s first double win in the event in five years.
Uma secured the men’s title with an impressive time of 2:05:33, outpacing Kenyan competitors Titus Kipruto and Elisha Rotich. Kipruto finished closely behind Uma, trailing by a mere 15 seconds, while Rotich lagged further behind by over a minute. Despite being the pre-race favorite with a previous course record set in 2021, Rotich couldn’t maintain his lead in this year’s race.
In the women’s division, Fikir debuted in her first marathon with a notable victory, completing the course in 2:20:45. She narrowly edged out her compatriot Enat Tirusew by a mere three seconds, with Kenyan runner Vivian Cheruiyot securing the third position.
This achievement marks a significant milestone for Ethiopian marathon runners, as the last time Ethiopia achieved a double victory in Paris was in 2019, when Abrha Milaw and Gelete Burka emerged victorious in the men’s and women’s races, respectively.
With the Paris Marathon serving as a precursor to the upcoming Olympics, scheduled for August, this victory bodes well for Ethiopia’s prospects in the prestigious event.(Reuters)
