Ethiopian takes top three spots in Dubai Marathon 2013

The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2013 takes to the streets of the emirate for the fourteenth time, where long runner Lelisa Desisa overtook fellow Ethiopian Berhanu Shiferaw in the final kilometer to win his marathon race debut on Friday, finishing 2 hours, 4 minutes, 45 seconds.

The 23-year-old Desisa was among six runners following Shiferaw for most of the race. The pack was reduced from 10 to six at the 32-kilometer (20-mile) mark and Desisa moved past Shifera in the final kilometer. He extended his lead with 200 meters (yards) to go and beat his countrymen by 3 seconds. Tadese Tola also of Ethiopia was seven seconds back in third.

Desisa was 22 seconds off last year’s race record.

Ethiopia’s Tsegayae Beyene won the women’s race in 2:23:23 to beat countrywoman Kiros Reda by 16 seconds.