Ethiopian Abeje Ayana wins in the men’s category, Kenyan Helah Kiprop in the women’s

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If Abeje Ayana dominated the men’s debates, Helah Kiprop outdid herself at the end of the course to snatch victory in the women’s sprint on Sunday.

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Ethiopian Abeje Ayana won the Paris marathon on April 2, 2023. (GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP)

He flew away, alone at sea. Ethiopian Abeje Ayana (2h07’15”) won the 2023 edition of the Paris marathon on Sunday April 2, ahead of his compatriot Guye Adola (+19″) and Kenyan Josphat Boit (+24″). At just 20 years old, the young runner thus offers himself his first victory in a marathon. In the last five kilometers, Abeje Ayana accelerated, even overtaking the leading group in the ladies’ category – which had started fifteen minutes earlier. Before today, Abeje Ayana’s best result was at the half-marathon in Poznan, Poland, in 2021 (59’39”). Mehdi Frere, the first Frenchman to cross the line, finished in 10th position (2h11’05”).

The carelessness of 20-year-old Abeje Ayana made the difference. The Ethiopian got rid of his elder Guye Adola 4 km from the finish and then finished alone for his first victory in a major world marathon. 2h07'15" for Ayana, and 2h11'05" for Mehdi Frere, 10th in the race and the first Frenchman to finish.

Kiprop wins the sprint

Among the women, the Kenyan Helah Kiprop, already winner of the Seoul marathons in 2014 and Tokyo in 2016, won by the wire in the sprint (2h23’19”) against the Ethiopian Atalel Anmut, only 24 hundredths deciding. Another Ethiopian, Fikrte Wereta, completes the podium (+4”). ranked 12th and 13th.

What an arrival on Avenue Foch. Helah Kiprop has the final sprint with 24 hundredths ahead of Atalel Anmut. The Kenyan overtook the Ethiopian in a mad last straight line to win the Paris 2023 marathon in 2h23'19".

As for the men’s disabled podium, the Englishman David Weir won by the wire (1h34’23”) after a fierce duel against the Dutchman Geert Schipper. Frenchman Julien Casoli, who was in the lead for a long time, dropped out in the last kilometers, and finished in third place (+1’19”).


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