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.
Article written by
Posted
Update
Reading time : 1 min.
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”).
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.
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”).