I’Ethiopian Deso Gelmisa won the 45th edition of the Paris marathon on Sundayof which the French Morhad Amdouni took 3rd place, with the key to a new French record. Gelmisa won at the end of the 42.195 km with a time of 2 h 05 min 07 sec, ahead of his compatriot Seifu Tura (2 h 05 min 10 sec) and Amdouni (2 h 05 min 22 sec). “It feels good. I just have to say that because it means ‘finally’ (…) I had to be able to pass this course which allows me to say hello, I’m here”said the 33-year-old Corsican with relief.
Under the Parisian sun, Kenya’s Judith Jeptum also broke a record by dominating the women’s event. With a time of 2 h 19 min 48 sec, she improved by more than a minute the previous record of the event (2 h 20 min 55 sec) which had been established in 2017 by the Kenyan Purity Rionoripo. Jeptum beat two Ethiopians, Fanti Jimma, 2nd (2 h 22 min 52 sec), and Besu Sado, 3rd (2 h 23 min 16 sec).
In the disabled category, it was the Frenchman Julien Casoli who won in 1 hour 38 minutes and 36 seconds. This is the 5th victory in the Paris event for the 39-year-old sportsman, double Paralympic medalist.
36,000 people were expected this Sunday at the start, for 45,000 registered. This 45th edition of the Paris Marathon marks the return of the participants even if we are still far from the 50,000 starters of 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.