Tola Takes Surprise Win at Dubai Marathon

Friday, 20 January 2017

Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola took a surprise win in Dubai Marathon as the pre race favorite Kenenisa Bekele fell at the start and late failed to finish.

Tola, the Olympic 10000m Champion, won Dubai Marathon title on Friday in a new course record of 2:04.11.

The race started with suicidal pace as the lead pack together with Bekele went through the first 5km in 14:20; a pace of 2:00:58 for the 42.195km.

The next 5km peacemakers covered in 14:37 crossing the 10km marker in a grueling pace of 28:57. The world record holder in 5000m and 10000m, Bekele, crossed the 10KM in 29:03 which was still 20 seconds faster than Dennis Kimetto world record pace.

Bekele realizing that the pace was way too fast started to slow down a bit as he went through the 14km marker about 20 seconds behind the lead pack.

While Race leaders with Tola went through the half marathon in 61:35 Bekele's world record attempt ended during the 22nd kilometer as he pulled up and dropped out of the race.

From 21 to 25km Kenya's Kipruto was pushing the pace very hard leading Ethiopia's Lemma and Tola through the 25km in 1:12:54, a world record pace.

Kipruto went through the 30km in 1:27:39 before dropping out, while Tamirat Tola, the 10000m Olympic bronze medalist, was left alone in the lead on a world record pace.

In the following 5km Tola slipped away from Dennis Kimetto world record pace as he went through the 35km in 1:42:36, well outside the world record.

In the final 4 kilometers Tola's pace significantly dropped as he crossed the finish-line in 2:04.11, a new Dubai Marathon Coarse record and the ninth fastest time in marathon history.

Tola, who nearly dropped 2 minutes off from his personal best time will walk away with $200.000USD prize.