The Ethiopian Mulugeta Uma, who was running only his fourth marathon, won the Paris event on Sunday April 7 in 2 hours 5 minutes and 33 seconds. The Ethiopian beat the Kenyan Titus Kipruto, one of the favorites, dropped 2.5 kilometers from the finish.
Uma, 26, beat his personal best (2h 6min 7sec), established in Seville (Spain) in 2023. He broke the Kenyan Kipruto, who had led the way from the 35th kilometer. The latter finally finished the event in 2 h 5 min 48 sec.
His compatriot Elisha Rotich, record holder in the Parisian race, completed the podium in 2h 6 min 54 sec. The Ethiopian Abeje Ayana, winner in 2023, finished in 9th place.
In the women’s race, Ethiopian novice Mestawut Fikir, 24, shone in her first marathon, beating her compatriot Enat Tirusew in the finish in 2 h 20 min 45 sec, less than a minute from the Parisian race record.
The two Ethiopian athletes, who had never competed in a marathon, competed for victory in the sprint. Enat Tirusew gave up in the last meters and set a time of 2 h 20 min 47 sec.
Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot, Olympic 5,000 meters champion in 2016 and who, at 39, had not participated in a marathon since 2019, took third place in 2 h 21 min 47 sec.
