Tesfay pulverizes course record, Dida wins the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON
Fotyen Tesfay has pulverized the course record of the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. The Ethiopian stormed to the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate in 63:35 minutes, improving the previous mark of 65:02 by over one and a half minutes. Her time is the fifth fastest ever run over the 21.0975 km and a world best time for the year. Behind her, her compatriots Ftaw Zeray and Alemaddis Eyayu finished second and third in 67:02 and 67:12 respectively.
Gemechu Dida narrowly missed the course record as the winner of the men's race. The Ethiopian missed the mark by just one second with a time of 58:43. Behind the second-placed Kenyan Richard Etir (59:30), Amanal Petros (Hannover 96) ran a sensational race in third place in very cold temperatures. The 29-year-old improved his German record from 60:09 to 59:31, making him the first German to break the hour barrier in the half marathon and the fourth fastest European of all time. Richard Ringer (LC Rehlingen) came fourth with a personal best of 60:51.
The skaters' race was very close, with Felix Rijhnen (GER) winning the final sprint in 32:13 minutes ahead of Nolan Beddiaf (FRA) in 32:13 minutes and Jason Suttles (BEL) in 32:13 minutes. Noraly Berber Vonk (NED) won the women's skating competition in 40:59 minutes, ahead of Natalia Pesantez (ECU) in 40:59 minutes and the German Josie Hofmann in 41:08 minutes.
Mathias Behr (GER) won the handbike competition in 44:21 minutes and Yvonne Pijahn (GER) in 50:09 minutes. Thomas van Hulst (NED) won the wheelchair athletes competition in 56:11 minutes.
With a record number of 40,721 runners registered, the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON is one of the biggest races over this distance in the world.
Top men:
1. Gemechu Dida (ETH) 58:43 min.
2. Richard Lodung Etir (KEN) 59:30 min.
3. Amanal Petros (GER) 59:31 min.
Top women:
1. Fotyen Tesfay (ETH) 63:35 min.
2. Ftaw Zeray (ETH) 67:02 min.
3. Alemaddis Eyayu (ETH) 67:12 min.
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