Kipchumba Sets Record as Ethiopian Women Sweep the Podium

Kenyan Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba won the 48th Istanbul Marathon, breaking the seven-year course record. Kipchumba completed the 42.195 km course in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 44 seconds. This time is a full minute faster than the record set in 2019 by Daniel Kibet, another Kenyan.

Picking up the pace in the final stretch, Kipchumba said he had also won in his second race in Istanbul. Ethiopia's Sufaro Woliyi Kebeto finished second, and Kenya's Vincent Kipyegon Ronoh took third.

Ethiopia dominated the women's race. Kasanesh Ayenew Baze won in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 40 seconds, while her teammate Azmera Abreha Gdey finished second, seven seconds behind. Diribe Hirko Alemu finished in 2 hours and 25 minutes, completing an Ethiopian podium sweep. The top three women finished within less than 20 seconds of each other.

Baze noted that this was her fifth time running this marathon and expressed her happiness. She said her goals are to represent her country at the Olympics and to hold a record.

The race started 250 meters behind the July 15 Martyrs Bridge on the Asian side. The runners crossed the Bosphorus and finished in Sultanahmet Square on the European side. The event was organized by Spor Istanbul, which is affiliated with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Known as the world's only intercontinental marathon, the event traces its roots to the first Asia-Europe Race in 1979.