Tigist Gezahagn won the Vienna City Marathon with a course record and a personal best of 2:20:06. This is a phenomenal achievement by the 26 year-old Ethiopian, who is visually impaired and won the Paralympics 1,500 m title in 2021 and 2024.
Gezahagn battled with fellow-Ethiopian Haftamnesh Tesfaye and moved clear just a few hundred metres from the finish line. Tesfaye took second in a strong marathon comeback, tieing her seven year-old personal best with 2:20:18. Kenyan Hellen Chepkorir followed in third with 2:23:48.
In the women’s race Tigist Gezahagn and Haftamnesh Tesfaye moved away from the field soon after the start. When the Ethiopian pair passed the 10k mark in 33:30 they were already 39 seconds ahead of the second group.
In contrast to the men they were still outside of the 2:20:59 course record in the first part of the race. But running behind a pacemaker Gezahagn and Tesfaye then increased the pace.
After a 70:24 half marathon split there was a scare for Tesfaye, who returned from maternity leave and ran her first marathon since 2020, when she caught the heel of Gezahagn and fell at a U-turn shortly before the 30 k mark. But she got up immediately and closed the gap quickly. “At around 41k I though I should now push the pace,” said Tigist Gezahagn, who then opened a small gap on Tesfaye. That grew decisively with around 500 metres to go.
“This is a huge victory for me, the atmosphere along the course was great. The warm temperatures did not bother me, but there was some wind,” said Tigist Gezahagn.
LEADING RESULTS
42KM MEN
1. Tigist Gezahagn ETH 2:20.06
2. Haftamnesh Tesfaye ETH 2:20.18
3. Hellen Chepkorir KEN 2:23.48
4. Faith Chepkoech KEN 2:28.10
5. Tegest Ymer ETH 2:28.15