Tamirat Tola is the surprise winner of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon. The 25 year-old Ethiopian took the race with a course record of 2:04:11, improving his personal best by more than two minutes.
Fellow-Ethiopians Mule Wasihun and Sisay Lemma finished in second and third positions with 2:06:46 and 2:08:04 respectively.
The big pre-race favourite Kenenisa Bekele, who aimed to break the world record of 2:02:57, suffered a major disappointment.
Falling right at the start after being tripped from behind he lost contact to the leading group before the 10 k mark. The Ethiopian, who missed the world record by six seconds in Berlin last September, then dropped out at around 23 k and was seen holding his left calf.
There was an upset in the women’s race as well: 26 year-old debutant Worknesh Degefa secured her biggest career win with a time of 2:22:36.
It was an all-Ethiopian podium as well. Shure Demise was second in 2:22:57 and Yebrgual Melese took third with 2:23:13.
Both winners established world leading times and collected 200,000 Dollars each. All times are still unofficial.