PARIS: Ethiopian Deso Gelmisa produced a burst of speed in the final stretch to claim the biggest title of his career with victory in the Paris marathon in cold conditions on Sunday.

Gelmisa covered the 42.195 kilometres in two hours five minutes and seven seconds — 14 seconds outside his personal best — as he finished ahead of 2021 Chicago marathon winner and compatriot Seifu Tura.

Tura finished three seconds behind the 24-year-old Gelmisa, whose previous title came at the Porto marathon in 2019.

Kenya’s Judith Jeptum won the women’s race by beating the course record in two hours 19 minutes and 48 seconds.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2022