Ethiopian Tola wins World Championship gold in the marathon

Dhe Ethiopian Tamirat Tola won gold in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene. The World Championship runner-up from London 2017 prevailed early on Sunday morning after 42.195 kilometers with the championship record of 2:05:35 hours. The Kenyan Abel Kirui set the previous record in Berlin in 2009 (2:06:54). “I learned from my mistake in 2017 and did everything I could to make sure that didn’t happen to me again,” Tola said. Five years ago he attacked too briskly in the fight for gold and was only able to save silver with difficulty.

In second place, Mosinet Geremew (2:06:44) completed an Ethiopian double victory on the circuit in perfect conditions (14 degrees, light wind) and, like in 2019, took silver in Doha. Bronze went to Olympic bronze medalist Bashir Abdi from Belgium (2:06:49). Defending champion Lelisa Desisa (Ethiopia) gave up just before the 30-kilometer mark. Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor finished sixth as the best runner in the great marathon nation (2:07:15).

Tom Gröschel (Rostock) lost touch very early on and ended up 43rd in 2:14:57 hours. “That was probably the hardest race I’ve ever been in,” he said. “I would have liked to have had a German competitor with me.” The other DLV elite runners such as the German record holder Amanal Petros (Wattenscheid) will start at the home European Championships from August 15th to 25th in Munich.

A number of the world’s best marathon runners missed the World Championships because, like superstar Eliud Kipchoge, they prefer to earn money from the races in the fall. The Kenyan starts at the Berlin Marathon on September 25th. Only two runners competed in Eugene for his home country: Lawrence Cherono, fourth at the Olympics in Sapporo, was only suspended on Saturday for a doping offence. A prohibited substance was detected in the 33-year-old in a training control on May 23.