Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia won the women’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on Monday.
Gebreslase, who placed third in the Tokyo Marathon this year and won the Berlin Marathon on her debut in 2021, kicked with two kilometers to to win in a championship-record time of 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 11 seconds.
Kenyan Judith Jeptum Korir won silver with a personal best time of 2:18.20.
Israeli Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, who was born in Kenya, won bronze in 2:20.18.
Gebreslase said that after taking the lead for a substantial portion of the race, Korir had asked her to pass.
“But I stayed patient,” she said. “Towards 40km, I felt strong and decided to leave.”
It was a second marathon title for an Ethiopian runner in Eugene after Tamirat Tola won the men’s marathon on Sunday.
“Tola’s win yesterday motivated me a lot today,” Gebreslase said. “I did not know I was the first Ethiopian woman to win (the world title since 2015).
“I plan to prepare well and defend my title in Budapest” at next year’s world championships.
Korir admitted that it was “not easy to run with the fast Ethiopians”.
“It bothered me a bit the fact that she (Gebreslase) did not want to pace with me.”
