Tola, Zhang win Beijing Marathon

Tadese Tola of Ethiopia broke the event record set 27 years ago to win the men's race at the Beijing International Marathon here Sunday, two months after he claimed a bronze at the World Championships in Moscow.

"It was my first time in Beijing and I am happy for today's result. The weather is very good and the course is very good too," said Tola, reports Xinhua.

Tola clocked two hours, seven minutes and 16 seconds to finish the race, trimming the former event record set by Japanese runner Taisuke Kodama in 1986 by 19 seconds.

The Ethiopian, with a personal best of 2:04:49, had finished third in his first race of 2013 in Dubai and also finished runner up in Paris.

"After the World Championships, I never stopped training. So I came to Beijing with good form," said Tola, who clocked 2:10:23 to take the bronze in Moscow.

The race witnessed close competition as the leading trio were shoulder-to-shoulder at the last 500 metres before Tola surged a sprint to hit the finishing line first. Benard Kiprop Kipyego of Kenya trailed three seconds to finish second while his countryman Rono Daniel Kipkurgat finished third in 2:07:20.

China's 22-year-old Zhang Yingying claimed the women's title in 2:31:19, extending China's overwhelming record in the women's race as it was the 22nd straight women's title won by the Chinese since 1992.

Makda Harun Haji of Ethiopia pocketed the silver in 2:33:04 while the bronze was notched by Yeshimebet Tadesse Bifa, also from Ethiopia, in 2:35:20.

"I just ran to my normal level today like I usually did in my training. During the last part of the race I was leading alone and I think if someone can chase me closely the result could be better," said Zhang, whose personal best is 2:22:38.

"After 35 km I was feeling exhausted but I managed to hang on and took the gold."