International Peace Marathon in Košice 2021 – results

Kumela Tadese Ayantu from Ethiopia took care of the women’s record, reaching a time of 2:24:35 h. She moved the women’s maximum from 2019 by 1:26 min., When she improved the time 2:26:01, which her compatriot Kumeshi Sichalová ran. Three Ethiopian women met on the podium for the winners. It is interesting that the women’s record from 2019 was broken by the second and third in the order. Silver Maeregu Shegae Hayelom had a final time of 2:24:42, third in a row Dinknesh Mehash Tefer 2:25:00.

“I am happy that I succeeded. It was my first marathon and I achieved a time that I am happy with. I worked hard under the guidance of a coach and it paid off.” noted the new recorder of the Košice marathon, which won a prize of 15,000 euros for the victory and another 5,000 for creating a women’s maximum. The best of Slovakia Sylvia Sebestianová reached the time of 2:57:49 and won the home title with a lead of almost 12 minutes over Radka Roháčová. In the women’s standings, she placed 6th, at the same time winning among women over the age of 40, and taking 61st place in the overall marathon standings.

Tibor Sahajda won the title of marathon champion of Slovakia for the third time in his career. With a time of 2:22:02, he lagged significantly behind the personal record (2:15:25), but after last year’s triumph of Marek Hladík, he won back the Slovak title.

“I didn’t run well today. At first we burned it very much for the final time of 2:12. I already knew in the beginning that it would be a pain and so it was. My legs didn’t go, it stabbed me in the side, simply, today it It was a crisis. But at least I’m glad I won the title. “ said the 30-year-old Sahajda.

Hladík, who took advantage of the African elite’s non-participation in the overall championship in 2020, improved his personal record to 2:22:44 and finished eighth behind Sahajda overall. “I didn’t expect it. I wanted to reach the time below 2:25 today, but it started very fast. It’s an incredible time for me,” said Hladík.

As expected, a favored 8-member group of African runners took the lead. Sahajda had a deficit of 1:30 min after half an hour. The elite had a time of 45:18 min at the 15th kilometer. and the fast pace held her back. It looked like an attack on the track record, as the top 1:03:44 was 7 seconds better than in 2012, when Kenyan Lawrence Kimayio won with a time of 2:07:01. At the 30th kilometer, a 5-member group was in the lead. It gradually tore, Kerio escaped. Kangogo kept pace with him for the longest time, but Kerio went from the 35th kilometer alone. He continued to maintain a high pace with which he attacked the track record and also the “person.” He finally finished with a time of 2:07:18.

After a year’s absence, elite African runners returned to the Košice marathon, who did not start in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions. There were more than 7,300 runners from 45 countries at the start. Most of them, almost 3,200, started in the half marathon. More than 1,400 perseverers entered the main discipline.