Ethiopia shone in the streets of Paris with the victories of Mulugeta Uma and Mestawut Fikir in the marathon in the French capital on Sunday.
France Télévisions – Sports Editorial
Published on 04/07/2024 10:28 Updated on 04/07/2024 10:53
Reading time: 1 min Ethiopian Mulugeta Uma, winner of the Paris marathon, April 7, 2024 (EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP)
Premiere day for Mulugeta Uma and Mestawut Fikir. The two Ethiopians won the Paris marathon for men and women on Sunday April 7. Uma and Fikir won their first Parisian marathon, surprising the favorites of this 2024 edition. The young Mestawut Fikir (24 years old) notably competed in her first marathon, concluded in the home straight.
Mulugeta Uma notably had the luxury of beating Kenyan Titus Kipruto, winner of the Milan marathon in 2022. The 26-year-old marathon runner won his first major professional victory for only the third major marathon of his career. The Ethiopian notably won a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games over 1,500 meters in 2014, then that of the junior world championships a year later over the same distance.
Paris Marathon: summary of the race
Uma set her personal best in 2h05’33”, but did not beat that of the Paris marathon, still owned by the Kenyan Elisha Rotich, a tone lower on Sunday and finally third at 1’20”. The first Frenchman, Adrien Toucas, finished 12th, 11’33” behind the winner.
Personal record also broken for the winner Mestawut Fikir, and for good reason. The Ethiopian was a novice at the 42.195 kilometer exercise, just like her main opponent, her compatriot Enat Tirusew. Everything came down to the final straight between the two athletes, before Tirusew gave in in the last hundred meters, marked by the effort. Fikir won in 2h20’48”, barely three seconds ahead. Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot completed the podium.
Schipper winner for disabled sports, Casoli second frustrated
The disabled sports edition was also won by the Dutchman Geert Schipper, a para-triathlete who came to test himself for the Paris Paralympic Games. The silver medalist from Rio in 2016 beat the Frenchman Julien Casoli, five times winner of the Paris marathon, but this time fell 2’34” behind an opponent more specialized in long efforts. Casoli for his part signed the minimums for Paris 2024 over 1,500 and 5,000 m, but fell short on Sunday two minutes behind those set for the marathon.
