Ethiopian marathon runner defends title in Taipei

Ethiopia's Yeshi Esayias Tesemma successfully defended her title in the Taipei marathon women's race Sunday, an event which drew more than 100,000 runners, organisers said. Tesemma clocked 2hrs 30mins 37secs, compared with 2hrs 31mins 9secs for her fellow Ethiopian Yeshimebet Tadesse Bifa. Kenya's Winfridah Kwamboka Nyansikera came third with 2hrs 32mins 37secs.
Tesemma also won a cash prize of one million Taiwan dollars (32,786 US). Yusuf Chango Chebii Songoka from Kenya won a cheque for the same amount after he clocked 2hrs 14mins 4secs in the men's race, six seconds faster than Ethiopia's Gebreslassie Tsegay Reda.
Samuel Woldeamanuel Gebremichael of Ethiopia came third in 2hrs, 14mins, 23secs. Around 31,000 runners competed in the 42.2-kilometre (26.2 -miles) full marathon while 69,000 took part in the half-marathon and three other events.