Nibret Melak wins Dubai in 2:04:00 on his marathon debut
The 25th Dubai Marathon went to two Ethiopians, Melak in a world-leading 2:04:00 in his first marathon and Anchinalu Dessie in a 2:18:31 personal best.
Photograph: Nibret Melak at the 2023 African Games in Accra, by Amuzujoe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsNibret Melak had never run a marathon before Sunday. He ran his first one in 2:04:00 and won the 25th Dubai Marathon, the fastest time in the world so far this year. A group of six was still together at 25 km. Melak, 26, went at about 32 km and nobody came with him. Athletics Weekly counts him as the ninth man to win Dubai in his first marathon.
Yasin Haji was second in 2:05:52, almost two minutes under his old best. John Hakizimana of Rwanda ran 2:06:04 for third, a national record. Eighteen men broke 2:10. Melak came to the distance with a 59:06 half marathon from Lisbon three years ago and the 2024 African 10,000 m title; he trains in Addis Ababa alongside Olympic champion Tamirat Tola.
The women's race was an Ethiopian sweep and a late turn. Muliye Dekebo controlled most of the first half and surged with 5 km left. Around 40 km she was in trouble at a drinks station, and Anchinalu Dessie, 23, went past her and away to win in 2:18:31. Dessie's previous best was 2:22:17. Dekebo held on for 2:18:43 and Fantu Worku, the fastest woman in the field on paper, was third in 2:19:08. All three broke 2:20.
Organisers put about 20,000 entries across the day's distances, a record 4,000 of them in the marathon. Dubai keeps doing this: flat, good weather, and a field that treats a debut as a chance to run 2:04 rather than a day to learn.
Sources: Athletics Weekly; Race Results Weekly; Gulf News.
