Yemaneberhan Crippa won the men’s race at the Paris Marathon Sunday, while Shure Demise set a course record to claim the women’s title.
The Ethiopian-born Italian runner, Crippa clocked a personal best of 2 hours 05 minutes 19 seconds for the win in the French capital.
Bayelign Teshager of Ethiopia finished second, just five seconds off Crippa, with Kenya's Sila Kiptoo rounding off the podium (2:05:29).
"I'm very, very happy ... My marathon career begins today,” Crippa said.
"I’ve finally found the right path. It was incredible. Around the 33rd kilometer, I realized it would be my day, and when, at the 39th kilometer, I saw my opponents struggling, I decided to attack.”
Crippa went on to become the first Italian winner of the Paris Marathon.
In the women's event, Ethiopia's Demise ran the 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles) in a personal-best time of 2:18:34, shaving more than a minute off the previous women’s fastest time in Paris set by Kenyan runner Judith Jeptum Korir with 2:19:48 in 2022.
The 30-year-old Demise wasn't the only one to beat Korir’s mark as she reached the finish on Avenue Foch opposite the Arc de Triomphe ahead of compatriot Misgane Alemayehu (2:19:08), Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai (2:19:17) and another Ethiopian, Enatnesh Alamrew Tirusew (2:19:18).
"I didn't have any information during the race about the record," said Demise.
"When I came into the finish area and they gave me the sign, I understood. It's incredible."
The marathon featured more than 60,000 runners, including 20,800 women, also a record for the Paris race.
