Marius Kipserem and Ababel Yeshaneh set new personal bests to win Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon titles

Five of the six podium finishers produce PB scores, with Ethiopia's female champion smashing her own time by nearly 13 minutes

Ababel Yeshaneh, centre, stands atop the podium after smashing her personal best to win the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Winner of the 42km men's division with (L-R) Kiphim (2nd), Kipserem (1st) and Gonfa (3rd) with Major General Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Commander-In-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber is Minister of State in the United Arab Emirates, the Director-General and CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Dr. Salem Al Kaabi, General Manager of Tadweer at the ADNOC ABU Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Spectators at the race at the ADNOC ABU Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Winner for men’s division 42km Kipserem finishing the race at the ADNOC ABU Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Winner for women’s division Yashaneh finishing the race at the ADNOC ABU Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Participants at the start of the race at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Elite runners warming up before the race at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Participants warming up before the race at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

10K Marathon finishers collapsing of tiredness at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Finisher at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Paraathletes in a wheelchair participating in the marathon at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Paraathletes in a wheelchair participating in the marathon at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Winner of the 10km race women’s division Abeba Ejigu, right, and Emily Chebet at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Participant who finishes at the 10km marathon getting his medal at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Winner of the 10km race Richard Kimunyan (right) and runner-up Maxwell Rotich at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Participants starting the race at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Participants at the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon. Leslie Pableo for The National

Kenyan and Ethiopian runners dominated the podium at the inaugural Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon on Friday.

Kenya's Marius Kipserem, 30, took the men's title with a time of two hours, four minutes and four seconds - 12 seconds ahead of compatriot Abraham Kiptum. Ethiopia's Dejene Debela completed the top-three, but was three minutes and two seconds behind Kipserem as all three runners set new personal best times.

Kipserem's previous best was 2:06:11, achieved at the 2016 Rotterdam Marathon, while runner-up Kiptum improved on his 2:05:26 from the 2017 Amsterdam Marathon, and third-placed Debela claimed a new PB by four seconds.

While Kenya took two of three podium places in the men's race, it was Ethiopia who led the charge in the women's competition. Ababel Yeshaneh won the race with a time of 2:20:16, with fellow Ethiopian Gelete Burka taking third, three minutes and 51 seconds behind her compatriot. They were split by Kenyan-born Bahraini Eunice Chumba, who claimed second 38 seconds behind Yeshaneh.

Yeshaneh not only claimed the Abu Dhabi title but smashed her personal best time by nearly 13 minutes. Her previous best of 2:33:10 was set at the Milan Marathon in April 2013.

Runner-up Chumba also bettered her personal best by more than three minutes, improving on her previous time of 2:24:27 from the Rotterdam Marathon in April 2017.

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