Kenyan and Ethiopian victories in Germany as Lauren McNeil, Clara Evans and Calum Johnson lead the British challenge
Last October at the World Road Running Championships in Riga, Daniel Ebenyo was approaching the finish of the half-marathon with fellow Kenyan Sabastian Sawe when Ebenyo gestured to Sawe “to go” and Sawe responded by saluting his team-mate before taking off to win by four seconds.
This weekend the pair were in winning form in different parts of Europe. On Saturday, Sawe won the Prague Half Marathon in 58:24. On Sunday, Ebenyo took victory in Berlin in 59:30.
Both events were run in unseasonably warm conditions with Ebenyo taking the win in Berlin ahead of Amos Kurt (59:42) and Isaia Lasoi (59:47).
Ebenyo passed 5km in a fast 13:28 and 10km in 29:29 but slowed in the closing stages to miss the 58:42 course record.
🇰🇪 Daniel Ebenyo wins the Generali Berlin Half Marathon in 59:30 as 🇪🇹 Muluat Tekle takes the women’s race in 66:53.
🇬🇧 Brits include Lauren McNeil 70:10, Clara Evans 70:11, Philly Bowden 72:15, Calum Johnson 64:04. pic.twitter.com/GIYgcfiLEb
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 7, 2024
“I came here to Berlin because I wanted to break the world record (Jacob Kiplimo’s 57:31). But from around 11km I had a problem with my knee and the weather became very warm,” he said. “So I knew I would not be able to break the record, but I will definitely try again next time.”
The women’s race was won by Tekle Muluat, only 19 from Ethiopia, in 66:53 ahead of another Ethiopian, Ftaw Zeray (67:22) and Germany’s Melat Kejeta (67:26), the latter failing in her attempt to break the European record of 65:15.
“I am overwhelmed to have won the race, because I never expected a victory today,“ said Muluat, who was running only her second race outside Ethiopia.
Tekle Muluat (SCC Events / Jean-Marc Wiesner)
One of the Superhalfs series, the Berlin event, which was sponsored by General, had a record entry of 38,712.
The British performances were led by Lauren McNeil with 70:10 and Clara Evans with 70:11 in fifth and sixth respectively – both inside the European Champs qualifying time of 70:30 – as Philly Bowden clocked 72:15 and Calum Johnson 64:04.
McNeil and Johnson had raced in the World Cross Country Championships eight days earlier in Belgrade.
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