Uganda’s long distance runner Ali Chebures finished seventh in the 2022 Edreams Mitja Marató Barcelona half marathon in Spain on Sunday, 3rd April.
Chebures clocked 1:00:53, his personal best time of the season.
Ethiopia’s Haftu Teklu (59:06) won the fast race ahead of countrymate Chala Regasa (59:10) and Kenya’s Elvis Cheboi (59:15).
Teklu successfully defended his crown, bettering the course record by 33 seconds.
“As I said before the race, I went out very determined to improve on my record. The weather was fantastic, the rhythm too and I managed to do it so I’m delighted.” Teklu as quoted by World Athletics revealed.
Another Ethiopian Antenayehu Dagnachew (59:17), Kindle Derseh (Ethiopia) 59:18 and Kenyan Teressa Nyakora (1:00:12) completed the first six positions.
A total of 11,260 runners (4,100 women) from 55 countries participated in the race, which took place with a temperature of 7ºC, a wind chill of 5ºC, 57% humidity and overcast skies, threatening rain.
This was the debut European race for Chebures who has had a great start to 2022 with two straight victories in his native country, Uganda.
Chebures, a member of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) won the 2022 Source of the Nile Half Marathon in Jinja city as well as the season opener in Tororo (10 KM).
Chebures is coached by Quito Oding and contracted with Spanish giants Xiruca Sports Agency under the manager, Monica Pont Chafer.
Meanwhile, female athlete Mercycline Chelangat won her maiden half marathon road run in Poznan, Poland on the same day.
Chelangat posted 1:09:24 ahead of Kenya’s Lydia Simiyu (1:10:20) and Ethiopian Addisalem Tegegn (1:10:21).
