Ethiopia's Gotytom Gebreslase has won the women's marathon at the world athletics championships, smashing Paula Radcliffe's 17-year-old championship-record in the process.
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Her run made it back-to-back wins for Ethiopia on the streets of Eugene and Springfield after Tamirat Tola won the men's event on Sunday, also in a championship-record time.
Gebreslase finished the fast, flat course in two hours, 18 minutes, 11 seconds, more than two minutes better than Briton Radcliffe's mark.
She held off Judith Jeptum Korir, of Kenya, who did most of the work late in the race, by nine seconds.
Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, the Kenyan-born runner who represents Israel, earned the bronze medal.
Australia's Sarah Klein came 14th in a personal best 2:30:10.
It was the second-fastest time ever by an Australian female marathoner at a world championships, bettered only by the effort of Jess Stenson (nee Trengove), who was ninth in 2:28:59 back in 2017 in London.
Klein, 37, is Australia's only marathoner at the world titles, with most of the big names preferring to chase a medal at the upcoming Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Korir and Gebreslase pulled away from the field around the 27-kilometre mark and soon after stretched the gap to nearly a minute. Korir appeared to grow more and more agitated as she did most of the work with Gebreslase content to tuck in behind her. Korir kept motioning for Gebreslase to help set the blistering pace.
The Ethiopian runner stayed put until a downhill section with about six minutes remaining in the race. She quickly surged ahead and sped away.
Defending champion Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya dropped back at around 19km and soon after dropped out.
Australian Associated Press
