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In the men’s race, 27-year-old Nzioka Matata performed well in the adverse conditions to break the 60-minute record – clocking 59 minutes 48 seconds.
The Kenyan runner’s time was just 11 seconds slower than his personal best, which he set when he won the Padova Half Marathon in Italy earlier this year.
Nzioka Matata’s winning time was 41 seconds ahead of compatriot Hilary Kipkoge (60:29), while two-time Tokyo Marathon champion Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia was one second behind in third.
The champion passed Legese, the world’s sixth-fastest marathon runner, just after the halfway mark and was never threatened again.
Nzioka Matata’s compatriot Hilary Chepkwone was the fastest runner in the field, with a personal best of 58:53 set in Valencia last October, but he fell away from the leaders early in the race and was unable to get back into contention, finishing sixth 2 minutes 10 seconds behind.
Hiko Tonosa was Ireland’s leading runner in eighth place, his time of 62:47 was 24 seconds slower than his previous personal best from last year’s race when he was ninth.
County Armagh athlete Fionnula Ross was the top Irish female athlete in 10th place with a time of 74:16, 51 seconds slower than her best time at the distance.
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