Ethiopians sweep Houston Marathon again

Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — Ethiopians swept the Houston Marathon again Sunday.

Bazu Worku successfully defended his Houston title, breaking away in the last mile to win with the third fastest time in the marathon’s history. Abebech Bekele won the women’s race for her first marathon title.

This was the sixth straight year an Ethiopian man won in Houston and the eighth straight year an Ethiopian woman did so.

Worku and countryman Getachew Terfa were running side by side approaching the last mile when Worku pulled away to finish in 2 hours, 7 seven minutes, 32 seconds. The race record is 2:06:51, by Ethiopia’s Tariku Jufar in 2012.

Worku said through an interpreter he wanted to break the race record but was slowed by wind near the end.

“The course is very good,” Worku said. “I’m really happy to win this time. Last year it was very difficult because of the wind and the rain.”

Terfa finished 22 seconds behind Worku. Jose Antonio Uribe of Mexico finished in third.

“I knew that he would be major competitor,” Worku said, referring to Terfa.

“When I looked back and saw that he was further away, I thought I would win the race.”

Bekele and countrywoman Biruktait Degefa were together through 22 miles before Bekele broke away and won in 2:25:52. Bekele’s best finish before this was runner-up in Rotterdam last year in 2:23:59.

“Winning here has given that energy and love for Houston,” Bekele said through an interpreter. “Houston is one of the highest places among the Ethiopian runners at this time.”

Bekele finished seven seconds ahead of countrywomen Meskerem Assefa. Gelete Burka, also of Ethiopia, was third.