Hattrick for Haile Gebrselassie in Vienna Half | OMV Champions Race – The Ethiopian superstar wins in 61:14 Minutes

Haile Gebrselassie took the OMV Champions Race with 61:14. This half marathon was staged parallel to the marathon and it was Gebrselassie’s first race this year. The 39 year-old was well ahead of Hosea Kipkemboi (Kenya/62:01) and Mekuant Ayenew (Ethiopia/62:21) in a race he won for a third time in a row.

Haile Gebrselassie: “I can still run faster”

Ethiopia’s superstar Haile Gebrselassie was cheered on by masses of spectators along the course. That may have tempted him to run a very fast first 5 k of 14:06 minutes. Afterwards the pace dropped and the 39 year-old then left behind Hosea Kipkemboi and Mekuant Ayenew at the 10 k mark (28:43).

However Gebrselassie was visibly working hard in the section around 15 k and could not keep the pace high enough for a sub 61 minute finish. “I wanted to run faster but it did not work today. May be I should have started a bit slower. But I enjoyed the amazing atmosphere,” he said after clocking 61:14 minutes.

“I think I can still run faster than today.”

OMV Champions Race | Half Marathon

Men
1. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 1:01:14
2. Hosea Kipkemboi (KEN) 1:02:01
3. Mekuant Ayenew (ETH) 1:02:21

Women
1. Tanith Maxwell (RSA) 1:17:17
2. Birgit Steinwandter (ITA) 1:22:03
3. Lene Hjelmsø (DEN) 1:22:38

Source: Vienna Half Organisers