SEOUL INT\’L MARATHON, KOREA on 16 MARCH 2014:

Yakob Jarso took almost five minutes off his previous best to become the first ever Ethiopian men's winner at this famous race which can trace its history back to 1931 writes Phil Minshull.

Jarso led 10 runners through halfway in 1:03:23 and this pack was still together at 30km, reached in exactly 1:30:00. The crucial move came just after 35km when Jarso and Stephen Chemlany started to surge.

One-by-one the other contenders dropped away as these two led Gilbert Kirwa and Tariku Jufar by eight seconds at 40km. Jarso then attacked again and it was enough to gain a crucial advantage which he held to the line. Chemlany improved his best by 80 seconds.

In women's race, Kenya's Helah Kiprop was together with Ethiopia's Ashu Kasim at 40km but, in similar fashion to the men's race, she then pushed hard to leave her rival trailing in her wake.

MEN:
1  Yacob YARSO                 ETH  2:06:17
2  Stephen CHEMLANY          KEN  2:06:24
3  Gilbert KIRWA                   KEN  2:06:44
4  Tariku JUFAR                    ETH  2:07:02
5  Abraham CHERKOS           KEN  2:07:08
6  James KWAMBAI               KEN  2:07:38

WOMEN:
1  Helah KIPROP                KEN  2:27:29
2  Ashu KASIM                     ETH  2:27:45
3  Helalia JOHANNES             NAM  2:28:27
4  Songeun KIM                    KOR  2:29:31
5  Azalech MASRESHA           ETH  2:29:47

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