Ethiopia's Tola and Debele win Dubai Marathon, get honoured

H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai International Marine Club, today honoured Tamirat Tola from Ethiopia, who won the 2017 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon with a timing of 2:04:10 in the men’s race, and his compatriot Worknesh Degefa Debele, who finished first in the women’s race with a timing of 2:22:35.

The two Ethiopian runners won the US$200,000 prize for their show in the 42-kilometre race.

Tola won a bonus of $150,000 for setting a Dubai Marathon course record in the process after beating Ethiopian Ayele Abshero's timing of 2:04:23, which was set in the 2012 Dubai Marathon edition.

At an honouring ceremony, Sheikh Mansour congratulated the winners and the organising committee, noting that the marathon is one of the most outstanding sporting events in the world.

For the past 17 years, Dubai Marathon has reflected the UAE's high professionalism in hosting major sporting events, Sheikh Mansour noted.

More than 33,000 men and women runners participated in the event which also included two short runs (10km and 4 km).