Workenesh Edesa breaks Osaka Women’s Marathon course record

Reigning Prague Marathon champion Workenesh Edesa of Ethiopia, crushed the women course record at the 43rd edition of the Osaka Women’s Marathon slated for this Sunday (28) in Osaka, Japan.

Edesa who was the fastest athlete on paper with a time of 2:18.51 that she got two years ago at the Berlin Marathon, where she finished in fourth place, lived to the hype of the event as she took down the race course record of 2:20.52 that was set last year by the 2017 Asian Games 10,000m bronze medallist, Matsuda Mizuki of Japan who was also defending her title.

Edesa who was also the oldest athlete smashed the old course record with a new course time and personal best of 2:18.51 and was followed by Honami Maenda who broke the 19 year-old National Record and also set a new Asian Record of 2:18.59 with the former champion coming home in a disappointing third in 2:23.07.

“I knew I could break this course record,” said Edesa, who is ranked 20th in the world by World Athletics. “I’ll run the Boston Marathon next and try to win.”

 The 2018 Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion, Stella Chesang, who was among the race favorites finished a distant fourth in 2:23.36 with Japan’s Sayako Sato finishing in fifth in 2:24.43.

LEADING RESULTS

42KM WOMEN

1. Workenesh Edesa      (ETH)  2:18.51   =PB and new CR
2. Honami Maeda          (JPN)  2:18.59     NR and Asian Record
3. Mizuki Matsuda         (JPN) 2:23:07
4.  Stella Chesang           (UGA) 2:23:36
5.  Sayaka Sato                (JPN)  2:24:43
6.  Katharina Steinruck   (GER) 2:24.56
7.  Natsumi Matsushita    (JPN) 2:25.10
8. Yuna Daito                   (JPN) 2:25.16
9.  Madoka Nakano          (JPN) 2:26.50
10.  Mayu Nishikawa         (JPN) 2:26.50