Latino runners competed against the Ethiopian power in Bogota’s Half Marathon
A massive participation of more than 70 athletes 'flooded' the streets of the Colombian capital in the traditional event
The Peruvian Gladys Tejeda and the Colombians Fidel Mauricio Quintero and Ana Milena Orjuela represented Latin American in the XIX edition of the Half Marathon of Bogotá, which was successfully completed in the Colombian capital. The competition was dominated by Ethiopian athletes, a country that was credited with Bestesfa Getahun in men and Netsanet Gudeta in women, the two elite categories of the international event. The Half Marathon saw thus extend the African streak since the event was born in 1999.
Leer en español: Corredores latinos compitieron ante el poderío etíope en la Media Maratón de Bogotá
As indicated by the Half Marathon portal, Getahun needed a time of 1:05:10, with a remarkable acceleration in the last 2 kilometers to finish the course and taking the definitive advantage against the defending champion, his countryman Feyisa Lilesa, who came second with 1: 05.23, same mark as the Kenyan Dickson Chimba. In turn, the Colombian Quintero was the best Latin among men with a respectable time of 1:10:55, as reported by Canal RCN.
In the women's category, there was not as much parity as in the men's, as Gudeta won with a big advantage over her rivals, with a mark of 1:11:34. In total, there were more than three minutes apart on their escorts, the champion of the title in 2017, Brigid Kosgei of Kenya with 1:14:40 and the Ethiopian Degitu Azimeraw with 1:14:51, respectively, as reviewed on the page of the Half Marathon.
The Peruvian Gladys Tejeda, who left times of 1:15:53, became the best Latina according to the event's own portal, while Deportes RCN highlighted the best Colombian of the race, Ana Milena Orjuela.
Massive participation
This year, the half marathon of Bogotá counted in the elite category of 21k Porvenir, with 56 men and 23 women, all long distance runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Peru, United States, Kyrgyzstan, Uganda, Ecuador, Eritrea, Mexico, Venezuela, and England, which joined the Colombian athletes, according to the RCN Channel.
This same media unveiled the elite list of 10k with 12 athletes from the host nation, which included the South American champion of 3 thousand meters, as well as Alejandra Sierra and Carlos Hernández, Central American and Pan American titles of the 1,500 and 5 thousand meters, of the Colombian team Porvenir.
The best prize of all
Both Gudeta and Getahun became creditors, beyond the prestige of winning the Bogota Half Marathon, of a special prize. "We are very happy to support this great competition in which about 45 thousand national and international athletes will participate", explained Gustavo Alberto Lenis, president of Neocorp, official distributor of Hyundai in Colombia. "For us, sport is a priority because it enhances values related to our brand such as effort, perseverance, discipline and healthy competition", in statements broadcast by Radio Santa Fe.
The same radio station indicated that two Hyundai Tucson opened the route of the MMB and even took on its roof the chronometer that counted the time of the race in both men and women. During the competition the Hyundai Team was also appreciated, which was made up of special guests, clients and advisors.
LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano
Translated from “Corredores latinos compitieron ante el poderío etíope en la Media Maratón de Bogotá”
