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World Champions Lelisa Desisa and Ruth Chepngetich named Marathon Runners of the Year

This year’s World Marathon Champions Lelisa Desisa and Ruth Chepngetich have been named as Marathon Runners of the Year. The runners from Ethiopia and Kenya respectively will be honoured at the AIMS Best Marathon Runner (BMR) Gala in Athens tonight. This was announced by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), who will stage the Gala together with the Hellenic Athletics Federation, SEGAS. On Sunday the 37th edition of the "The Athens Marathon. The Authentic" will take place on the original course with a record field of 20,000 runners.

During the relevant period for the AIMS Best Marathon Runner Lelisa Desisa won the New York Marathon in November 2018. He clocked an impressive 2:05:59 on the difficult course. After a second place in Boston in April the 29 year-old Ethiopian then won the World Championships marathon gold in Doha, Qatar a month ago. “The Olympic marathon in 2020 is my dream,” said Lelisa Desisa.

Ruth Chepngetich established herself among the world’s best marathon runners with two outstanding victories: Firstly she took the Istanbul Marathon in November 2018 with 2:18:35 then became the third fastest woman ever at that time when she won in Dubai in January with 2:17:08. At the end of September the 25 year-old won the World Championships’ title in Doha in extreme weather conditions. “It is a great honour to receive this award in Athens, where the marathon was born,” said Ruth Chepngetich, who believes that “running the world record is possible.”

TV Highlights can be downloaded here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cmusnxdlumyar4d/AACmmcpi1s_ZNP2USY-Vno7va?dl=0

Note: Use the folder ‚Friday’ (high res version in case there are two).

There are some unexpected sound and image problems in parts of it, we are sorry for that. Since this rough cut has eight minutes hopefully there is enough usable material.

The material can be used without restrictions. 

Any questions please reply to both of us, Jörg Wenig and Andy Edwards, at: 

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