Tewelde, a landmine blast survivor as a child, asked for asylum in Scotland when he traveled there for the 2008 World XC Champs. Now he's a GB Olympian and looking for a sub-2:10 in Beirut.
Ayuko Suzuki (15:26), Kokob Ghebru Abraha (28:38) and Teklit Teweldebrhan Tesfable (13:24) were the winners.
Besides Ghebreslassie's 60:09, the fastest PRs in the field are Hunegnaw Mesfin (59:39) and Abera Kuma (60:19). Italy's Daniele Meuccci is the top European.
Tadese faces 13 sub-60 minute runners (4 sub-59:00) including Bernard Koech (58:41), Stanley Biwott (58:56) and former marathon WR holder Wilson Kipsang. Women's field has 8 sub-68 women as Jeptoo is up against World Half champ Gladys Cherono and Common Wealth Games champion Joyce Chepkirui.
Kelati is a junior, but due to her age, this is her final year of high school eligibility.
Ghebreslassie really had to fight with his parents to become a runner as they wanted him to focus on school. His debut marathon ended up being last year in Chicago where he was paid to pace the race through 25K, but felt good so kept running, placing 6th in 2:09:08.
Italy's Antonella Confortola won the women's race.
Marathoner Ghirmay Ghebreslassie after becoming the first Eritrean to win a World or Olympic gold medal: “My parents wanted me to be a great university student, but I wanted to become a good athlete.”
He won silver in 2010, bronze in 2013 and wants gold in 2015.
The meet serves as Japan's selection race for World XC.
Medhin beat out Turkey's Euro XC champ Polat Arikan by 2-seconds with Uganda's WJ 10K champ Joshua Cheptegei a close 3rd. 2014 top steepler Jairus Birech and World 10,000 bronze medalist Paul Tanui were 5-6. In the women's race Bahrain's Ethiopian-born Mimi Belete got a surprising win over 2-time World XC champ Emily Chebet and World 5,000 silver medalist Mercy Cherono.
Medhin beat a deep field that included top 2014 steepler Jairus Birech (2nd), World and 10,000 bronze medalist Paul Tanui (4th). Chebet beat Mercy Cherono, who was leading, but fell behind after a fall.