2023 Dubai Marathon Results: World Champ’s Brother & Wife Win – Abdisa Tola (2:05:42 Debut) and Dera Dida (2:21:11 PB) Win

By LetsRun.com
February 12, 2023

The first Dubai Marathon since 2019 was held today. Leading results appear below. To get the results for amateur runners or see spltis or 5km leaderboards, go to the race’s timing website.

The men’s race was won by world champ Tamirat Tola‘s younger brother, Abdisa Tola in 2:05:42 in his marathon debut. The 22-year old has a 59:54 half pb. The women’s race was won by 2019 World XC silver medallist Dera Dida. Reuters is reporting that she is Tamirat Tola’s wife. So Tola’s brother and wife won Dubai. Wow.

In three previous marathons, Dida had never run faster than 2:21:45 or finished higher than fifth but she won in a 2:21:11 pb.

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In the men’s race a pack of 13 men hit halfway in 62:31-62:33 but by 30k (1:28:53, 2:05 flat pace) the lead pack was down to 8. At 40k (1:59:06 (2:05:38 pace), 4 men were still in contention. Eventual race runner-up Deresa Gelete, who had a 2:07:30 pb coming in, skipped the drink station just after 40k and briefly led but Tola came back and started to break away around the 2:00:50 mark.

In the women’s race, 11 women hit halfway in a modest 71:36 but like in the men’s race the lead pack was down to 8 at 30k (1:41:25 – 2:22:38 pace). The pace greatly accelerated between 30k and 40k as Dida ran the 5k from 30k to 35k in 16:40 and then ran 16:00 between 35k and 40k.  At 40k (2:14:05. 2:21:06 pace), Dida has a two-second lead on 2:18 marathoner Ruti Aga, the 2019 Tokyo champ, and she never relinquished it.

Full race replay

Men

  1. Tola Adera, Abdisa (ETH) 02:05:42
  2. Gelete Ulfata, Deresa (ETH) 02:05:51
  3. Alew Engdayehu, Haymanot (ETH) 02:05:57
  4. Abraha Adihana, Gebretsadik (ETH) 02:06:08
  5. Misgenaw Tegegne, Abraraw (ETH) 02:06:39
  6. Husen Gebi, Kemal (ETH) 02:08:09
  7. Alemu Moreda, Dechasa (ETH) 02:08:48
  8. Belay Mekonen, Alene (ETH) 02:09:19
  9. Assfaw Assen, Abdu (ETH) 02:09:46
  10. Nyakola Gela, Teresa (ETH) 02:10:01
  11. Negash Gebretsadik, Weldu (NOR) 02:13:00
  12. Mekonnen Asefa, Tsegaye (ETH) 02:13:24
  13. Girma Tolese, Adamu (ETH) 02:14:04
  14. Reza Abootorabi, Mohammad (SWE) 02:17:52

Women

  1. Dida Yami, Dera (ETH) – 02:21:11
  2. Aga Sora, Ruti (ETH) – 02:21:24
  3. Yirga Dagne, Siranesh (ETH) – 02:21:59
  4. Wereta Admasu, Fikrte (ETH) – 02:22:50
  5. Getnet Belew, Tigst (ETH) – 02:23:17
  6. Kitata Tolwak, Meseret (ETH) – 02:23:53
  7. Hirpa Badane, Bedatu (ETH) – 02:24:48
  8. Gudeta Borecha, Bekelech (ETH) – 02:24:56
  9. Negash Amente, Sorome (ETH) – 02:26:40
  10. Mekasha Amare, Waganesh (ETH) – 02:27:25
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