Ethiopia and Kenya triumph at Paris Marathon in near-freezing conditions

Ethiopia's Deso Gelmisa has won the Paris marathon and Kenya's Judith Jeptum secured the women's title.

Ethiopia's Deso Gelmisa crosses the finish line to win the 46th edition of the Paris Marathon AFP - FRANCK FIFE

Ethiopian Deso Gelmisa produced a burst of speed in the final stretch to claim the biggest title of his career with victory  in the Paris marathon in cold conditions on Sunday.

Gelmisa covered the 42.195 kilometres in two hours five minutes and seven seconds - 14 seconds outside his personal best - as he finished ahead of 2021 Chicago marathon winner and compatriot Seifu Tura.

⏮Revivez la victoire de 🇪🇹 Deso GELMISA et l’arrivée des premiers hommes !

⏮Relive 🇪🇹 Deso GELMISA’s victory!#ParisMarathon pic.twitter.com/xh6b3E9c8Y

— Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris (@parismarathon) April 3, 2022

Tura finished three seconds behind the 24-year-old Gelmisa, whose previous title came at the Porto marathon in 2019.

France's Morhad Amdouni finished third and set a new French record in 2:05.22, improving the mark set by Benoit Zwierzchiewski in 2003 by more than a minute.

French record! 🇫🇷

Morhad Amdouni finishes third in the #ParisMarathon in 2:05:22 to move to fourth on the European all-time list. ⏱ pic.twitter.com/t5G0M9G4QM

— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) April 3, 2022

Kenya's Judith Jeptum won the women's race by beating the course record in two hours 19 minutes and 48 seconds.

The 26-year-old took almost a minute of the previous record time for the Paris marathon set five years ago.

"The conditions were tough but I'm happy with what I did today," Jeptum said.

Sunday's marathon kicked off at close to zero temperatures, but the sun had had time to come out when Kenya's Judith Jeptum crossed the finish line to win the women's race. AP - Francois Mori

The race started shortly before 8am local time with a temperature just above zero degree Celsius.

Jeptum was in a league of her own, surging ahead of her rivals before the 30km mark and never looked back as she beat the previous best Paris mark set by Kenyan Purity Rionoripo in 2017 by 67 seconds.

Fanti Jimma of Ethiopia was second at 2hr 22min 52sec, followed by her compatriot Besu Sado 20 seconds further adrift.

Around 57,000 runners took part in this year's race. It was launched in 1976.

(with newswires)