Korir breaks Zurich marathon course record

Former Paris Marathon winner, Kenya's Mark Korir, clocked 2:07.39 to win the 2021 edition of the Zurich Malaga Marathon on Sunday 12 December. 

In so doing, Korir broke the course by more than two minutes as he erased the previous record of 2:10.08 that had been set by compatriot Martin Cheruiyot in 2019.

The 36-year-old runner finished 43 seconds clear of second-placed Nguse Amlosom of Eritrea who crossed the line in 2:08.23 while Solomon Kirwa from Kenya completed the podium finishers list in 2.08. 43.

The three medalists ran well within the previous course record in the World Athletics Label Road Race. Korir's personal best in the classic distance remains the 2:05:49 he set in winning the Paris Marathon in April 2015. 

In the women's race, Beatrice Cheptoo clocked 2:25.20 to finish in third place behind the Ethiopian duo of Tseganesh Mekonnen, who won in 2:24.50, and Yenes Abeba who bagged silver 2:25.02. 

The race was making a return after a two-year hiatus occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. Last held in 2019, the race returned to the capital with record registrations numbers where 8,500 people, including the half marathon competitors. The numbers were 1,500 more than the 2019 edition where Cheruiyot and Ethiopian Selamawit Getnet Tsegaw were crowned winners.

Men

1 Mark Korir - 2h07:39 

2 Nguse Amlosom - 2h08:23

3 Solomon Kirwa Yego - 2h08:43

Women

1 Tseganesh Mekonnen - 2h24:50

2 Yenes Abeba Maru - 2h25:02

3 Beatrice Cheptoo - 2h25:20