January 30, 2006	Monday	Zilhaj 29, 1426

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LAHORE, Jan 29: Halafom Abebe Tsegaye led Ethiopia’s clean sweep by winning the men’s 42-kilometre Lahore Marathon on Sunday. Tsegaye, 22, clocked two hours, 16 minutes and one second to edge out compatriot Gashaw Sibhat (2:19.55) and Semeretu Alemayehu (2:21:02) in the $100,000 race.

Defending champion Jane Nyambura of Kenya won women’s event with a timing of 2:24:57, touching the finish line three minutes ahead of Meseret Kotu of Ethiopia (2:37.31), while another Ethiopian Teringo Gelacjew (2:40:59) came third.

The men’s winner took home winning prize of $10,000 while the second and third placed received $7500 and $5000. The top three women winners received a similar amount of cash prizes.

Over one thousand participants including 19 male foreigners and 14 females took part in the main race run through the heart of the city.

In addition to the main 42 kilometres event, a 10km and a five-kilometre fun races were also organized which were participated by a large number of people.

Waris Mansha was the best among the Pakistani athletes with a timing of 2:29:38 and received $2,000, while Naseer Ahmad (2:34:.42) and Mohammad Aslam (2:39.26) came second and third. Naseer received $1500 and Aslam $1,000.

Sadia Parveen was the only Pakistani woman who completed the distance in almost four hours and got $1,000.

Some 22,000 runners participated in three categories, including special children and disabled persons on wheelchairs.

The 10-kilometre men’s race race was won by Kedir Burka of Ethiopia who received $2500 in the process.

His compatriot Birhanu Addane Baze finished second to bag $2,000, while his countryman Twedros Shiferahu got third position and received $1500.

The women’s race was won by Moroccan Asmea Lazagoul with a timing of 31:49. Catherine Katumbu Mutwa of Kenya was runner-up while and Ashu Kassim of Ethiopia third.—APP