Athletics: Hat-trick for Haile

Daska pips compatriot Shewaye to win women's race

Last updated: 22nd January 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

<b>Athletics:</b> Hat-trick for Haile

Gebrselassie: Hat-trick in Dubai

Haile Gebrselassie clinched a third successive victory in the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon - but failed to lower his own world record.

The Ethiopian won in a time of two hours six minutes and nine seconds despite being hampered by a niggling back injury.

The 36-year-old picked up the problem while he was relaxing before competing in the world's richest marathon.

"I was watching TV and I slipped into an awkward position which meant I had to sleep in a different way," he explained afterwards.

"I normally sleep on my stomach but I had to sleep on my back. When I woke up I found my disc was troublesome and in a bad way and I still cannot bend."

Gebrselassie still finished 24 seconds clear of Chala Dechase with Eshetu Wendimu next across the line to complete an Ethiopian 1-2-3.

However any hopes he had of breaking his 18-month world record of two hours three mins 59 secs were ruined early on by the failure of the pacemakers to maintain the required speed in humid conditions.

"If the pacemakers had ran faster I would have had no choice - I would have had to run with them," Gebrselassie admitted.

In the women's race, Ethiopia's Mamitu Daska pipped compatriot Aberu Shewaye to triumph in a time of 2:24.18. Kenya's Helena Kirop was third.

Click Here for Your Free Bet