Ethiopians rule Houston Marathon, with Bazu and Merima winning men’s and women’s races

Bazu Worku

HOUSTON — Ethiopian runners withstood heavy rain Sunday to dominate the Houston Marathon and half marathon.

Bazu Worku and Merima Mohammed gave the nation a sweep of the men’s and women’s divisions of the marathon.


This was Worku’s first marathon title. He finished in 2 hours, 10 minutes, 17 seconds and won by more than two minutes. Mohammed was timed in 2:23:37 on a day when temperatures were in the 40s.

“The weather was very bad, and we had troubles with puddles,” Worku said through a translator. “I am very happy to have won.”


Mohammed said through a translator her left leg gave her trouble.

Merima Mohammed

“It was hurting badly while I was running,” Mohammed said. “The weather was bad for me. I wanted to do (2 hours, 21 minutes), but I had to come down due to the weather.”

Teferi Balcha finished second among the men in 2:12:50. Andrew Carlson was the top American, seventh in 2:17:16. Buzunesh Deba was the women’s runner-up in 2:24:36. Tera Moody was the top American finisher at 2:39:10, finishing sixth.

In the men’s half marathon, Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa successfully defended his half marathon title, winning in 1:01:54, beating countryman Deriba Merga by seven seconds. The women’s winner was Ethiopia’s Mamitu Daska in 1:09:53. She won the Houston Marathon in 2011.




Men's Results
Place Runner Time
1 Worku, Bazu (ETH)
02:10:17
2 Balcha, Teferi (ETH) 02:12:50
3 Molla, Solomon (ETH) 02:14:37
4 Gedefa, Birhanu (ETH) 02:15:21
5 Abera, Dereje (ETH) 02:17:09
6 Etana, Teshome (ETH) 02:17:15
7 Carlson, Andrew (USA) 02:17:16
8 Tolossa, Debebe (ETH) 02:18:47
9 Reyes, Sergio (USA) 02:19:27
10 Lizano, Cesar (CRC) 02:22:01
 
Women's Results
Place Runner Time
1 Mohammed, Merima (ETH) 02:23:37
2 Deba, Buzunesh (ETH) 02:24:26
3 Assefa, Meskerem (ETH) 02:25:17
4 Legese, Meseret (ETH) 02:30:31
5 Burkovska, Olena (UKR) 02:34:56
6 Moody, Tera (USA) 02:39:10
7 Calway, Kelly (USA) 02:41:53
8 Walkonen, Andrea (USA) 02:43:47
9 Mojtabaeezamani, Laleh (USA) 02:53:36
10 Spadafino, Angela (USA) 02:53:48

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