Hong Kong Marathon heats up the city on cold Sunday morning

The full marathon route is 42.195km long, running from Tsim Sha Tsui to Victoria Park via three tunnels, two bridges and two highways.

Runners from the African country lift both men’s and women’s titles in perfect conditions

“Last year was very bad,” laughed Bizuneh Melaku Belachew, one of the bedraggled thousands who took part in the 2016 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon. “But I feel very good today!”

As well he might. The Ethiopian danced a jig on the finish line after breaking the event record with a finishing time of two hours 10 minutes and 31 seconds.

With it, he landed a cheque for US$65,000 (HK$504,000) – along with a bonus of US$5,000 (HK$38,000) for finishing under 2:12:00.

And in perfect conditions, it was an Ethiopian double as Chala Gulume Tollesa took the women’s title in 2:33:39.

Belachew battled to eighth place in 2016 when the race was held in a bitterly cold downpour. The contrast could not have been greater on and off the track as he dominated the field in perfect weather.

Belachew and Julius Kipyego of Kenya broke away from the chasing pack coming out of the Western Harbour Tunnel and battled side by side most of the way to Victoria Park before the Ethiopian burned off his rival around the 40km mark. Another Ethiopian, Chala Adguna Bekele, was a distant third (2:11:32).

At least three people were in a serious condition in hospital on Sunday after running the Hong Kong Marathon.

The Hospital Authority said one 52-year-old woman and two men, aged 46 and 23, were first sent to Ruttonjee Hospital, Wan Chai, in a critical condition.

The woman was later transferred to Eastern Hospital, still in that condition.

It is believed she collapsed at the finish line in Victoria Park at around 9am, having completed her first ever 10km race.

Reports at the site said she fell unconscious after having a heart attack. Medics had tried to resuscitate her with a defibrillator.

The two men had regained consciousness by the afternoon, and were still in serious conditions.

Runners have died on the Hong Kong course over recent years.

(BBC)