Morrocan Othmane El Goumri Wins Sydney Marathon; Betsy Saina Claims Tight Women’s Race

Marathon participants run through The Rocks during the 2023 Sydney Marathon in Sydney, Australia, 17 September 2023. (EPA)
Marathon participants run through The Rocks during the 2023 Sydney Marathon in Sydney, Australia, 17 September 2023. (EPA)
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Morrocan Othmane El Goumri Wins Sydney Marathon; Betsy Saina Claims Tight Women’s Race

Marathon participants run through The Rocks during the 2023 Sydney Marathon in Sydney, Australia, 17 September 2023. (EPA)
Marathon participants run through The Rocks during the 2023 Sydney Marathon in Sydney, Australia, 17 September 2023. (EPA)

Moroccan Othmane El Goumri and Kenyan-born American Betsy Saina have won the men's and women's races at an unseasonably warm Sydney Marathon on Sunday.

The 31-year-old El Goumri finished the hilly 42m kilometer (26-mile) course around prominent Sydney landmarks in 2:08:20 to win his first marathon title since winning the Dublin Marathon in 2019.

Kenya's Laban Kipngetich Korir was second in a time of 2:08:43, with Ethiopian Getaneh Molla Tamire a further minute and a half behind in third.

Saina, who attended Iowa State University and now represents the United States, finished in 2:26:47 and held off a late challenge from Ethiopian Rahma Tusa Chota to win the women's race by six seconds. Gladys Chesir Kiptagelai of Kenya was third in a time of 2:28:41.

Canada's Joshua Cassidy won the men's wheelchair event, with Australia's Madison de Rozario winning the women's race.

The Sydney Marathon is in the second year of a three-year candidacy in its attempt to become the seventh World Marathon Major, alongside races in New York, Boston, Chicago, London, Tokyo and Berlin.

This year saw more than an Australian record 17,000 participants register for the event which takes in some of the city's most famous landmarks including crossing the Sydney Harbor Bridge and finishing at the Sydney Opera House.



South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)

South Korea expressed regret that its delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was introduced as from rival North Korea and has demanded assurances from organizers the mistake will not happen again.

As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" - the official name of North Korea - in French and English.

The announcer used the same introduction when the North Korean delegation passed.

South Korea's vice minister for sports and culture, Jang Mi-ran, who was in Paris, had requested a meeting with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach, the ministry said in a statement.

"We express regret that the country was introduced as North Korea at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games when the athletes of the Republic of Korea were entering," it said.

South Korea's National Olympic Committee immediately referred the incident to the Games' organizers and requested that the error will not be repeated.

South Korea's delegation includes 143 athletes competing in 21 events. North Korea, which is returning to the Games for the first time since Rio 2016, has sent 16 athletes.