Boniface Kongin of Kenya and Bizuwork Getahu Kasaya of Ethiopia won the 2019 Pittsburgh Marathon clocking 2:10:34 and 2:36:29, respectively in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
PITTSBURGH, PA (DSGPM)– At the 11th DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon under overcast, damp conditions on Sunday morning, Boniface Kongin of Kenya and Bizuwork Getahu Kasaya of Ethiopia won the 42.2km race clocking 2:10:34 and 2:36:29, respectively. In the UPMC Health Plan Pittsburgh Half Marathon, Puerto Rican Antonio Cardona Rodriguez improved upon his 2018 by three minutes to repeat as the men’s champion in 1:05:08 and Stephanie Bonk of Houston, TX took the women’s title in 1:22:02.
In the men’s race, a five-man pack including Kongin, Girma Bekele Gebre and Eluid Ngetich was together through mile nine. Kongin and Ethiopian Gebre broke away from the pack at mile 10, with Kongin separating quickly and widening the gap so far by mile 14 that he cruised across the finish line with a personal record of 2:10:34. Coming in second was Gebre, who also recorded a PR of 2:13:46. Ngetich of Kenya placed third, clocking a time of 2:14:38.
“I feel so happy and to make it more happier I did it in Pittsburgh,” Kongin said. “I felt the crowd kept me moving on such a difficult course. I am just super happy and this gave me the moral boost I needed.”
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In the women’s division, the lead pack of four ran an average pace of six minutes per mile through mile seven, at which point American Christina Murphy fell behind. Ethiopian trio Bizuwork Getahu Kasaye, Bose Gemeda Assefa and Meseret Ali Basa continued to run together through the halfway point, which was reached in 1:18:10 and led by Bizuwork. Bizuwork picked up the pace in the second half to set a personal record, while Bose was runner-up with a time of two hours, 39 minutes, 14 seconds and Meseret took third in 2:40:49.
The top Americans in today’s DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon were Ian Carter from Flagstaff, AZ, who finished sixth overall in the men’s division with a time of two hours, 32 minutes, two seconds, and Christina Murphy from Columbus, OH, who finished fourth in the women’s division with a time of 2:46:07.
The 2019 Pittsburgh Marathon Top Results
Men’s Title
1. Boniface Kongin (KEN) 2:10:34
2. Girma Bekele Gebre (ETH) 2:13:46
3. Eluid Ngetich (KEN) 2:14:38
4. Temesgen Habtemariam Bekele (ETH) 2:17:30
5. Abu Kebede Diriba (ETH) 2:22:49
Women’s Title
1. Bizuwork Getahu Kasaye (ETH) 2:36:29
2. Bose Gemeda Assefa (ETH) 2:39:14
3. Meseret Ali Basa (ETH) 2:40:49
4. Christina Murphy (USA) 2:46:07
5. Sarah Patrick (USA) 2:47:59