YINCHUAN, China, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian runners swept the men's and women's titles of the 6th International Marathon of Ningxia (Wuzhong) Yellow River Coast on Sunday in the Wuzhong city of northwest China's Ningxia Autonomous Region.
Hirpha Temesgen Gonfa took the men's crown in 2 hours 25 minutes and 38 seconds, while Gutema Beshadu Birbirsa snatched the women's title in 2:52:38.
The winners of the full marathon will pick up a cash prize of 1,543 U.S. dollars and the total prize of the competition reaches 37,052 dollars.
In the men's race, Kenyan Naibei Emmanuel Rutto came second in 2:25:42, followed by another Ethiopian Taye Tilahun Eshetu with 2:25:57.
The women's race saw Ethiopian Wudnesh Nega Debele finish second in 2:52:56, followed by Chinese Cao Fengying with 3:11:32.
According to the local organizers, the event, featuring marathon, half marathon and mini-marathon, attracted some 20,000 runners, including 28 foreign runners, from 10 countries, such as the United States, Kenya, Canada and Pakistan.
