UPDATE - Kenyan athletes win 42nd Istanbul Marathon

REVISED HEADLINE, DECK, LEAD AND ADDS DETAILS, MINOR EDITS

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Kenyan runners Benard Cheruiyot Sang and Diana Chemtai Kipyogei won the 42nd Istanbul Marathon on Sunday.

Sang finished the 42 km (26 miles) run in 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 49 seconds in the men's category, while Kipyogei completed the path in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 6 seconds in the women's race.

Felix Kimutai, another Kenyan runner, trailed 11 seconds behind Sang, whereas Zewudu Hailu Bekele from Ethiopia came third, 34 seconds behind the leader in the men's race.

In the women's category, Ethiopia's Hiwot Gebrekidan came second, covering the distance in 2 hours, 24 minutes, and 30 seconds. She was followed by Tigist Memuye from Ethiopia in 2 hours, 37 minutes and 52 seconds.

A Turkey championship was also held as part of the marathon. Yavuz Agrali came first in 2 hours, 19 minutes and 23 seconds in the men's category, while Tubay Erdal finished in the first place in 2 hours, 41 minutes and 11 seconds in the women's competition.

- Intercontinental Istanbul Marathon

The marathon started at 9 a.m. local time [0600GMT] on the European side of the Turkish metropolis, and ended at the same point.

It was held with a limited number of athletes -- a total of 4,000 runners -- due to measures taken to stem the spread of coronavirus.

The starting point was the Yenikapi event venue instead of the July 15 Martyrs Bridge on the Asian side.

The runners passed the bridge, getting a spectacular view of the Bosphorus and many historic sites including the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

They crossed the Bosphorus bridge twice for the first time in the event's history.

- Coronavirus measures

The runners targeted to complete the distance on a purpose-built track for the pandemic.

The athletes and staffers entered the field with the -- Hayat Eve Sigar -- HES code, a system designed to minimize the virus risk.

The event was organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Spor Istanbul, and sponsored by Turkey's N Kolay Payment Institution, a subsidiary of Aktif Investment Bank.