Yehualaw clinches third Antrim Coast Half victory

Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw secured a third win in the Antrim Coast Half Marathon women's race as Kenya's Alex Nzioka Matata claimed victory in the men's event.

Yehualaw, who won the 2022 London Marathon, was well clear by halfway and her finishing time of 65 minutes 34 seconds in wet and windy conditions left her one minute 16 seconds clear of Kenya's Loice Chemnung.

Joyciline Jepkosgei, the 2021 London Marathon winner, was expected to be Yehualaw's main challenger but had to settle for third place, one minute 33 seconds off the pace.

In inclement weather on the 13-mile course in and around Larne, Yehualaw's winning time was well outside her personal best of 63:51.

Yehualaw, 25, thought she had set a new world record in her first run in the event in 2021 after crossing the line in 63:44 but that time was not ratified after the course was found to be 54 metres short.

In the men's race, Nzioka Matata, 27, produced a brilliant run in awful conditions to break 60 minutes - clocking 59 minutes 48 seconds.

The Kenyan's time was only 11 seconds outside his personal best - set when he won the Padova Half Marathon in Italy earlier this year.

Nzioka Matata's winning time left him 41 seconds ahead of compatriot Hillary Kipkoech (60:29) with Ethiopia's two-time Tokyo Marathon winner Birhanu Legese a further second back in third place.

The winner broke clear of the world's sixth fastest ever marathon runner Legese just after halfway and was never threatened thereafter.

Nzioka Matata's compatriot Hillary Chepkwony was the fastest man in the field with a personal best of 58:53 set in Valencia last October but found himself detached from the leaders from an early stage and was unable to get back in contention as he eventually finished two minutes and 10 seconds off the pace in sixth place.

Hiko Tonosa was the leading Irish competitor in eighth place as his time of 62:47 was 24 seconds outside his personal best set in last year's race when he finished in ninth spot.

Armagh athlete Fionnuala Ross was top Irishwoman in 10th spot in a time of 74:16 which was 51 seconds outside her best time for the distance.