Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2015 12:37:33 +0200
© AFP Olivier Morin-Eritrea's Ghirmay Ghebreslassie celebrates winning the men's marathon during the IAAF World Championships, at the 'Bird's Nest' National Stadium in Beijing, on August 22, 2015
Beijing (AFP) - Eritrean teenager Ghirmay Ghebreslassie claimed the first gold of the Beijing worlds when he sprinted away for a comfortable victory in the men's marathon.
The 19-year-old took the lead from Lesotho's Tsepo Ramonene Mathibelle on the 36km mark and saw off pressure from Ethiopian Yemane Tsegay for a memorable win at Beijing's iconic Bird's Nest stadium.
Ghebreslassie, racing just his third marathon, clocked 2hr 12min 27sec, with Tsegay, fourth in 2009 and eighth in Moscow two years ago, taking silver in 2:13.07 and Munyo Solomon Mutai of Uganda claiming bronze (2:13.29).
It was Eritrea's second ever world medal after Tadesse Zersenay's silver in the 10,000m in the 2009 worlds in Berlin.
"Never give up till the finish line"G. Ghebreslassie