HOUSTON (19-Jan) — Conner Mantz and Weini Kelati set new American information on the Aramco Houston Part-Marathon on a cold and windy morning right here. Mantz, 28, the reigning USATF marathon champion, overwhelmed Ryan Corridor’s legendary report of 59:43 set right here in 2007, operating 59:17 and just about profitable the race total. Kelati, 28, broke her report of one:06:25 set right here a 12 months in the past, clocking 1:06:09.
“It was a special day today,” stated Mantz, who completed moment to Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena by means of 4/100ths of a moment (each athletes got the similar time). He added: “My coach, Ed Eyestone, prepared me well.”
Mantz made his intentions recognized proper from the gun at 6:45 a.m. With a black watch cap pulled down low on his head, Mantz tucked in in the back of pacemaker Amon Kemboi of Kenya and Gobena, Gabriel Geay of Tanzania, and Jemal Yimer of Ethiopia, two times the race champion right here.
Kemboi did a really perfect task, taking the quartet of contenders thru 5 km in 14:02 and 10 km in 28:01. That tempo used to be under the specified one to damage Feyisa Lelisa’s direction report of 59:22, set in 2012.
Even if Kemboi dropped simply after 10-Okay, the tempo remained robust thru 15-Okay. The 3rd 5-kilometer section used to be timed at 14:04, and the 4 athletes have been rotating in opposition to the wind. Gobena did numerous the main.
Remarkably, the 4 stayed in combination the entire approach to the general kilometer, and it used to be handiest throughout the ultimate 200 meters {that a} head-to-head dash between Gobena and Mantz arrange. Gobena had a one-step lead and seemed to be getting away, however Mantz surged at the Ethiopian’s left and attempted to overhaul him. As the 2 barreled for the slim end tape, Gobena angled reasonably to his left, squeezing Mantz, who just about bumped into one of the crucial tape holders. Officers showed that Gobena used to be the winner, and the 2 athletes embraced after the end.
“I was thrilled to be able to run with all those runners,” stated Gobena, who gained $15,000 in prize cash. “I was thrilled to be able to compete with such great athletes.”
Alongside easy methods to his report, Mantz cut up 42:05 at 15 miles, 45:16 at 10 miles, and 56:23 at 20 miles. The ones are all pending nationwide information.
“This is a record I really wanted,” stated Mantz, taking a look reasonably stunned. “I want to lower it down the road.”
Happening the end order, Geay took 3rd in 59:18, Yimer were given fourth in 59:20, and Britain’s Patrick Dever took 5th in 1:00:11.
Within the girls’s race, Kelati additionally set pending American information at 15 miles (46:32), 10 miles (50:05), and 20 miles (1:02:43).
“The goal is just to run hard from the beginning (and) that’s what I did,” stated Kelati, who stated that abdomen issues virtually derailed her race as of late.
Weini Kelati and Conner Mantz after environment USA information on the 2025 Aramco Houston Part-Marathon (photograph by means of Jane Monti for Race Effects Weekly)
Like Mantz, Kelati completed moment. Senayet Getachew of Ethiopia picked up 5 seconds on Kelati within the twentieth kilometer and held a four-second result in the end. She gained in 1:06:05 and claimed the $15,000 first prize.
“The race was perfect, very tough,” stated Getachew thru a translator. She persevered: “I have never run in weather like this.”
Mantz and Kelati took house $18,000: $8,000 for moment position and $10,000 for environment new nationwide information.
The Chevron Houston Marathon lacked the fireworks of the part however used to be nonetheless an exhilarating race. The boys’s elite pack went out conservatively in 1:04:17, conserving ten males in competition, together with Israel’s Haimro Alame, Eritrea’s Yemane Haileselassie, and Kenya’s Shadrack Kimining.
Haileselassie, who gained the Honolulu Marathon final month, installed a surge after 30-Okay, operating the 5-kilometer section between 30 and 35-Okay in 14:49. That used to be too rapid for many of the pack and arrange a three-way struggle between Alame, Haileselassie, and Kimining simply previous 40-Okay. Alame jumped and ran away for the win in 2:08:17. He gained $50,000 in prize cash.
“At the beginning, it was slower because it was so cold, so the only option was to save everything for the finishing kick,” stated Alame, clutching the Israeli flag.
Haileselassie took moment in 2:08:25, Kimining were given 3rd in 2:08:29, and France’s Hugo Taupiac took fourth in 2:08:50. Christian Allen used to be the highest American in 7th position in 2:10:32. His time used to be the quickest ever by means of an American guy in Houston.
Within the girls’s department of the marathon, Ethiopia’s Kumeshi Sinhala were given clear of compatriot Tsige Haileslase and American Erika Kemp within the twenty sixth kilometer. For the remainder of the race, she had handiest males for corporate. She cruised to a non-public absolute best of two:20:42.
“It was after the halfway that I left everyone behind,” stated Sichala thru a translator. “After the pacemaker dropped out, I followed runners (men) running for themselves. At 26-K, I was able to pull away.”
Erika Kemp after his 2:22:56 in Houston, photograph by means of Jane Monti for Race Effects Weekly, used with permission.
Kemp, who used to be operating in handiest her moment marathon, accomplished her purpose of operating the “massive PB” she stated she used to be making an attempt for. She completed moment in 2:22:56, a 2025 International Championships qualifier and the second-fastest time ever by means of an American girl in Houston. She progressed her private absolute best by means of over 11 mins.
Haileslase, who struggled in the second one part, hung on for 3rd in 2:25:09. Fourth went to any other Ethiopian, Anna Dibaba, in 2:26:49. Amber Zimmerman of Philadelphia were given 5th in 2:29:01.
The Aramco Houston Part-Marathon and Chevron Houston Marathon are International Athletics Gold Label Street Races. That is the one tournament with two Gold Label races contested at the similar day on the similar time.