Kenya’s Dominic Ondoro (2:10:36) and Japan’s Hitomi Niiya (2:19:24) won the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday.
For Niiya, it was the second-fastest performance by a Japanese runner all time. The national record is just 12 seconds faster at 2:19:24.
Second-place finisher, Ethiopia’s Muliye Dekebo Haylemariyam led at the half. Niiya took over and then held the leading pace and was on track to break the Japanese record for some time. Niiya was followed by Haylemariyam in the time of 2:25:35, and fellow Ethiopian Sintayehu Lewetegn took third in the time of 2:26:33.
It was Ondoro’s second Houston Marathon win. He also won the 2022 Grandma’s Marathon in June. Teshome Mekonen took third and top American to finish in 2:11:05. It was a strong debut by the former Ethiopian.
Still sorting through all my photos from the @HoustonMarathon , here are some highlights from the course pic.twitter.com/K9TiWhddtN
— Derek Call (@derek_call_) January 16, 2023
Canada’s Kinsey Middleton ran a new personal best to finish in fifth place in the time of 2:29:22. Her previous best was 2:30:09 from the 2022 Ottawa Marathon in May.
Top-10 results
Men’s marathon
1. Dominic Ondoro (KEN) – 2:10:36
2. Tsedat Ayana (ETH) – 2:10:37
3. Teshome Mekonen (USA) – 2:11:05
4. Parker Stinson (USA) – 2:12:11
5. Tyler Pennl (USA) – 2:12:16
6. Kenta Uchida (JPN) 2:14:13
7. James Ngandu (KEN) – 2:14:28
8. Alvaro Aberu (DOM) – 2:14:28
9. Kevin Salvano (USA) – 2:16:39
10. Tyler Pence (USA) – 2:16:44
Women’s marathon
1. Hitomi Niiya (JPN) – 2:19:24
2. Muliye Dekeb Haylemariyam (ETH) – 2:25:35
3. Sintayehu Lewetegn (ETH) – 2:26:33
4. Tristin van Ord (USA) – 2:27:07
5. Kinsey Middleton (USA) – 2:29:22
6. Maegan Krifchin (USA) – 2:30:16
7. Andrea Pomarinski (USA) – 2:31:06
8. Beverly Ramos (PRI) – 2:32:31
9. Molly Bookmyer (USA) – 2:32:31
10. Kathy Vandehy (USA) – 2:32:31
