Latest news with #Assefa
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Partly Facetious: Budget will have to be approved by IMF
'I was wondering….' 'Hey, a country's survival always trumps the economy, so I reckon defence outlay will increase in the forthcoming budget.' 'That's not what I was wondering about?' 'Oh well the budget will have to be approved by the International Monetary Fund or else all external resource inflows will dry up – rollovers, multilateral and bilateral loans as we need around 19.5 billion dollars for next year to…' 'Nope wasn't wondering about that either.' 'I saw the Palestinian representative to the Security Council burst into tears…' 'Nope not wondering about that either. I don't think the US policy is changing anytime soon and without that nothing will change.' 'Shares of the Chinese firm that sold us the planes that downed the French Rafale have risen and I heard their share price is rising so were you wondering if the interest on the Chinese rollovers…' 'Shush, the two transactions are separate.' 'OK I give up what were you wondering about?' 'Who is our first lady?' 'President Zardari has appointed his daughter Assefa as the first lady.' 'Can he do that?' 'Unless you amend the constitution to stipulate that only a wife can be so declared…' 'Right, perhaps they can club that together with the twenty-seventh amendment that reports suggest would change the status of an acting chief justice to a non-acting chief justice.' 'Shut up anyway, by appointing Assefa President Zardari has shown to the uneducated masses that the first lady in Pakistan is not the wife of the prime minister but…' 'Don't be facetious – the President is not left with many prerogatives after the eighteenth amendment but the prerogative to select his first lady….' 'Hmmmm but seriously the seat of power is with the Prime Minister and…' 'Really? Is that where the seat of power is?' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
CNN
01-05-2025
- Sport
- CNN
London Marathon: Two protestors arrested for throwing powdered paint onto the course
Two protestors were arrested at the London Marathon on Sunday for throwing red powdered paint onto the course shortly before the men's elite race passed by, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. Video posted on social media by a group called Youth Demand showed two protestors wearing 'Stop Arming Israel' t-shirts jump over the barriers at Tower Bridge, stop in the road, and throw powdered paint in the air. One of the motorcycle outriders tackled the two protestors to the ground as the leading group of the men's race ran past unobstructed. Police added that the paint appeared to be 'chalk-based' and wasn't expected to pose any hazard to the runners. In the women's race, Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa secured a thrilling victory, striding away from everyone else to set a new women's-only world record too. Assefa finished the course in 2:15:50, smashing the previous women's-only record – the fastest marathon time set by a female runner without male pacemakers – by 26 seconds. Although the 28-year-old flirted with breaking Paula Radcliffe's course record of 2:15:25 set 22 years ago, that was ultimately a step too far for her. She dominated the closing stages of the race, dropping Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei who clung on for second place and finished in 2:18:43. Olympic champion Sifan Hassan crossed the line 16 seconds afterwards in third, after she had lost touch with the leading group around the halfway point. In the men's race, Kenya's Sabastian Sawe secured the biggest win of his career with a time of 2:02:27, attacking at the drinks station while his competitors slowed down and going on to cross the line alone. Behind him, Jacob Kiplimo – the half-marathon world record holder – finished second in an impressive 2:03:37 in his much anticipated marathon debut. In a thrilling race for third place, Alexander Mutiso Munyao crossed the line a hair's breadth ahead of Abdi Nageeye and had to wait for organizers to confirm his podium spot. Marathon great Eliud Kipchoge finished in sixth place. In the women's wheelchair race, Switzerland's Catherine Debrunner set a course record, sprinting down the finishing straight on The Mall to cross the line in 1:34:18. She finished just two seconds outside her own world record, setting a blistering pace that none of her competitors could match. The USA's Susannah Scaroni finished almost four minutes back in second place while Switzerland's Manuela Schär rounded out the podium with a time of 1:41:06. Meanwhile, Switzerland's Marcel Hug won the men's wheelchair race to take his seventh overall, and fifth consecutive, title in London. The 39-year-old completed the course in 1:25:25, almost a minute ahead of second-placed Tomoki Suzuki, securing his second major marathon victory of the week after winning in Boston on Monday. This story has been updated with additional information.
Independent Singapore
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
2025 London Marathon: Sabastian Sawe gets biggest win of his career, Tigst Assefa breaks women's-only world record
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya secured the biggest victory of his career by winning the London Marathon. On the women's side, Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa delivered a historic performance, breaking the women-only marathon world record with an impressive run. Men's race highlights Sawe took full advantage of a key moment during the race. When the lead group slowed at a water station, he took his chance and surged ahead, choosing not to stop for a drink even in the heat. His bold decision paid off as he steadily widened the gap between other runners, holding a strong finish with a final time of 2:02:27. Sawe's decision was seen as tactical, for it maintained his lead through the final stretch of the race to claim the biggest win of his career on one of the sport's biggest stages. Furthermore, Jacob Kiplimo, who was making his full marathon debut, showed strong potential by being the only athlete who tried to go after Sawe once he broke away. Despite his effort, the Ugandan athlete couldn't close the gap and finished second. It was an exciting debut for the half-marathon world record holder, as he proved he could compete with the best runners over the full distance. In a social media post, netizens showed their support and said: 'The consistency and strategy were impeccable! Congratulations @sabastiansawe ! 🏆💪🏾 🔥', 'Congrats, what a race!!', 'Incredible congratulations 🙌', and 'Congratulations.. what an incredible run. Loved being there today & see you fly past ! 🥰' Women's race highlights In the women's race, Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa secured her first London Marathon title with a strong performance. She pulled away from former champion Joyciline Jepkosgei in the later stages of the race, showing her resilience, strength, and confidence. Assefa finished the race with a final time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 50 seconds. This is the fastest time ever recorded in a women-only marathon to date. However, it was 25 seconds slower than Paula Radcliffe's 2003 course record, which was set in a mixed-gender race. Furthermore, Assefa finally claimed the London title after finishing second in both London and the Paris Olympics last year. She made sure the race wouldn't come down to a sprint finish as she broke away from Jepkosgei with just a few kilometres to go, running solo along the River Thames and through central London, crossing the finish line in front of Buckingham Palace. This win added to two Berlin Marathon victories that solidified her place in the sport. Jepkosgei, who won the London Marathon in 2021, finished nearly three minutes behind Assefa in second place, while Olympic champion Sifan Hassan was third. Moreover, Eilish McColgan, the 2022 Commonwealth Games 10,000m gold medallist, made her long-awaited marathon debut and finished eighth. A social media post made by World Athletics stated: 'One to remember 👏' Netizens commented on the post and said: 'Congrats, Tigist 👏👏👏', and 'Incredible to watch!! ✨'
Boston Globe
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Tigst Assefa sets women's-only marathon record on hot day in London
Advertisement The weather in London was a lot warmer this year than in 2024 — with temperatures nearing 64 Fahrenheit by the time the elite runners were finishing — which Assefa said was to her advantage. 'Last year I did have some problems with the cold. My hamstring tightened up toward the end of the race,' Assefa said through an interpreter. 'This year the weather suited me really well.' Assefa adds this win to two previous Berlin Marathon titles. She was beaten in a sprint at the Paris Olympics by Sifan Hassan last year. This time she made sure there would be no sprint finish as she left Jepkosgei behind with a few kilometers left and ran alone along the Thames and through central London to the finish in front of Buckingham Palace. Advertisement 'I really wanted to win today. And after Paris, where I finished second again, I really have trained hard,' Assefa said. 'So this preparation has been over eight months. And obviously I'm very happy it has paid off.' Related : Even though she lost the Olympic gold medal in a sprint, she said her move with a few miles left was not planned ahead of time. 'I was really training for all outcomes,' she said. 'I felt I could win with a sprint, I could also win with a long run from home. The main thing was just to prepare well, and that's what I did.' Jepkosgei, the 2021 London winner, was almost three minutes back after tiring near the end. 'It was a little bit humid,' Jepkosgei said. 'My body was not responding well. And I said, let's preserve my energy to arrive safely at the finish line.' Hassan fell behind about halfway through the race and finished third, 3:10 behind. Hassan took a four-month break after the Olympics and said she still isn't back to her best form. She also said she struggled to breathe every time she took a drink during the first half of the race. 'I think I need some competition,' Hassan said. 'Seven months, no competition, I think my body forgot how to push.' Running his first major marathon in unusually warm temperatures, Kenya's Sabastian Sawe made it look easy. The 29-year-old made a solo breakaway with more than 10 kilometers left and never looked like wavering in the sunshine as he cruised to victory in the men's race in 2:02:27. The only rival who was able to give chase was Jacob Kiplimo, the half marathon world record holder who was making his full marathon debut. The Ugandan finished 70 seconds back in second place. Advertisement Six-time Paralympic champion Catherine Debrunner defended her title in the women's wheelchair race for a third London victory, beating her own course record by finishing in 1:34:18 — just two seconds off the world record she set at the Berlin marathon in 2023. American Susannah Scaroni was second and Debrunner's compatriot Manuela Schar third. Defending champion
The 42
27-04-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Kenya's Sawe wins London marathon as Ethiopia's Assefa sets women's world record
ETHIOPIA'S TIGST ASSEFA set a new women's only world record of 2hr 15min 50sec as she won the London marathon on Sunday whilst Kenya's Sabastian Sawe put a star-studded men's field to the sword. For 28-year-old Assefa it was ample compensation for finishing runner-up both in London and the Paris Olympics last year — especially as bitter Dutch rival, the Ethiopia-born Sifan Hassan, finished third. Assefa dropped Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei as the race, played out in blazing sunshine and with thousands lining the route, entered its business end. She came home almost three minutes clear of the Kenyan. Hassan, who beat her in an ill-tempered finish to the Olympic race last year, was well adrift in third. 'I was second last year so to win here this year is very special,' she told the BBC speaking through an interpreter. 'Last year I had trouble with the cold weather and my hamstirng tightened up. 'This year suited me much more and found it a lot easier.' Sawe made the decisive break at a drinks station as they reached the 90 minute mark and he gave Kenya their fourth successive win in the men's race timing 2hr 02min 27sec. Advertisement The 29-year-old, who won the Valencia marathon last December, came home alone ahead of Uganda's world half marathon record holder Jacob Kiplimo. Defending champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao edged Abdi Nageeye for third in a photo finish while four-time champion Eliud Kipchoge finished sixth. Britain's Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee finished a highly creditable 14th on his debut. 'I am very happy to have won a major marathon,' said Sawe, who won the Valencia marathon last December. 'I was well prepared for this that is why I was so relaxed and confident. 'Now this gives me hope that further success in marathons will come.' There was a Swiss double in the wheelchair category — Marcel Hug and Olympic champion Catherine Debrunner winning the men and women's titles respectively. For Hug, 39, it was his seventh London crown and fifth successive victory. For 30-year-old Debrunner it represented her second consecutive win and third overall. It was not just about the stars though as in a race claimed by the organisers to be the most popular marathon in the world there were plenty running to raise money for charity or because of personal loss. The marathon is the world's biggest single-day fundraising event with over £1.3 billion ($1.72 billion) raised for charity since the first race in 1981. The fathers of Alice da Silva, 9, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, two of the three young girls murdered last July in Southport, northern England, took part in memory of their daughters. They received a video message from United Kingdom Prime Minster Keir Starmer. 'Elsie was my best friend, she was perfect, it's like therapy, it's more than just a race,' said David Stancombe, who watched the race with her last year, whilst Alice's dad Sergio Aguiar said: 'I wanted to do something for her.' Isla, the 18-year-old daughter of three-time London victor Paula Radcliffe, made her debut running for Children with Cancer UK. She was diagnosed with cancer aged 13. The 45th edition of the race was aiming to break a record and become the marathon with the most competitors. There were expected to be more than 56,000 people taking part this year, from the elite field through to those in fancy dress including Sarah Louise Haddock appropriately dressed as a fish. The record number of finishers is 55,646 finishers at last year's New York Marathon. This month's Paris Marathon also had 56,950 starters but fewer finishers. – © AFP 2025
