Ethiopian Yemane Tsegay & Tigist Tufa A record race in ottawa | Ottawa Citizen

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/a-record-setting-race-weekend-wraps-up

MARIE-DANIELLE SMITH More from Marie-Danielle Smith

Published on: May 25, 2014Last Updated: May 25, 2014 4:31 PM EDT

Tigist Tufa celebrates with the Ethiopian flag after crossing the finish line first in the women's marathon on Sunday, May 25, 2014.

Ashley Fraser / Ottawa Citizen

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It was a record-setting weekend in Ottawa.

A record 47,500 athletes in total registered for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend events, up from about 44,000 last year. Some 7,000 runners enjoyed perfect weather Sunday morning for the 40th annual Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon, Canada’s biggest marathon event. Another 12,500 ran the half-marathon.

“We’re thrilled,” said Race Director John Halvorsen of the turnout as the weekend wrapped up. “It’s a great way to celebrate our 40th anniversary.”

Ethiopia’s Yemane Tsegay shattered records Sunday, finishing with a time of two hours, six minutes, 54 seconds. It was the fastest marathon ever run on Canadian soil and shaved more than a minute off the Ottawa Marathon record set last year by another Ethiopian, Tariku Jufar.

Tigist Tufa, also from Ethiopia, was the fastest woman in Sunday’s marathon, with a time of 2:24:31. She beat her own personal best by more than 3 1/2 minutes and beat last year’s record by almost a minute.