Ethiopia's Dawit Wolde and Ruti Aga claimed the respective men's and women's titles, both with new course records, at the 2025 Xiamen Marathon on Sunday.

Participants start during the Xiamen Marathon 2024 in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Wolde clocked a winning time of two hours, six minutes and six seconds, shattering the previous record of 2:06:19 set by Kenya's Moses Cheruiyot Mosop in 2015. Tebello Ramakongoana of Lesotho took silver, 12 seconds back, while another Ethiopian runner Asefa Boki Kebebe secured bronze in 2:06:32.

"The course is amazing and nice. We are lucky to have [competed in the Xiamen Marathon] this season and the weather is nice. I like this race because the atmosphere is good and it is well organized. I will come back," said Wolde.

Aga captured the women's title with 2:18:46, breaking the former course record of 2:19:52 set by her compatriot Mare Dibaba Hurrsa in 2015. Gutemi Shone and Fikrte Wereta, also from Ethiopia, finished second and third respectively.

The Xiamen Marathon gained the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label in 2021. This year's event has attracted 35,000 contestants from 46 countries and regions.