Abraham, Moreira claim European half-marathon titles

Abraham, Moreira claim European half-marathon titles

AMSTERDAM - Eritrean-born Swiss runner Tadesse Abraham and Portugal's Sara Moreira won the men and women's European half-marathon titles on Sunday.

Switzerland's Tadesse Abraham crosses the finish line to win the men's half marathon during the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam on July 10, 2016

Abraham clocked 1hr 02min 03sec around the streets of Amsterdam, finishing 24 seconds ahead of Turkey's Kenyan-born Kaan Kigen Ozbilen, previously known as Mike Kipruto Kigen, with Italian Daniele Meucci taking bronze a further 11sec adrift.

Ozbilen's silver consolidated Turkey's place atop the medal standings of the European championships, nine of the country's 10 medals won by athletes born in Kenya (5), Azerbaijan, Cuba and Jamaica.

In the women's race Moreira, the 2013 indoor 3000m champion who should be handed the European 5000m gold from 2010 after the positive doping test by Ethiopian-born Turk Elvan Abeylegesse, timed 1:10:19.

Italian Veronica Inglese claimed silver in 1:10:35, with Jessica Augusto making it a day to remember for Portugal with bronze (1:10:55).

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