(Reuters) -Ethiopia's Bedatu Hirpa edged compatriot Dera Dida by four seconds to win the women's race in the Paris Marathon, while Kenya's Benard Biwott cruised to victory in the men's race, finishing 48 seconds before his closest competitor on Sunday.
Hirpa, who beat Dida in a close finish at January's Dubai Marathon as well, finished Sunday's race in two hours, 20 minutes and 45 seconds as the 25-year-old pulled ahead of others in the last five kilometres with only Dida giving a good chase.
Biwott also left others behind in the last 10 kilometres, finishing in two hours, five minutes and 25 seconds, far ahead of Djibouti's Ibrahim Hassan, who was next to reach the finishing line.
Kenya's Sila Kiptoo, who was eight seconds behind Hassan, finished third in the men's race while Angela Tanui, also from Kenya, placed third in the women's race, finishing 18 seconds after Dida.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
