Shamha wins second place in Turkey's Runtalya Marathon

Shamha Ahmed of Maldives finished second in the Runtalya Marathon held in Antalya, Turkey, last Sunday.

This was the largest marathon of the year for Shamha, a former sprinter who has since specialized in long-distance running.

Shamha completed the women's race in 3 hours, 11 minutes, and 53 seconds, securing second place. Russia’s Natalia Karmen won the race in 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 57 seconds, while Kyrgyz runner Yulia Farnes, of Russian descent, finished third in 3 hours, 14 minutes, and 6 seconds.

Shamha’s coach, Nasrulla Ahmed (Nasru), also participated in the marathon, marking his 99th marathon completion on Sunday.

Shamha, who currently holds the Maldives’ female marathon record, set her personal best in September 2022 at the Berlin Marathon in Germany, finishing in 3 hours, 2 minutes, and 41 seconds.

Although Shamha was initially a sprinter, she transitioned to long-distance races and has since seen notable success in the field.