Kipkemoi, Helen Bekele win at 39th Barcelona marathon

Winner Kenyan athlete Jonah Kipkemoi Chesum poses with his trophy on the podium of the Barcelona's marathon. Pics/AFP

Barcelona: Kenya's Jonah Kipkemoi, 27, won the men's race of the 39th edition of the Marathon of Barcelona on Sunday while Ethiopia's Helen Bekele, 22, won the women's.

Winner Ethiopian athlete Bekele Helen poses with her trophy on the podium of the Barcelona's marathon

Kipkemoi completed the race with a time of 2:08:57 and Bekele finished on 2:25:04, setting a new record and shaving four minutes off her personal best, reports Efe.

Winner Kenyan athlete Jonah Kipkemoi Chesum crosses the finish line of Barcelona's marathon

Speaking after his victory, Kipkemoi said Sunday's event was his first marathon and that he had tackled some half marathons where he had done well.

Ethiopian athlete Bekele Helen celebrates after crossing first the finish line of the Barcelona's marathon

He said he did not expect to win and was "really surprised" that he had.

More than 20,000 runners participated in Sunday's marathon in the eastern Spanish coastal city.