BEIRUT: Ethiopian runner Fikadu Girma outpaced thousands of competitors Sunday to win the 2014 Beirut marathon.

According to Race Director Wissam Terro, Girma finished the 42.195 kilometer race in 2:12.28. The first Lebanese to cross the finish line was Omar Issa who recorded a time of 2:34.

In the female 42 kilometer race, the winner was Ethiopia’s Molahtas Tscja who scored a time of 2:29.12. Coming in close second was Kenya’s Monica Jepkoech with 2:30. Both women broke the 2011 record for women by crossing the finish line in less than 2:31. Meanwhile, the first Lebanese woman to pass the finish line was Shirine Njeim who scored in a time of 3:09.

In the special needs overall race, the winner was Poland’s Rafal Wilk, with Lebanon’s Edward Maarouf coming in second.

Streets across the Lebanese capital were shut overnight to make way for the 37,153 people from 94 countries who registered for the annual event, according to Terro.

But most of the runners participated in the five and 10 kilometer races.

The event is organized by the Beirut Marathon Association, and sponsored by Lebanon’s Central Bank.

This year’s marathon was held under the slogan, "peace, love, run" and featured two-time Olympic gold medalist Haile Gebrselassie who was invited as a special guest.