Tariku Bekele of Ethiopia won the 15-kilometer St. Silvester road race held in this southeastern Brazilian city. Jeptoo Prisca of Kenya won the women's event.
Under a steady downpour and in temperatures of about 25C (77F), Bekele took the lead shortly after the halfway mark and never lost it. He completed the 9.3 miles in 43 minutes, 35 seconds.
Mark Korir of Kenya was second in 43.58. Matthew Kisorio, also of Kenya, came in third (44.12).
Jeptoo finished in 48.48 and was followed by Ethiopia's Wude Ayalew (48.52) and Kenya's Eunice Kirwa (50.58).
Bekele and Prisca each won 35,000 reals ($18,617).
