Ethiopia's 20-year-old Abeje Ayana wins the men's title at the Paris Marathon on his debut race at the distance ©Getty Images

Ethiopia's 20-year-old debutant Abeje Ayana beat compatriot and favourite Guye Adola to the men’s title at the Paris Marathon, while Kenya's 37-year-old Helah Kiprop won the women's race with a dramatic late surge.

Although the course was different to the one being used during the 2024 Summer Olympics in the French capital, there were points where the routes intersected.

Today's Paris Marathon course began on the Champs Elysees before heading through the Bois de Vincennes park and along the River Seine, which is set to feature during the Olympics, as the location for the Opening Ceremony.

The marathon course today followed the River Seine for a ten kilometre stretch between the 25km and 35km points, before looping around the Bois de Boulogne to end near the Arc de Triomphe.

Two early landmarks on today's route were the Grand Palais, which is set to host fencing and taekwondo events at next year's Olympics, and the Hotel de Ville, which is set to act as the starting point for the Paris 2024 marathons.

The course for today's Paris Marathon followed a new route over the final four kilometres, leaving the Bois de Boulogne and returning to the streets of the 16th district and heading for the Trocadero via La Muette.

Next year's Paris 2024 marathon route is set to start at the Hotel de Ville before heading towards Versailles and returning to the central Esplanade des Invalides.

In today's men's race in Paris Ayana moved clear of his 32-year-old rival over the final five kilometres, finishing in 2hr 7min 15sec, AFP reports.

Adola, who won the Berlin Marathon in 2021, crossed the line 20 seconds behind, with Kenya's Josphat Boit five seconds further back in third.

Kenya's 37-year-old Helah Kiprop edges to the women's title at the Paris Marathon ahead of Ethiopia's Atalel Anmut ©Getty Images
Kenya's 37-year-old Helah Kiprop edges to the women's title at the Paris Marathon ahead of Ethiopia's Atalel Anmut ©Getty Images

"I came here mainly as part of my preparation for the World Athletics Championships (in August)," Ayana said.

"I had to complete 42 kilometres, I'm happy that I did it.

"Several runners had to stop but I made it and I'm not even very tired either."

The race was run in wet and windy conditions, preventing any attempt on Kenyan Elisha Rotich's course record of 2:04:21.

In the women's race Kiprop, who lost a sprint finish for the 2015 world title in Beijing, sprinted from third place with 150 metres remaining, snatching victory from Ethiopia’s Atalel Anmut, who recorded the same time of 2:23:19.

The 2016 Tokyo winner appeared to have been dropped from the lead group of five with three kilometres to go but responded over the closing stages to relegate Anmut and fellow Ethiopian Fikrte Wereta to second and third place respectively.

Wereta finished three seconds adrift.