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After concluding a stellar, 20-year career, the Olympic bronze medalist will embark on a 50-state running-infused van-life tour of the U.S. with her husband, Jason, in 2025
Jenny Simpson will go down in the annals of American running as one of the greatest of all time. No question about it.
So as she approaches what is likely the last elite-level race of her long and storied career at the November 3 New York City Marathon, she has nothing to prove, no one to impress, and no specific performance goal that she needs to attain to secure her legacy.
As a four-time global championship medalist in the 1500 meters—including a victory in the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Diamond League title in 2014, and bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics—Simpson has long been destined to go down as one of the best runners in U.S. history.
Add to that three Olympic appearances, 11 U.S. titles, three NCAA championships, eight top-10 finishes in international championships, eight Fifth Avenue Mile victories, six NCAA records (in six different events), and two American records (in the 3,000-meter steeplechase), and Simpson will rank among American legends for decades to come.
The fact that she’s been earnestly training to finish her career with a strong marathon performance in New York City epitomizes much of what the 38-year-old runner from Boulder, Colorado, has been about during her 20-year career. She’s not necessarily going out on top—that, she says, would have entailed making the U.S. Olympic team in the marathon for the Paris Olympic Games. But she is going out on her terms: focused, tenacious, and relentless to the end. It’s an opportunity afforded to few athletes, and even fewer distance runners.
“When I say I’m feeling good, it’s that I’m really excited for New York and I feel like I have a really, really good sense about my ability to run well,” she says. “I’m not going into it saying I’m gonna set the world on fire and be the top American or run 2:25 on that course. But I just know as good as I feel and as good as the training has gone, I know I’m capable of having a good day, and, most importantly, I have peace about it all.”
But as this chapter of life closes for Simpson, another very exciting one is about to begin, and that one will include quite a bit of running, too. She and her husband, Jason, are planning to embark on a year-long tour of the U.S. in 2025 that will take them—and their two Jack Russell Terriers, Truman and Barkley—to all 50 states while living out a van-life adventure focused on immersing in America’s thriving running culture.
From participating in races and visiting national parks to running iconic routes like Rim to Rim across the Grand Canyon and discovering hidden trails, Jenny and Jason have said their goal is to capture the heartwarming and inspiring essence of the country through the eyes of runners.
“We want to experience the beauty of this country firsthand, meet the incredible people who call it home, and celebrate everything that makes the U.S. so special,” says Jenny Simpson, who has represented the U.S. on the world stage for nearly two decades. “Through this journey, we hope to show that America’s beauty is not just in its landmarks, but in its people and the unique places they live, run, and explore.”
Out of the Ashes
In December of 2021, a devastating wildfire ripped through the south end of Boulder County—including the communities of Marshall, Louisville, and Superior, where it burned more than 1,084 homes and killed two residents and more than 900 pets. Miraculously, it didn’t burn the Simpson’s house—a restored circa-1900 schoolhouse they bought several years ago that was less than a half mile from the fire’s origin—but the house did incur significant smoke damage that needed mitigating.
The Simpsons were displaced and spent several months living in an apartment with little furniture, which forced them to live a rather spartan lifestyle. While Jason was still able to work as a creative director for a design firm, Jenny’s contract hadn’t been renewed by New Balance, and she wasn’t sure what the future held.
During that time, she had been doing a weekly call with her sister, Emily, and Jason’s sister, Annie, to discuss the book Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life, a guide aimed at helping people to reimagine their professional and personal lives. It was through those discussions that Jenny came up with an idea of buying a Winnebago so she and Jason could drive around the country with Truman, who they rescued in 2020 just before the Covid lockdown. (They got Barkley about three years later.)
“My idea was that we can just drive around America and see the place that I’ve had stamped across my chest on my Team USA gear all these years,” she says. “I have been on Team USA, but I really want to know what that means. I’ve raced in some amazing places all around the world, but I really haven’t seen much of our own country. I want to go see the places and the people that I haven’t seen. And then I had this idea of doing a 50 states, 50 weeks tour.”
Jenny told Jason about the idea and he was interested from the start, but it was initially just a fun distraction while Jenny was battling injuries. Jason was so intrigued, though, that he started searching for information about vans online and indulging in YouTube content from a variety of van-life influencers. Eventually, Jenny was healthy and racing on the roads for Puma, ultimately with a quest to qualify for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon.
A year later, they were still casually talking about the enticing “what if” possibilities of owning a van.
“So by 2023, we were like, ‘What do these vans look like? What do they cost? What kind of different layouts are best?” says Jason, 40, a 20-time marathoner with a 2:18:44 personal best. “And then I got really into the travel influencer YouTube videos and at some point told Jenny, ‘Hey, let’s just go look at them.’ And that led to looking at the timelines of: if we were to do this in 2024 or 2025, what would it take? It takes like a long time to build out the vans, and we are definitely not build-it-yourself van people.”
On Her Own Terms
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Simpson’s career has been her consistency. She qualified for every U.S. national team on the track between 2007 and 2019. Not only did she put in the work and remain virtually injury-free during that time, but she also raced fiercely and rose to the occasion every single time without a single hiccup in any of her preliminary races. (She also made it to the 1500-meter final of the Covid-delayed U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021 at age 35 after what she admitted was a rough gap in competition during the pandemic.)
For most of that time, she was coached by her University of Colorado coaches Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs. They continued coaching her as she transitioned to road running over the past three years and ultimately to the build-up to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, Florida. Although she had brief moments of success on the roads—finishing second in the U.S. 10-mile championship in 2021 and turning in a solid ninth-place, 1:10:35 effort in the Houston Half Marathon in 2023—the first injuries of her career disrupted her training and delayed her debut at 26.2 miles until the Olympic Trials.
Over the past three years, continuing to adhere to the rigid lifestyle needed to keep racing competitively was increasingly met at an internal crossroads of wondering when it would feel OK to retire and move on in life and what that would look like.
“Running the Olympics Trials and then running Boston, I would say those were not successful outings,” Simpson says. “I did the best that I could and I got as prepared as I could, but they weren’t what I had hoped for, neither of them were what I’m capable of. I’m really proud of how I ran in Boston because I ran entirely alone after mile 3, but that’s not how I wanted to end my career.”
After Boston, Jenny still wasn’t ready to retire. But she’d heard the chatter that suggested she could give up the ghost and not try to remain competitive on the roads, knowing her legacy was already secure. After she took some time off to recover and reflect, she knew she wanted to get back into training and target one more race on the biggest stage and settled on the New York City Marathon.
She parted ways with Wetmore and Burroughs in the spring and decided to train on her own, although she’s continually received subtle guidance from Jason, who qualified for and raced in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in Atlanta. Although he has imparted bits of knowledge to help keep her balanced, Simpson has been following a training plan in her marathon buildup that she designed.
From Best in the U.S. to Across the U.S.
Casual interest in buying a van led to more in-depth investigation and, after what was an otherwise random training run on the dirt roads north of Denver last year, they passed an RV sales lot and decided to take a look. One thing led to another and they put down a small, refundable deposit that would hold a fully appointed 23-foot Winnebago Ekko during what was expected to be nearly a year-long wait until it was built and delivered.
Fast forward to 2024 and Jenny made her marathon debut on February 3 in Orlando, but it didn’t go at all as she had hoped. She had been running among the top 20 early in the race but eventually dropped out at mile 18. She returned 10 weeks later to run a respectable Boston Marathon in mid-April (she placed 18th overall in 2:31:39 and was the fourth American finisher), and although her effort was commensurate with her inner drive—and some degree of success felt good—she still wasn’t ready to call it a career.
Finally, in April, several days before they were going to travel to Boston, the RV dealership called and told them the van had arrived and they had a week to consider buying it. At that point, Jenny was eager to run Boston to make amends for her Olympic Trials experience, but she was also physically and emotionally fried.
“And I was like, we’re doing it,” she says. “It was the perfect time in the perfect year. Because I was like, ‘I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to be done.’ It was killing me. I actually might perish in the middle of the Boston Marathon. I just was so burnt out, and so it was the perfect time for them to call and essentially say, ‘Do you want to drive away into the sunset?’ And I was like, ‘Yes, I do. I really do.’”
Two days after the Boston Marathon, they paid the remainder of the balance on the van and picked it up, immediately sending them into daydreaming mode about where they wanted to go.
Although their plans are still being formulated, they intend to rent their house and hit the road with the charming dogs in January, officially starting their “Jenny and Jason Run USA” tour in Florida. Along the way, they plan to see numerous sights, host or join at least one fun run in every state, promote dog adoptions by publicizing local humane societies, and create a wide range of engaging social media content on their Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube accounts along the way. Given that their longest stint in the van so far was the six-day trip they took to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming early last summer, they know they’re going to have to learn on the fly and continually adapt. But that’s what an adventure is all about.
“I’ve been nothing but focused on running New York, but I am excited about what’s next,” Jenny said this week. “As I have been tiptoeing toward the idea of being retired from professional running, I don’t know that I’m going to be really great at it or that it’s going to come easily for me. That’s why it’s so wonderful to have a partner in life like Jason because I think he sees that, too. So our goal is to create a lot of time and space to figure that out. I think the year will be kind of interesting and fun and wild and I really don’t know how it’ll end up, and I think that’s really good.”
Approaching the End … and a Beginning
Simpson admits her post-Boston malaise contributed to her having an inconsistent summer of training, in part because she was listening to voices that suggested she should relax and not be so rigid in her approach. When she showed up to run the Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, on August 3, she admits she wasn’t very fit, and, as a result, finished a distant 12th in 34:30.
“My Beach to Beacon race was just so bad that it was like validation to me that caring less and trying less doesn’t work for me ever in anything,” she said. “I’m just not that person. It works for some people, but that’s not who I am. I used to joke that when you show up to the track and someone asks, ‘How do you feel?’ I always thought to myself it doesn’t matter how I feel. It’s about doing the work. I always feel like it’s execution over emotion for me all the time and that I have a job to do. I know who I am and I know how I operate, and how I operate is great.”
Simpson got back to work immediately after that race, ramping up her weekly mileage to the 100-mile range in the high altitude environs of Colorado. She says she’s done more than half of her long runs between 8,500 and 10,500 feet, including runs on Magnolia Road above Boulder, Golden Gate Canyon State Park near Golden, and even a loop around the paved Mineral Belt Trail in Leadville.
Her return to rigidity and improved fitness helped bring mental clarity that not only convinced her that she’d be ready to run a strong marathon in New York City, but also brought the revelation that she was ready to admit it was her last race knowing it would allow her to retire on her own terms.
Two months after feeling flat in the 10K, she won the Wineglass Half Marathon on October 5 in Corning, New York, running a near-PR of 1:10:50 (5:24 per-mile pace) as she ran stride-for-stride to the finish line with Jason. (She broke the women’s finisher’s tape for the win, while he ran slightly to the side as the 12th-place men’s finisher and 13th overall.) Now she’s likely in sub-2:30 marathon shape, even though the hilly New York City Marathon course is as equally challenging as Boston in its own way. Jason, meanwhile, will race in the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K the day before the marathon, not only so he can track Jenny on Sunday and meet her at the finish line, but also because he’s running the California International Marathon on December 8.
2025 and Beyond
Simpson arrived in New York City on October 30 healthy, happy, and ready to run hard—definitely not the feeling of holding on for dear life that she felt going into the Olympic Trials and the Boston Marathon. She says she couldn’t be more excited to run through the city’s five boroughs to the finish line in Central Park that she hopes will come with a satisfying result, as well as the beginning of closure to her star-spangled career.
Who knows what’s next after that—Coaching? Law school? A corporate career with a shoe brand? The world seems to be her oyster, but for the time being the cross-country tour might be just what she needs most. She’s excited to detach a bit from the rigid schedule and identity she’s clung to for the past 20 years and enjoy the freedom of the open road. She knows it will be a complete departure from the essence of what she’s all about, and to that point, she’ll likely dig into planning and scheduling early next week even before she recovers from the marathon.
Although she admits she was intrigued while watching some of the top runners finish the Leadville Trail 100 this summer, she says she’s decidedly not interested in running ultras. (However, Jason might be, and Jenny says she’s been keen to pace and crew him.) She might get more into trail running, something she did a little bit early in her University of Colorado career. Or she might even return to road running, but she’s not thinking that far ahead. For now, she’s focused on racing in New York and then continuing to run in 2025—on the magical mystery tour that awaits—and beyond.
“I feel a lot of peace about it, but it’s not like I’m over running. I want to retire so I can do more running and to explore the beautiful country I raced for,” she says. “I wanted to be world class at the marathon, and I’m not. I gave it a good try, and now it’s time to try something else, and I just feel really good about it.”
(10/31/2024) Views: 25 ⚡AMPThe first New York City Marathon, organized in 1970 by Fred Lebow and Vince Chiappetta, was held entirely in Central Park. Of 127 entrants, only 55 men finished; the sole female entrant dropped out due to illness. Winners were given inexpensive wristwatches and recycled baseball and bowling trophies. The entry fee was $1 and the total event budget...
more...Top runners, including veteran athletes and young challengers, will be out to break records at the 46th Istanbul Marathon on Sunday, November 3.
Course records will be under threat as elite runners line up at the 46th edition of the Istanbul Marathon in Turkey on Sunday, November 3.
The men’s course record, set by Daniel Kibet in 2019 currently stands at 2:09:44 while the women’s record of 2:18:35 was set by Ruth Chepng’etich in 2018 and stands at 2:18:35.
Former world marathon bronze medalist Sharon Cherop is the fastest woman on the list with 2:22:28 while the men’s elite field is headlined by Ethiopia’s Abebe Negewo and with personal bests of sub 2:05:00.
The trio of Cherop, Negewo and Kipkemoi turned 40 this year, but they will be out to prove that age is just a number as they hope to continue the winning streak. The field will certainly be incomplete without youngsters and Ethiopians Kelkile Gezahegn and Sentayehu Lewetegn are among the young road runners who will also be challenging for top spot.
Betty Kibet of Kenya, a 24-year-old runner will also be debuting with the hope of having a great run in the streets of Istanbul.
Meanwhile, Abebe Degefa Negewo enters the field with a personal best time of 2:04:51, which he ran in Valencia in 2019 when he was fourth. He has produced impressive times in his previous marathons, including 2:05:27 in Valencia in 2021, 2:06:05 in Hamburg in 2022 and 2:08:12 in Rotterdam last year.
Kenneth Kipkemoi posted fast times in his previous races and hopes to continue the hot streak in Istanbul. He ran 2:08:15 in Rotterdam in 2023 and then won the Eindhoven Marathon with a personal best of 2:04:52. This year he returned to Rotterdam where he was fourth with 2:05:43.
Cherop is not new to the marathon as she won a bronze medal in the at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. She then won the prestigious Boston Marathon in 2012 and in 2013, she clocked her PB of 2:22:28 when she was runner-up in Berlin.
Ethiopia’s Sentayehu Lewetegn will be among Sharon Cherop’s challengers. She ran a strong debut in Frankfurt in 2018 with 2:22:45 for sixth place. As things stand, 42,500 runners have already been confirmed for the event. Race organisers confirmed that 7,500 of them will run the classic distance.
“No marathon is run in a city that bears the traces of three great empires that have left a significant mark on world history. No marathon passes over a bridge that connects continents above a magnificent strait. Thanks to this unique feature, we believe that the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon is the best thematic marathon in the world,” said Race Director Renay Onur according to Aims World Running.
(10/31/2024) Views: 23 ⚡AMPAt the beginning, the main intention was simply to organise a marathon event. Being a unique city in terms of history and geography, Istanbul deserved a unique marathon. Despite the financial and logistical problems, an initial project was set up for the Eurasia Marathon. In 1978, the officials were informed that a group of German tourists would visit Istanbul the...
more...Known for his iconic celebrations and world-record-breaking times, eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt shared a powerful piece of advice from his long-time coach on this week’s episode of the High-Performance Podcast.
Bolt credited his coach, Glen Mills—who led the Jamaican Olympic track and field team for two decades—for the advice that shaped the rest of his career. Mills began coaching Bolt after his Olympic debut in Athens 2004, where Bolt, then a rising talent, failed to advance from the men’s 200m heats.
After that, Mills told Bolt, “You have to learn how to lose before you can learn how to win.” As a teenager, Bolt didn’t fully grasp what Mills meant by it, but it became clear. “You will fail at some point,” Bolt said on the podcast. “What’s important is what you take away and learn from it. If you can be truthful and honest with yourself, you’ll realize what you need to do to get better.”
Bolt came to Mills as a 200m specialist and credits his coach with developing his explosive power in the 100m—a distance in which Bolt set a world record of 9.58 seconds in 2009, a record that remains unbroken.
Bolt went on to become the seventh man in history to win Olympic gold in both the 100m and 200m at the 2008 Games in Beijing, a feat he accomplished twice more in his career, at London 2012 and Rio 2016—making him the only athlete in history to achieve a three-peat in these two sprint events.
The 38-year-old officially retired after the 2017 World Championships and briefly tried his hand at professional soccer with Australia’s Central Coast Mariners in 2018.
(10/30/2024) Views: 51 ⚡AMPThe Grade 11 sprinter’s running style and tall frame have been compared to that of the legendary Usain Bolt.
Australia’s sprint sensation Gout Gout has signed a professional contract with Adidas at just 16.
The high schooler made headlines after he cruised to a 20.77-second win in the qualifying rounds of the 200m at the World U20 Championships this past August. The clip went viral in the athletics world, and track and field fans drew comparisons from his tall stature and running style to those of Jamaican track legend Usain Bolt.
“Usain Bolt is that you?” one comment said.
“Gout Gout reminds me of Usain Bolt. He will definitely level up with him,” said another.
The following day, Gout ran another personal best of 20.60 seconds in the 200m final, setting an Australian U18 record and winning silver. He was outrun by South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza who took home double golds in the World U20 100m and 200m and won silver in the 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics earlier that month. Walaza is two years older than Gout, who was competing against athletes three to four years older.
The Aussie’s performance surpassed Bolt’s own winning time from the 2002 Junior World Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, where the 16-year-old Jamaican clocked 20.61. “It’s pretty cool because Usain Bolt is arguably the greatest athlete of all time, and just being compared to him is a great feeling,” Gout said.
Like Bolt, the 200m isn’t Gout’s only event. He also holds a personal best of 10.29 in the 100m and has held the Australian U18 200m record since last year, at just 15.
In 2005, Gout’s parents moved from South Sudanese to Brisbane, Australia where Gout was born in 2007. The athlete attends Ipswich Grammar School, an all-boys boarding school, in Queensland, Australia, where he first showed off his athleticism in rugby. He’ll only be 24 when the Olympics come to his hometown of Brisbane in 2032.
(10/29/2024) Views: 73 ⚡AMPGladys Chemutai credited her triumph at the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon on Sunday to inspiration from Chicago Marathon third-place finisher Irene Cheptai.
Chemutai powered through the women’s 42km in 2:31:52 ahead of Caroline Koech ( 2:35:00 ) and Joy Kemuma ( 2:36:06 ).
The 28-year old Iten-based runner praised her training partner, Cheptai, for instilling in her the mindset of a champion.
“Cheptai gave me the morale to keep fighting. Following in the footsteps of a champion like her gave me the courage to push for victory,” Chemutai said of the 2017 World Cross Country champion.
Cheptai had finished third at the Chicago Marathon on October 3, posting 2:17:51 behind world record holder Ruth Chepng’etich ( 2:09:56 ) and Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede ( 2:17:32 ).
Chemutai dedicated her win to Cheptai and her family.
“This victory is for my mentor, Cheptai, and also for my husband and four-year-old son. They couldn’t be here, but I had promised them a good result,” she said.
The turning point came around the 17km mark on Sunday.
“I wasn’t expecting the win, but when I saw others starting to drop off, I knew I had to go for it,” Chemutai revealed.
Over the moon after securing her first marathon win, Chemutai acknowledged last year’s StanChart and the 2024 Riyadh Marathon as building blocks for her performance.
“Earlier this year, I finished fifth at the Riyadh Marathon. I featured in last year’s race where I finished fifth. I am greatful those races I have competed in have given me the much-needed experience,” she said.
On February 10, Chemutai clocked 2:29:53 for fifth in Riyadh. Ethiopians took the top four places.
Chemutai clocked 2:30:52 for fifth place last year, a race won by Evaline Chirchir ( 2:24:31 ) followed by Aurelia Jerotich ( 2:26:49 ) and Sheila Chepkech ( 2:27:16 ).
Chemutai yearns to represent the country at next year’s World Championships in Tokyo.
“I pray for the opportunity to wear the Kenyan jersey,” she said. Ronald Kimeli won the men’s race in 2:13:05 to edge out Dominic Kipkirui ( 2:13:13 ) and Peter Kwemoi ( 2:13:14 ).
The 38-year old, who has participated in the event since 2012, was thrilled to finally secure the top spot.
“I have been competing in the StanChart Marathon since 2012 but I have never won. Last year, I failed to finish, unfortunately. So coming here today and winning is such a good feeling for me,” he noted.
The 38-year-old attributed his success to moving his training from Iten to Eldoret.
“Switching training grounds made a big difference. It’s great to see it pay off,” he added.
The win earned him Sh2 million, which he plans to invest in an apartment in Eldoret. “I will use the money to build an apartment in Eldoret,” he added.
Debutant Gladys Koech won the women’s half marathon in 1:12:10 ahead of Esther Chemutai ( 1:12:12 ) and Mercy Jerotich ( 1:13:59 ).
“The race was tough, but I pushed myself. I didn’t expect to win, especially with this being my first StanChart Marathon,” she said.
She credited her win to a strong showing at the Lukenya Half Marathon earlier this year.
“I competed at the Lukenya Half Marathon where I finished second. That gave me the morale and motivation I needed for today,” she said.
At the Lukenya Half Marathon, Keoch clocked 1:10:58 to trail Martha Akeno ( 1:10:26 ) with Lilian Lelei ( 1:11:03 ) taking the bronze medal.
Koech will pocket Sh300,000.
“I am happy and thank God I was able to win this cash prize. I have not yet planned for it,” Koech revealed.
Vincent Mutai took top honours in the men’s 21km race in 1:03:27, followed by Keyborn Oboto ( 1:03:34 ) and Silas Chepkwony ( 1:03:51 ).
The 28-year-old, training under Bernard Ouma at the Rongai Athletics Club, noted that while the win was unexpected, his consistent preparation paved the way for success.
“The weather was perfect and my training gave me the confidence to push for the win,” he said.
“I did not expect to win today but owing to the amount of practice I had put into my training, I decided to go for it,” he added.
Looking forward, Mutai aims to make his mark in the 10,000m at the 2025 World Championships.
“If all goes well in training, I hope to represent Kenya on the global stage,” he shared.
(10/28/2024) Views: 75 ⚡AMPNairobi Marathon is an annual road running competition over the marathon distance held in October in Nairobi, Kenya. First held in 2003, the competition expanded and now includes a half marathon race along with the main race. It was part of "The Greatest Race on Earth", fully sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank....
more...The defending men’s IRONMAN World Champion versus a two-time fastest long distance record holder. Sam Laidlow and Magnus Ditlev are two of the strongest contenders set to take to the start line at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona this weekend. Laidlow is looking to make it back-to-back World Championship titles. And Ditlev looks fired up with a score to settle after, in his words, Laidlow “dusted my ass the last two editions of this race.”
Kona is the stage for an epic showdown as the pair lock horns over the full distance for the first time since Nice 2023 but who could come out top trumps if it all comes down to a head to head in Kona? TRI247’s Jenny Lucas-Hill looks at how the pair stack up. Are we in for a battle of the ages?
Sam Laidlow vs Magnus Ditlev – who’s most likely to take the crown in Kona?
Laidlow and Ditlev will surely feature top of many people’s podium picks for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona. Laidlow coming in with a title to defend. And Challenge Roth record-setter Ditlev arriving at the start line with a title to try and grasp. We’ve only seen Sam Laidlow and Magnus Ditlev at the same race twice this year – and the score is 1-1. Ditlev finished 1st to Laidlow’s 9th at Miami T100. And Sam took the win at London T100, with Magnus trailing in 4th.
So as we see the pair go head to head over the full Iron distance for the first time since Nice 2023, which of these superstar athletes is most likely to leave the Big Island wearing the Kona victory crown?
Magnus Ditlev 2024 performances and form
The 2024 race season got off to a strong start for Magnus Ditlev, who placed third at last year’s men’s IRONMAN World Championship in Nice. An early-season race at Miami T100 in March saw him take a resounding win. On a day where the extreme heat and humidity saw other athletes dropping like flies – there were 6 DNFs – the Great Dane was able to stay strong and finish top of the podium ahead of a storming Sam Long.
But that dominant start to the season was then scuppered a little over a month later, as a bike crash just days before Singapore T100 resulted in a broken wrist which took Ditlev off the start list. We didn’t see him race again until June, where he finished 4th behind the sprinting trio of Marten Van Riel, Rico Bogen and Kyle Smith at San Francisco T100.
With a focus on that 100km distance, we didn’t see Ditlev on a full distance start line until July. Magnus returned to Challenge Roth, a race where he set a record-breaking time for the 140.6 mile distance in 2023. And any doubts over Ditlev’s form were soon extinguished, as he took the win – and broke his own record in the process. We’ve become accustomed to seeing Ditlev have to make up time on the bike after the swim. But what will be alarming for competitors is the strong swim he had in Roth – exiting the water just 51s back from the leaders. Wet conditions slowed him down a touch on the bike compared to 2023, but he still covered the 112 miles in under 4hrs. And that characteristically strong bike split was backed up by an incredible run – completing the marathon in 2hrs 34 mins, to cross the finish line eight minutes ahead of the rest of the field. And while many might note the absence of uber-runner Patrick Lange, who surely would have been making his way up to somewhere near Ditlev’s shoulder on the run if he hadn’t been forced to pull out of the race after the swim. What’s noteworthy is that Ditlev also ran a full three minutes faster than his Roth 2023 run split. A Magnus Ditlev who can exit the water within striking distance, tear up the field on the bike, and hold strong on the run is a Magnus Ditlev to be scared of.
Ditlev has been consistently in the mix this season, with two wins backed up by two fourth place finishes. And don’t forget, with Kona being that much later this year, the Great Dane has had more time to recover from his Challenge Roth effort compared to 2023. We know from Miami T100, he’s an athlete who can keep his cool when the heat is on – in all senses of the phrase. That characteristically calm, controlled confidence sets him up in a good place for Kona.
Sam Laidlow – the reigning IRONMAN World Champion’s 2024 performances and form
We haven’t really seen where Sam Laidlow is at over the full distance yet this year. That DQ at IRONMAN Vitoria-Gasteiz meant he kept out of the race dynamics – getting to the finish line to validate his Kona slot.
Laidlow has also been a little hit and miss in the T100 series, with a 9th in Miami and a DNF in Singapore to start the season. Though his most recent win in London and 2nd place in Ibiza after going shoulder to shoulder with Marten Van Riel (despite the pair taking a wrong turn), suggest his form is shaping up just in time for Kona. And we learned in 2023 that an up-and-down season doesn’t mean you should count Laidlow out. Don’t forget that last year he took the win in Nice just a few weeks after his DNF at the PTO Asian Open.
We know that it’s typically harder to be the person on top returning to defend a title, versus being the person chasing. But what’s interesting about Sam Laidlow is that he’s proven his ability to shake off the doubters. Many dubbed his Kona 2022 podium finish as a one-hit wonder. And his hit-and-miss season in 2023 might have proven them right, were it not for a dominant victory at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice. When it mattered, he pulled it out the bag.
He proved again that he can tune the doubters out at London T100. He came into the race far from being a favourite for the win. And set tongues wagging as he was the only athlete who chose to swim without a wetsuit – many mocking the choice as he exited the water significantly further back than we’re used to seeing. But his choice was soon vindicated as he put down a confidence-boosting performance to take the win.
Where many athletes would crumble under the scrutiny of doubters and the pressure of defending a title, Laidlow seems to thrive. In fact, speaking after that win in London Laidlow said: “Whatever happens next, it’s great. I’ve got a lot of years ahead of me and if I win Kona this year, great. If I don’t, doesn’t matter. Of course I want to win and I’m going to do everything for that. But yeah, I’ve got nothing to prove, I’ve proven myself over the T100 and I’ve proven myself over Ironman.”
That ‘nothing to prove’ attitude, while still acknowledging that there’s everything to win, could give him the edge when the Big Island of Kona turns the screws this Saturday.
Verdict
The World Championship race in Kona will be the first time this year we get to see Sam Laidlow and Magnus Ditlev go head to head over the full Iron distance since last year’s IMWC in Nice. On the twists and turns of the French climbs, we saw Magnus Ditlev almost bike his way up to the front of the race. But it wasn’t enough to reel in Laidlow.
Cast our minds back to Kona 2022, and a similar story played out. Ditlev made a phenomenal charge to the front of the race which left even the mighty Norwegian duo of Blummenfelt and Iden struggling to hold his wheel. But it wasn’t enough to shake Laidlow, who not only reclaimed the lead – but set a new bike course record in the process. Ditlev picked up a drafting penalty which took him out of contention. And a Kona win wasn’t meant to be for Laidlow, who was overtaken by Gustav Iden just three miles from the finish line.
All of that means Ditlev will want to make it third time lucky and finally get ahead of Laidlow for good on the World Championship stage. He said in a recent Instagram video that he’s been having ‘nightmares’ ever since Laidlow “completely dusted [his] ass the last two editions of this race.” And both athletes have unfinished business on the Big Island. As much as Laidlow says it doesn’t matter – there’s got to be a part of him that wants to follow in the footsteps of Jan Frodeno and Patrick Lange to make it two for two.
Of course, I have to take some poetic licence in this hypothetical head to head scenario here. The likes of Blummenfelt – who was blisteringly quick at IRONMAN Frankfurt and is said to be targeting the overall Kona course record. And Patrick Lange, a former Kona champion who’s got a score to settle with that sub-2:30 marathon goal, will in reality be shaking up the dynamics – and hopefully creating an epic multi-athlete battle charging towards the finish line.
But if it does come down to a head to head battle between Laidlow and Ditlev for the win in Kona this year… despite all the signs being there that Laidlow could have the edge, my money is on Magnus Ditlev. Cool-headed he might be, but he’s clearly got some white hot flames in his belly to get out there and beat Laidlow to the finish line. A fired up Magnus Ditlev is a force to be reckoned with. Go prove me right, Magnus!
(10/24/2024) Views: 113 ⚡AMPThe inaugural KONA™ race was conceptualized in 1978 as a way to challenge athletes who had seen success at endurance swim, cycling, and running events. Honolulu-based Navy couple Judy and John Collins proposed combining the three toughest endurance races in Hawai’i—the 2.4-mile Waikiki Roughwater Swim, 112 miles of the Around-O’ahu Bike Race and the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon—into one event. ...
more...Three months after its debut, Netflix’s popular track and field series SPRINT is set to return with a highly anticipated second season. Premiering on Nov. 13, the new season will give fans an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the 2024 Paris Olympics, focusing on the four Olympic champions in the 100m and 200m: Noah Lyles, Julien Alfred, Letsile Tebogo and Gabby Thomas.
The first season of SPRINT, which premiered on Netflix in July, took viewers through the build-up to the Paris Olympics and explored the lives of several elite sprinters during the 2023 World Championships. With the Olympic torch now on its way to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games, the second season shifts focus to the dramatic races in Paris, bringing new faces and stories to the forefront.
Fans can look forward to reliving historic moments, such as Tebogo’s gold in the 200m, where he clocked an impressive 19.46 seconds—placing him fifth on the all-time list and earning Botswana its first-ever Olympic gold. The series will also highlight Alfred’s win in the 100m, marking St. Lucia’s first Olympic gold, along with Thomas’s triumph in the women’s 200m. Meanwhile, Lyles’s standout persona, both on and off the track, promises to deliver never-before-seen Olympic moments to the Netflix screen.
After watching the trailer, it appears there is no coverage of the men’s or women’s relay races from the 2024 Olympic Games, meaning no Canadian men’s 4x100m relay triumph featured in the second season of the series.
The documentary series is produced by Paul Martin at Box to Box Films, the same production company behind other Netflix successes such as Full Swing and Formula 1: Drive to Survive. SPRINT aims to bring track and field closer to fans, offering exclusive access to the sport’s biggest names and their path to superstardom. As viewers get a front-row seat to the athletes’ triumphs and struggles, SPRINT Season 2 will reveal the resilience required to become an Olympic champion.
(10/23/2024) Views: 110 ⚡AMP
There is one triathlon summit Kristian Blummenfelt has yet to scale, and this Saturday (October 26) in Hawaii he bids to end the wait.
Kona 2024 sees the professional men return to the Big Island for the first time in two years to fight out the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship, with a stellar field set to line up.
Blummenfelt, third behind compatriot Gustav Iden in 2022, will likely start the favourite to top the podium this time, with his friend and rival still rebuilding from a 2023 beset by injury and personal tragedy.
It will not be a cakewalk though (when is Kona ever a cakewalk), with defending champion Sam Laidlow, two-time king Patrick Lange and giant Dane Magnus Ditlev among those also set to toe the line.
Blummenfelt has already shown he is Ironman-ready for this test – remember how he aced Frankfurt less than two weeks after racing the Mixed Relay at the Paris 2024 Olympics? A blistering 7:27:21 – topped off by a 2:32:29 marathon – shocked many, including the man himself.
Blummenfelt Kona prep
Since then Blummenfelt and Iden have been preparing for Kona in the familiar surroundings of Flagstaff, Arizona. And according to Kristian’s coach Olav Aleksander Bu, things are going well.
The Norwegians are always brutally honest about where they are at heading into a race, and always fiercely ambitious with their goals. This time is clearly no different, Blummenfelt is aiming not just to win…
Bu told TRI247: “Prep has been good. It helps that it is a couple of weeks later this year. Race day will have to show what he is capable of ? The weather plays a big role, but a record is always a good target.”
The current Kona record remember was set just two short years ago, in the last Pro Men championship race on the Big Island. That was Iden with a spectacular 7:40:24.
Once Kona is in the rear view mirror, all attention will turn to what Blummenfelt does from 2025 on. That ambitious plan to move to pro cycling and the Tour de France appears to be dead, so he is once again all in on triathlon.
What next for Blummenfelt in 2025?
If L.A. 2028 is confirmed as a future goal, the big question will be how ‘Big Blu’ approaches the four-year cycle heading once more towards the greatest show on earth.
As Bu told TRI247 recently, 10 months of short-course preparation and racing heading into Paris 2024 was ‘mission impossible’, so it is likely the 30-year-old from Bergen would transition back down in distance much earlier next time round.
Bu explained: “We’ll have to come back to this later, but if LA becomes realistic, it means transitioning earlier with more short-course racing. However, with the development we have seen around the tactics, involving dedicated domestiques, it has become a less interesting sport from an individual level, and more a “team” sport.”
We also asked Bu who he fears among the opposition this coming Saturday, and his response as ever was illuminating. The focus is 100 percent on elite preparation and performance from his own athletes, and absolutely nothing else.
“I don’t know, as I really don’t pay attention to what others do. I obviously know some of the household names, which have been on the podium the last few years, but not how they are performing and who is on the start line.”
(10/22/2024) Views: 113 ⚡AMPThe inaugural KONA™ race was conceptualized in 1978 as a way to challenge athletes who had seen success at endurance swim, cycling, and running events. Honolulu-based Navy couple Judy and John Collins proposed combining the three toughest endurance races in Hawai’i—the 2.4-mile Waikiki Roughwater Swim, 112 miles of the Around-O’ahu Bike Race and the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon—into one event. ...
more...Olympian Joshua Cheptegei lived up to his billing to take home the men’s crown, while Alemaddis Eyayu pushed pre-race favourite Cynthia Limo behind for a surprise win in the women’s race in today’s Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, at the Indian capital.
Kenya’s Alex Matata (27) led a major part of the race with his teammate Nicholas Kipkorir, who ran his maiden half marathon internationally. Kipkorir was a bronze medalist in the 5 km World Championships last year.
Matata was unbeaten in all three races he took part in in Europe earlier this year, with two sub-60 minutes clocking in two of them. That made the race exciting, and everyone was looking for a fast finish timing from the men’s winner. Matata keeps the lead until the runners turn toward the finish line in the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, where the race commenced less than an hour earlier to decide the 2024 title.
Cheptegei, running seconds behind the Kenyan, realized the now-or-never situation and came from behind to snatch the lead from Matata to win in 59 minutes 46 seconds. Matata (59:53) and Kipkorir (59:59) complete the podium with the Ugandan.
Incidentally, the Vedanta Delhi half marathon was one of the fastest races in the World and usually saw incredible timings by the participants. Ethiopian Deriba Merga was the first to post a sub-60-minute winning time in 2008 when all the podium finishers dipped under 1 hour. This action was repeated several times in some of the subsequent editions at Delhi, wherein 2014 witnessed a record number of nine runners finishing within 60 minutes.
Former world champion Muktar Edris from Ethiopia, another pre-race favourite, finished fifth (60:52), while Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu (60:40) got the fourth place.
Cheptegei, with multiple world titles on his cap, said that “this win in Delhi was special to me because it is my first-ever victory in a Half Marathon. India has been important for my career, and this country now means a lot to me. I felt good throughout the race despite the slow start. My first aim was to catch up with Nicholas (Kipkorir) and then Alex (Matata) in the final few kilometres of the race. I am delighted with my performance and hope to continue in the same manner in the future races”.
Thank you, Vedanta Delhi Half, for a wonderful race. This has been a special race that tested my mind. Initially, I felt some problems in my feet around 16-17 km, but I decided to push and catch up with Nicholas, and then for about two kilometers, we pushed each other. I took it slow because I didn’t want to burn out, and I wanted to finish strong. Now I go back home with a feeling to conquer the roads”, he further revealed.
Eyayu beats favourite Limo to win the women’s title:Alemaddis Eyayu extended the Ethiopian winning streak in Delhi. Kenya’s Cynthia Limo, the pre-race favourite, led the field right from the beginning while Scotland’s Commonwealth Champion Eilish McColgan trailed behind all the time. McColgan had the fastest and only sub-66 minute timing among the elite women who took the starting lineup today. However, two Ethiopians, Eyayu and Tiruye Mesfin, stuck with Limo for the entire part.
Cynthia Limo, who won the women’s title here in 2015, had returned to Delhi after nine years. Following her victory in the Indian capital, the Kenyan runner secured a silver medal in Cardiff's 2016 World Half Marathon championships.Eyayu and Limo passed the 10K mark together and remained the sole leaders in the women’s race. However, the Ethiopian runner pulled ahead in the second phase of the race, leaving Limo 10-15 seconds behind. It was a crucial deciding factor at the end as Eyayu crossed the finish line 68:17 for the top spot, while Limo did so 10 seconds later. Mesfin clocked 69:42 for third and McColgan 69:55 to finish fourth and outside the podium.
“I had a good race, tried to keep my pace and aimed to finish well. I am happy to have achieved it” Eyayu said during the post-event press conference.
Limo said she was happy to join the Delhi podium after nine years. “Securing second place is incredible, one that fills me with pride. The atmosphere was electric, with people lining the streets and cheering us. It’s heartwarming to see how the city comes together. This experience has been truly special; the support from the spectators, their enthusiasm, and the overall energy of the event have made this return to Delhi unforgettable,” was Limo’s reaction to the race.
The total prize purse for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon is USD 260,000. The podium finishers both men and women will take home USD 27,000, USD 20,000 & USD 13,000 respectively.
Sawan Barwal betters previous performance
Sawan Barwal will go home with the gold medal this time around after finishing on the podium of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon for a second straight edition. With a timing of 1:02:46, Barwal finished ahead of Puneet Yadav, bettering his personal best in the process. Kiran Matre grabbed the third spot to complete the podium for the Indian Elite Men's event.
Barwal, who won bronze in 2023, was behind Puneet at the 10-kilometer mark, but left his best for the final stretch of the race. Taking advantage of an opening, he pushed himself in the final quarter and eventually secured the top spot with a difference of almost 1 minute and 9 seconds.
After the race, an emotional Sawan was ecstatic about turning the bronze to gold as he shed some light on his performance, saying, "It has been a great ride from the last Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon to the current edition. We are nearing the end of the season, and I was happy with the preparations throughout the season, and I used that to my advantage this time around. I did not enter thinking about finishing in 62 minutes, but the way I started and when I settled into the race, I knew I could go all the way."
Lili Das has dream debut
In the Indian Elite Women's category, Lili Das was miles ahead of her competitors, securing the gold with a timing of 1:18:12. Coming in second was last year's winner Kavita Yadav, who clocked 1:19:44 as she finished in the top 3 for a second straight edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. In third place was 2022 Asian Games bronze medallist Priti Lamba, who crossed the finish line at the 1:20:21 mark.
In the 9th position at the 10-kilometer mark, Lili upped the ante to reach the top spot at the 15th kilometer. She maintained the lead with a massive effort and went on to win the gold by a massive difference of 1 minute and 32 seconds ahead of Kavita.
Lili, who fought cramps on the way to her gold, spoke about the experience of landing on the podium in her very first Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, "It is a very good feeling to win the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon in my very first attempt. I felt a little bit of dehydration during the race which I was worried about, but I am glad that I was able to finish the race. I cramped up around the 19th kilometer and it was a scary moment, but I fought it and worked very hard to finish the final 2 kilometers. After doing well in track and field events, winning gold in a half marathon feels great."
The people of Delhi came together once again to showcase the spirit of their city and promote healthy lifestyles at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. Thousands of runners, from seasoned athletes to enthusiastic amateurs, took to the streets, turning the event into a vibrant celebration of fitness and community. The race not only highlighted the city's commitment to well-being but also raised awareness for various charitable causes, embodying the essence of unity and social responsibility that Delhi is known for.
(10/21/2024) Views: 118 ⚡AMPThe Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is a haven for runners, creating an experience, that our citizens had never envisaged. The streets of Delhi converted to a world-class running track. Clean, sanitized road for 21.09 kms, exhaustive medical support system on the route, timing chip for runners, qualified personnel to ensure smooth conduct of the event across departments. The race...
more...On a record setting day more than 6,200 runners crossed the line making the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon the largest marathon in Canada.
Ethiopian women once again filled the top four places with the first three smashing the course record.
Waganesh Mekasha crossed the line first in a marvellous time of 2:20:44 to claim the $20,000 winners’ purse together with $10,000 for beating the course record. The record of 2:22:16 had been set by Kenya’s MagdalyneMasai in 2019.
A year ago Waganesh had finished one second behind the winner and returned here with victory in mind.
“I had prepared very well and I thought I could get the course record,” she said through a broad grin. ‘I thought I might get 2:21. I didn’t expect 2:20 so I am very happy.”
Second place went to Roza Dereje, who was returning to marathon racing after taking three years off to start a family. The Olympic 4th place finisher in 2021 she has a personal best of 2:18:30 and had been boldly insistent that she wanted a pacemaker to take the leaders out at course record pace. She got her wish.
The four-woman Ethiopian contingent passed half way in 1:10:19 but at 30km there were just three of them left, Waganesh, Roza and Afera Godfay.
“Around 35 -37km is where I made my move,” Waganeshsaid afterwards while waving to a Toronto spectator who hails from her village in Ethiopia. “From there I pushed on and that is where I was able to separate.”
Roza was pleased with her performance and praised her compatriots.
“I praise the Lord first, I am very happy with the run and with the time,” she declared. “I am happy for my kids and my husband. It has been three years (since her last marathon) and I am happy. I came to win but I am very happy with what I got.”
Following Roza home was Afera Godfay to repeat her third place finish from a year ago but this time she was rewarded with a a new personal best of 2:21:50.
The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is a World Athletics Elite Label race and doubles as the Canadian Championships. It was Natasha Wodak, a two-time Canadian Olympian and current national record holder at 2:23:12, who claimed the championship gold medal while finishing 5th overall.
After chasing the Olympic standard in 2023 and early 2024 and falling short she was delighted with her first championship in her favoured distance. She drew encouragement from the fact her time of 2:27:54 was her fastest since 2022.
“I am really happy that I was able to win,” she said as her parents and her coach Trent Stellingwerf looked on. “ Ididn’t feel awesome in the second half but I had an amazing pacer who was encouraging me and when I needed to slow down we would slow down and when I felt good we would speed up.
“I didn’t feel that great which is a little frustrating but to still run sub 2:28 when you are not feeling great on a windy day I am happy with that.”
The Canadian championship silver medal went to Leslie Sexton (2:33:15) with the bronze going to Rachel Hannah (2:34:33).
Mulugeta Uma, who is a member of the Ethiopian armed forces, won the men’s race in 2:07:16. He had also come to Toronto hoping to produce a course record (2:05:00). When the pacer dropped out at halfway reached in 63:01 he pushed the pace all the while encouraging those around him to share pacemaking duties.
Eventually Kenya’s Domenic Ngeno took on the role and opened up a ten-second lead which appeared to undo the field. But Mulugeta was unfazed.
“I was running my own pace I saw (Domenic) move ahead but I knew he would come back to us because I was running my own pace,” he revealed later. “It was very hard. It was cold and very windy so it was very difficultrunning. I didn’t get the time but I got the win.”
Ngeno hung on for second place in 2:07:23 a three second improvement over his previous personal best.
“I was thinking I would run ahead of that guy from Ethiopia,” said Ngeno. “I knew he was very strongbecause he has a personal best of 2:05:33. When the group caught me I knew I would be on the podium. I am happy with my second place.”
Third place went to Noah Kipkemboi of Kenya who also recorded a personal best with 2:07:31.
The Canadian men’s title went to Vancouver’s Justin Kent who ran a personal best of 2:12:17. He had run aggressively from the start accompanied by a dedicated pacemaker who took him through half way in 65:13.
"I felt fantastic - until we hit the wind in the last 8k,” he said afterwards. “I felt really, really good, holding back a lot, and then the pace faltered a little bit. I was just zoned in on the pacer. There were two 5km splits there where we were running 15:50, which allowed them to come back a little bit. My legs felt great just the wind was not so fun.”
At one point a chasing pack of Canadians closed the gap paced by his friend and training partner, Ben Preisner. Yet, he was able to hold them off before extending the margin .Second place went to Lee Wesselius in 2:13:52 with Andrew Alexander, who was making his marathon debut, taking the bronze medal in 2:14:13.
“I knew at the first turnaround they were a lot closer than I thought,” Kent continued. “I knew that was potentially going to happen but I knew they were just as sore as I was. I was a little bit worried that they might work together in the wind. That’s a hard stretch to run into the wind that last 8km. I was able to pull away the last couple of kilometres.”
Both Kent and Wodak earned valuable World Athletics points for their Canadian Championships which they hope will earn then places on Canada’s 2025 World Championship team bound for Tokyo.
(10/20/2024) Views: 110 ⚡AMPThe Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5k Run / Walk is organized by Canada Running Series Inc., organizers of the Canada Running Series, "A selection of Canada's best runs!" Canada Running Series annually organizes eight events in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver that vary in distance from the 5k to the marathon. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Half-Marathon are...
more...The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon (TWM) returns on Sunday, doubling as the Canadian Marathon Championships. For our Canadian elite athletes, Sunday’s race provides a chance to qualify for the marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, to be held in Tokyo. Canadian record holder Natasha Wodak will toe the line in Toronto for the first time in 11 years, setting her sights on her first-ever Canadian marathon title.
Wodak made her marathon debut here in 2013. The 42-year-old from Vancouver has been on a golden streak this year, winning the Vancouver Half Marathon in June and Vancouver’s Eastside 10K in September. But earlier this year, she fell short of her goal to qualify for Canadian Olympic team after completing four marathon builds and taking three attempts at the race in the span of 18 months.
“The marathon is a beast”
“Nothing is guaranteed,” Wodak says. “Never in a million years would I have thought that after running 2:23:00, I wouldn’t be able to come within four minutes of that, four different times in 18 months.” Wodak completed the 42.2K event at the 2023 Budapest World Championships, 2024 Houston and Hamburg marathon events, falling short of the Olympic standard each time, and had scratched from the 2023 London Marathon after coming down with a stomach bug. “The marathon is a beast; you’ve got to have the right day, the right fitness, the right weather–everything has to click on the right day.”
The two-time Olympian holds a personal best of 2:23:12, which has stood as the Canadian record since the 2022 Berlin Marathon. “The A goal is to win the Canadian marathon championships,” she says, hoping to add that title to her already impressive resume. “Everyone wants to be a national champion.”
After steering away from her original plan to race at the Valencia Marathon, Wodak is taking a different approach at Toronto’s big-city race; she can finally enjoy racing in Canada in front of family and friends without the pressure of hitting the Olympic standard. She adds that the generous prize purse offered by TWM was an incentive. She revealed she plans on starting out conservatively, with the hope of having a fast second half. “I’ll go out at 2:25 to 2:26 pace, and hope to catch a few of the women who go out too hard,” she says. “It would be really nice to place in the top three. If all goes well, maybe I can surprise myself and others by having a really fast last 10K.”
After her attempts to qualify for Paris 2024, Wodak says she has learned not to take anything for granted. She says she began to jump into workouts with friends, running because she wanted to and doing what felt good. “I did enjoy the process over time, so I have no regrets,” she says. “It’s a privilege to do this.”
Erin Mawhinney to make marathon debut
Defending TWM half-marathon champion Erin Mawhinney will be doubling her usual distance to make her first-ever attempt at 42.2K. The 28-year-old, a two-time winner of the Under Armour Toronto 10K, has been slowly building up her mileage while training for the past three years with coach and two-time Olympian Reid Coolsaet; at the peak of her build, she reached 190 km in one week–quite a contrast to the maximum of 43 km she used to run weekly in university. The increase in mileage means increased time dedicated to training, adding to her already-busy schedule; the Hamilton native works full-time as a nurse, with the occasional night shift. “My apartment is a mess all the time, and I’m always out of groceries, since I’m eating more to support that mileage,” she says.
“You go in a little bit blind,” Mawhinney says. “You can sort of predict from the half-marathon what might happen, but it’s also a completely different event.” Her half-marathon best stands at 1:11:50, which she ran in March. “Somewhere in the low 2:30s would be a great day, but I’m mostly just excited to try out a marathon.”
Anne-Marie Comeau to seek redemption
Anne-Marie Comeau of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., is the reigning Canadian Marathon Championships silver medallist; the 2018 winter Olympian in cross-country skiing led for 42.1 kilometres of last year’s race before being passed by Quebec City’s Caroline Pomerleau, who nabbed the title. Comeau, who is 28, struggled over the last 10 km, and aims to pack her pockets with gels this year to avoid fading in the final stretch. “I had a rough year,” she says. “I’ve done a lot of marathon builds without actually racing.” Comeau was set to race the Houston Marathon and the Boston Marathon, but had to scratch from both, first due to Covid, and then to a shoulder dislocation while skiing.
Finally getting the chance to race, Comeau has set big foals for herself. “I want to get a personal best,” she says. “My marathon PB (2:34:51) is from last year on this course. I’m going to start a bit slower, at 2:31 to 2:32 pace, and see if I’m able to push harder toward the end.”
International field
Waganesh Mekasha of Ethiopia has her eyes set on the course record this year. The 32-year-old holds a personal best of 2:22:45 from the 2019 Dubai Marathon and took second in Toronto last fall, with a time of 2:23:12. “I enjoyed the race last year,” she says. “The course was great. The pacer dropped early and it affected us.” Her best time sits just off the course record of 2:22:16. The 2023 Ottawa Marathon champion feels as though she has prepared even better than last year. “If the pace goes out well and the weather is good, the course record is possible,” she says.
Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje comes into the race with the fastest personal best in the women’s field (2:18:30), and will also be fighting to take down the five-year-old course record. “I’m ready and prepared to challenge the course record,” she says. Dereje, 27, finished fourth in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympic Games, and became a mother in 2023. This is her first time visiting Canada.
For the first time in the race weekend’s history, the 5K race, traditionally held on the same day as the marathon and half-marathon, has been moved to Saturday; the race has already raised more than $3,000,000 for the TCS Charity Program.
How to watch
The 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Canadian Marathon Championships can be streamed on Sunday, Oct. 20, on World Athletics Inside Track, CBC Sports, or the CBC Gem app. The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is one of the first North American marathons to be featured on the WA Inside Track worldwide feed. This year, 30,000 participants from 70 countries will take part in Toronto’s race weekend (a record). All runners can be tracked using the official TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon app, available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
(10/19/2024) Views: 146 ⚡AMPThe Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5k Run / Walk is organized by Canada Running Series Inc., organizers of the Canada Running Series, "A selection of Canada's best runs!" Canada Running Series annually organizes eight events in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver that vary in distance from the 5k to the marathon. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Half-Marathon are...
more...Technology might be helping Patrick Lange's rivals more than it helps him, says triathlon legend Mark Allen.
Elite triathletes are running faster and faster every year – in no small part to the technology at their disposal – and that includes those much-hyped ‘super shoes’.
But ironically the ever-advancing plate-enhanced footwear on offer may be giving the sport’s fastest ever marathon runner more trouble than they are worth, according to six-time IRONMAN World Champion Mark Allen.
Germany’s Patrick Lange, two-time Kona champion himself, has made a career out of running down the opposition at the end of a brutal 140.6-mile race. Quite simply, nobody has ever been faster.
Twice Lange has come agonisingly close to running the sport’s first ever sub-2:30 marathon, clocking 2:30:27 at Challenge Roth in 2023 and 2:30:32 at IRONMAN Israel in 2022. Undoubtedly helped to an extent by ‘super shoes’.
But Allen’s hunch is that those shoes are actually helping Lange’s rivals even more, allowing them to blunt his opportunity to run them down in the closing stages. He explained his rationale when speaking to TRI247 in the countdown to the upcoming 2024 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona.
Mark Allen on Lange
“The interesting thing in my opinion – I think the super shoes have helped some of the less talented runners more than the talented runners. It’s almost like when you throw on a wetsuit, that helps the less talented swimmer more than the talented swimmer.
“Just looking at some of the splits of guys compared to what they maybe had done in the past, it helped Patrick for sure I would say – some of the times he’s been running are phenomenal – but I think it’s helped guys who are maybe a little bit slower running, more than him. Which when it comes to first, second or third, makes it a little more difficult for a really good runner.
“So don’t count him out [in Kona], but also, unless the dynamic is just right and he can feed off the train of a pack, I think it will be hard for him to be top three.”
Despite Allen’s fears about how the race dynamic will impact Lange’s hopes of a third title in Hawaii on October 26, he does believe the German is in peak form coming into the race.
Patrick is peaking for Kona 2024
“A number of people, when I was in Nice for the IRONMAN World Championship, were saying they think he’s actually gonna have a really good race in Kona this year. The underground guys who are keeping track of him, who are there, seeing what he’s doing, knowing what he’s doing, knowing how he’s raced and all that.
“Even if he doesn’t have a win or a top three, I think he’s got that desire to go sub 2:30 on the marathon. So even if he doesn’t win, maybe we’re gonna see a sub 2:30 marathon, which would be kind of like one of those 27-year split times that stays on the record books for quite a while.”
(10/17/2024) Views: 155 ⚡AMPI am a numbers’ guy. I’ve always been a numbers’ guy. I always want to see what the numbers tell me before I opine from an emotional standpoint.
Accordingly, I did a deep dive into the last five women to hold the marathon world record going back to Kenyan Catherine “The Great” Ndereba, in 2001. What I found was a changing world order.
Catherine Ndereba was the last of the old school road racers who then progressed to the marathon. Catherine came to compete on the U.S. road tour beginning in 1995, but really began winning convincingly in 1996 at age 24, winning four times in New York City; Spokane, Washington; Utica, NY; Flint, Michigan; and Philadelphia, Pa.
In 1999, she made her marathon debut in Boston, running to eighth place in 2:28:26. Later that fall, she finished second in New York City in 2:27:34. But she also had eight wins on the road circuit when you could still make money there and the marathon wasn’t yet as lucrative as it is today.
The following year, 2000, Catherine won her first Boston and Chicago Marathons, with another eight wins on the road circuit. She won Boston again in 2001 in 2:22:53, then set her world record in Chicago in the fall in her sixth career marathon, running 2:18:47, with another eight wins on the roads. Catherine was 29 when she ran her record and set her personal best by 2:46 seconds.
In all, she ran 23 marathons, finished 23, won 8.
Great Britain’s Paul Radcliffe broke Catherine‘s world record one year later in Chicago 2002 (2:17:18) then smashed her own record one year later in London (2:15:25), a record that would last 16 years, by far the longest standing women’s marathon world record in history. Before that, Paula had run her debut in the spring of 2002 in London, at age 28, winnng in 2:18:56, a debut record.
In all, Paula started 13 marathons, finished 12, won 8. She, like Catherine, was age 29 when she set her final record at 2:15:25.
But Paula had a long, distinguished career in cross country and track going all the way back to 1992 when won the IAAF World Cross Country U20 championship in snowy Boston before finishing fourth in the World Junior Championships in the 3000m, a circumstance that would repeat itself over the years until she moved up in distance.
Paula ran fifth at the 1996 Olympic 5000m final in Atlanta. Then fourth in the 1997 World Championships 5000 in Athens; second in the WC 10,000m in Seville; and fourth again in the 2000 Olympic 10,000 in Sydney. She just couldn’t finish the last 200-300m with the East Africans like Derartu Tulu and Gete Wami to nab gold.
She entered her first marathon in London 2002 after showing her ability at the half marathon, winning at the Great North Run and the World Half Marathon Championships in Vera Cruz in 2000, and again in Bristol in 2001 – though she still ran on the track at 3k, 5k and 10k. From there, it was clear sailing, as the world came to expect Paula’s 2:15:25 to last for a long, long time.
It wasn’t until Brigid Kosgei came along in Chicago 2019, running 2:14:04, that Paula’s mighty record fell. But that was a bit of a stunner, as people didn’t see it coming. That gave even more gravity to the super-shoe era, because Brigid was 25 years old running the ninth of her 17 career marathons when she set her record. It was a personal best by 4:16, very similar to what we saw with Ruth Chepngetich last Sunday in Chicago. Both were deep into their marathon careers before producing their other worldly record performances.
Between Brigid and Ruth came Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa. She ran her world record of 2:11:53 at age 26 in Berlin in the third of only five career marathons. And that WR was a personal best by 3:44 at age 26.
And now, of course, we have Ruth Chepngetich, whose 2:09:56 in Chicago last Sunday has had heads spinning faster than Linda Blair in the Exorcist.
Ruth has run 15 marathons, finished 13, won 9, while running her world record in her 15th marathon, seven years into her career, setting a PB by 4:22. That last stat is the one people have trouble getting their heads around. You don’t improve that much so late in your career; they say.
But Brigid Kosgei ran her world record in the ninth of 17 career marathons with a personal best by 4:16. So what Ruth did was not unprecedented, though taken from a tiny sample.
The ages when they produced their world records:
Catherine, age 29; Paula, age 28 and 29;Brigid, age 25; Tigst, age 26; Ruth, age 30.
The world is constantly spinning, changing. Catherine Ndereba and Paula Radcliffe came from an old world, not just pre-super shoes, but pre-only focusing on marathons and half marathons.
And with the super shoes and super nutrition and super coaching and super God knows what else, there has been a great stir in the running community. Some refuse to even consider the possibility of these record times. Others say “wait and see if any positive testing follows down the line”, as we have seen many times before. And very few say, “everything‘s on the up and up. There’s nothing here to see other than a great performance.”
That doesn’t leave the sport in a very good place. But guess what? We are kidding ourselves if we think 2:09:56 is going to last very long. Look at Chicago’s women’s splits: 15:00 at 5K = 2:06:46 pace; 45:32 at 15k = 2:08:16 pace; and 64:16 at halfway = 2:08:32 pace. You even out that effort just a little, and you’re looking at sub-2:09! It’s coming. You can count on it. Plus, once one-person shows what’s possible, it inspires many more to try.
Remember, we are still in the first two generations of world-class women’s distance running. We have no idea what their limits may be, notwithstanding all nefariousness that attends the sport these days.
And so the debate continues, even as the sport searches for leadership, which seems to be missing in action. It’s one hell of a Wild West show, isn’t it?
(10/16/2024) Views: 150 ⚡AMPAthletics Kenya has defended Ruth Chepngetich after her record-breaking Chicago Marathon win, urging respect and dismissing doping accusations, emphasizing her consistent, hard-earned success.
Athletics Kenya has called for the respect of newly-crowned Chicago Marathon champion Ruth Chepng’etich who is fresh from breaking the marathon world record.
Ruth Chepng’etich clocked an impressive 2:09:56 to win the race at the Chicago Marathon, shattering Tigst Assefa’s previous record of 2:11:53 that she set to win the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
The Kenyan distance sensation ran a solo race to showcase her mastery of the course after winning the 2021 and 2022 editions of the race and finishing second behind Sifan Hassan at the 2023 edition of the event.
However, rumours have emerged that Ruth Chepng’etich might have doped following her impressive splits and that her world record might not be credible. However, Chepng’etich is one of the most consistent marathoners who has a lot of titles including the world marathon title she won at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Following a ton of accusations, Athletics Kenya has jumped to her defence, urging the public to allow her to celebrate her huge feat and acknowledge her efforts as one of the most outstanding marathon runners in the world.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Athletics Kenya acknowledged her efforts, noting that she has been extraordinary in her performances for over five years and has joined the exclusive world of world record holders including Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet and Beatrice Chepkoech.
“In any case, many world records were broken this year, and to single her out is utterly unfair. It is therefore disheartening to witness some sections of the media casting unwarranted doubt on her achievements. Such aspersions, made without due process, undermine not only her efforts but the integrity of the sport,” Athletics Kenya said in a statement.
“We urge the media and the global community to give Ruth the respect she deserves and protect athletes from harassment. Let her celebrate this hard-earned victory and let us acknowledge the years of hard work and discipline that have brought her to this moment.”
The Kenyan federation was quick to note that every athlete, including Ruth Chepng’etich, underwent the required anti-doping tests and defended her performance on the global stage.
(10/16/2024) Views: 150 ⚡AMPRunning the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is the pinnacle of achievement for elite athletes and everyday runners alike. On race day, runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will set out to accomplish a personal dream by reaching the finish line in Grant Park. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is known for its flat and...
more...Discover the top 5 fastest female marathoners in the world, featuring record-breaking athletes from Kenya and Ethiopia who continue to redefine the sport.
Kenya and Ethiopia, long-standing powerhouses in long-distance running, are known for producing some of the greatest female marathoners of all time, consistently setting new records and redefining athletic excellence.
Athletes such as Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya and Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia have not only dominated the marathon world but have also broken significant barriers with their remarkable times.
The competitive landscape of the World Marathon Majors (WMM) — including iconic races like the Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and London Marathon — has seen historic performances from these and other top runners.
In this article, we review the top 5 fastest female marathoners in the world, analyzing their breakthrough races, their contributions to the sport, and how they continue to inspire future generations of athletes.
5. Amane Beriso Shankule (Ethiopia) – 2:14:58
Rounding out the top 5 is Amane Beriso Shankule of Ethiopia, whose incredible performance at the 2022 Valencia Marathon earned her a place among the fastest female marathoners. Shankule completed the race in 2:14:58, showcasing her strength and determination in long-distance running.
Although still relatively new to the elite marathon circuit, Shankule’s time places her in an elite group of women who have broken the 2:15 barrier. Ethiopia has long been a dominant force in long-distance running, and Shankule’s success further underscores the depth of talent in the country. Her performance in Valencia will likely serve as a stepping stone to even greater achievements in the future.
4. Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) – 2:14:04
Brigid Kosgei of Kenya is no stranger to marathon success, having made history during the 2019 Chicago Marathon. On October 13, 2019, Kosgei crossed the finish line in 2:14:04, breaking the previous world record and establishing herself as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
Kosgei’s performance in Chicago was groundbreaking, as she broke the world record that had stood for over 16 years. Her run was characterized by her smooth stride and exceptional stamina, which allowed her to dominate the race from start to finish. Her record time remained unbeaten until 2023 when Tigst Assefa surpassed it.
Kosgei’s marathon career has been illustrious, with multiple wins in prestigious events such as the London Marathon. Her success has further cemented Kenya’s reputation as a global leader in marathon running. Although her record was eventually broken, Kosgei’s achievements remain a significant chapter in the history of women’s marathoning.
3. Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) – 2:13:44
In third place is Sifan Hassan, a Dutch athlete known for her incredible versatility. Originally a middle-distance runner, Hassan shocked the world when she ran the 2023 Chicago Marathon in 2:13:44, marking her debut in the marathon with one of the fastest times ever recorded by a woman.
Hassan’s ability to transition from track events to the marathon is nothing short of exceptional. Her success in the 1,500m, 5,000m, and 10,000m events — where she has multiple Olympic and World Championship titles — clearly translated well to the marathon. Her 2023 performance in Chicago not only placed her among the fastest female marathoners but also demonstrated the potential for athletes to excel across different distances.
Hassan’s achievement has inspired many young runners, especially those who see her as a symbol of athletic versatility. By running one of the fastest marathons on her debut, Hassan proved that success in the marathon does not always require years of specialized training in the event.
2. Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia) – 2:11:53
Second on the list is Ethiopian sensation Tigst Assefa, who delivered a breathtaking performance at the 2023 Berlin Marathon. On September 24, 2023, Assefa finished the race in 2:11:53, setting a new course record and breaking the previous world record for female marathoners at the time. This monumental run placed her firmly among the fastest women in marathon history.
Assefa’s journey to the top has been remarkable. A former middle-distance runner, she transitioned to marathon running with great success, demonstrating her versatility across different distances. Assefa’s victory also highlighted Ethiopia’s dominance in marathon running, adding her name to a long list of world-class Ethiopian athletes who have left their mark on the sport.
With her record-breaking time, Assefa solidified her position as one of the greatest marathoners of all time.
1. Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) – 2:09:56
Ruth Chepngetich stands as the fastest female marathoner in history, having recently shattered records at the 2024 Chicago Marathon. On October 13, 2024, Chepngetich clocked a stunning time of 2:09:56, becoming the first woman to break the 2:10 barrier. This incredible achievement has cemented her position as the top female marathoner globally.
Known for her aggressive pacing and strong endurance, Chepngetich’s performance in Chicago was nothing short of extraordinary. She had already been a prominent figure in the marathon world, having won the 2019 World Championships Marathon in extreme heat conditions. However, her 2024 run in Chicago redefined what was possible for women in the marathon, establishing her as a trailblazer in the sport.
Chepngetich’s ability to push boundaries continues to inspire countless female athletes, especially those from Kenya, where marathon running has become a symbol of national pride. Her record-breaking marathon will undoubtedly remain a benchmark for years to come.
(10/15/2024) Views: 135 ⚡AMPThe former world champion is raring to go again after enduring a lot of difficulties in recent years that have locked him out of major championships.
Former world champion Yohan Blake is promising a strong comeback after enduring a frustrating 2024 season.
Blake has not raced since July when he finished eighth at the London Diamond League, an outcome that saw him claim a lack of respect from Jamaicans.
That was after missing a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics when he could not go past the preliminary round of the 100m at the Jamaican trials and there has been uncertainty over his athletics future, especially after he opened a restaurant in Florida, early this month.
However, the 34-year-old seems not ready to hang his spikes just yet and remains determined to revive his career heading into the 2025 season.
“The journey continues. Focused, determined, and back where I belong. Stay tuned for what’s next. With God, all things are possible,” Blake posted on social media.
Blake, who has two Olympics silver medals in 100m and 200m and as many gold in 4x100m relay, has been struggling to get back to his former glories.
The sprinter was regarded as one of the big prospects when he burst onto the scene but after an early promise, his powers have been waning in recent years, casting doubts on whether he will return to winning ways.
His main task now is to be fit and qualify for next year’s World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
(10/15/2024) Views: 125 ⚡AMPThe Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2024, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, is set to witness a world-class international roster headlined by Two-time Olympic gold medalist Joshua Cheptegei. He will be joined by the two-time 5000m World Champion Muktar Edris, which increases expectations for a course record in the men’s race.
The women’s field includes the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion in the 10,000m, Eilish McColgan. This prestigious event will take place in the heart of India’s National Capital on Sunday, October 20, 2024.
Fresh from his victory in the 10,000m at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Uganda’s Cheptegei is poised to make his debut in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon and has been a three-time World Champion in the 10,000m and boasts a personal best of 59:21 in the Half Marathon. His stellar career also includes a 5,000m gold and 10,000m silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Ahead of the race, Cheptegei expressed: “I’m incredibly excited to debut at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. This race is known for its energetic atmosphere, fast course, and unmatched Hospitality. I can’t wait to soak it all in and push myself to deliver a memorable performance. With such a competitive line-up, it will be an exciting challenge, and I’m aiming for nothing less than the top spot.”
Cheptegei will face formidable opposition from Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris, who will be returning to the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon after 2022. A star of the sport at the junior level, Edris finished fourth on debut in the Delhi Half Marathon in 2020 with an impressive run of 59:04. Before that, he won two world championship titles in the 5,000m during 2017 and 2019.
Eilish McColgan leading women’s line-up
Eilish won gold in the 10,000m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, setting a new Games record, and settled for silver in the 5000m.
McColgan holds the European record for the 10 km road race and British records for multiple distances. She has also represented Great Britain in four Olympic Games (2012-2024) and Scotland in three Commonwealth Games (2014-2022). She holds Scottish records in multiple events and has claimed seven national championships, cementing her status as one of Scotland’s most accomplished runners. Last year, she won the Berlin half-marathon with a personal best 65:43.
Several top athletes, including Kenya’s Cynthia Limo (66:04), Ethiopia’s Yalemget Yaregal (66:27) and Tiruye Mesfin (66:31), and Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri (66:37), are joining McColgan in the women’s race. With five women having clocked times under 67 minutes, the competition promises to be thrilling and fast-paced.
Ethiopians Amdework Walelegn (58:53) and Yalemzerf Yehualaw (64:46) have held the Course Records in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon since 2020.
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, with a prize pool of USD 260,000, will begin at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where elite athletes will be joined by India’s top runners and passionate amateurs, united in the spirit of #AaRangDeDilli.
(10/14/2024) Views: 186 ⚡AMPThe Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is a haven for runners, creating an experience, that our citizens had never envisaged. The streets of Delhi converted to a world-class running track. Clean, sanitized road for 21.09 kms, exhaustive medical support system on the route, timing chip for runners, qualified personnel to ensure smooth conduct of the event across departments. The race...
more...Ebenyo is eager to impress at this year's Chicago Marathon after missing out on the 2024 Paris Olympics games.
World silver medalist in the men's 10,000m, Daniel Ebenyo is looking to impress at his year's Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 13.
Ebenyo is making is first appearance in a race since heartbreakingly missing out on the 2024 Paris Olympic games.
Seen as one of the favorites to represent team Kenya in Paris owing to his exploits in the 2023 World Championships and World Road Running Championships, Ebenyo failed to earn a ticket to feature at the Olympics.
The commonwealth games silver medalist is out to right a wrong with this year's Chicago Marathon, drawing inspiration from last year's Chicago Marathon hero and world record holder, the late Kelvin Kiptum.
"It was last year when Kiptum broke the world record here (Chicago). And my dream since I started running was to start my marathon debut in Chicago which is fine and I'm looking forward for better result," Ebenyo told Citius Mag.
The Chicago Marathon debutant expressed happiness at being able to run again having missed out on the Olympics.
"No, I was never sad because I know this is sport and anything can happen and I am happy to race again," he added, when questioned on whether he was saddened by missing out on the Olympics.
Ebenyo has revealed that he does not plan to return to track and field any time soon as he shifts his focus.
"No for the track I think I'm done, going for the track now is only for the training. Because I need to focus on one at a time," revealed Ebenyo when questioned on whether he planned on returning to to the track.
"It's a bit crazy but I hope that everything shall be well and I hope for a beautiful start," he added on his Marathon debut.
Ebenyo is one to watch in this years' Chicago Marathon with his 12th ranking and a time of 59:30 in the half marathon.
(10/12/2024) Views: 155 ⚡AMPRunning the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is the pinnacle of achievement for elite athletes and everyday runners alike. On race day, runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will set out to accomplish a personal dream by reaching the finish line in Grant Park. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is known for its flat and...
more...The Kenyan will be targeting her third victory in Chicago whilst Ethiopia’s Birhanu Legese leads the men’s field.
This weekend, all eyes will be on Chicago as the city hosts the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday (October 13), promising a thrilling showdown amongst top-tier athletes.
In the women’s competition, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, a former Chicago Marathon winner in 2021 and 2022 and the fourth-fastest woman in marathon history, is set to return to the course, which winds through 29 neighborhoods.
The 30-year-old enters as the fastest woman in this year’s line-up after winning the title in 2022 by running her fastest time of 2:14:18. At the time, she was 14 seconds short of Brigid Kosgei’s world record of 2:14:04, before Tigist Assefa (2:11:53) and Sifan Hassan (2:13:44) went quicker in 2023.
The 2019 world champion secured a second-place finish in Chicago last year behind Sifan Hassan.
Yet, it will not be an easy run to victory for Chepngetich. Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede, fresh off her Tokyo Marathon win, arrives with the fastest marathon time of 2024, having ran 2:15:55 in Tokyo.
Kebede has had a stellar year, setting a record time of 64:37 at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon – the fastest-ever women’s half marathon time on US soil.
Chepngetich and Kebede will be joined by Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei, who has previously taken titles at the New York City Marathon in 2019 and London Marathon in 2021. Jepkosgei finished third this year in London where she clocked her personal best of 2:16:24.
American athletes Keira D’Amato (2:19:12) and Betsy Saina (2:19:17) join the list of athletes. D’Amato, a former American record holder in the marathon, is making a comeback as a competitor after working as a commentator. Meanwhile, Saina, who had to withdraw from the Chicago Marathon in 2019 due to illness, returns to make her mark.
The men’s race will also feature a highly competitive field with Ethiopia’s Birhanu Legese leading the charge. Legese, who recorded an impressive 2:02:48 at the 2019 Berlin Marathon is the fastest on paper.
A two-time Tokyo marathon champion, this will be his second time tackling the Chicago course after finishing 10th in 2018 with a time of 2:08:41. Most recently, Legese took third place at the 2024 Rotterdam Marathon.
Legese will be up against strong competition, particularly from Kenya’s Amos Kipruto and Vincent Ngetich, who both hold personal bests of 2:03:13.
Kipruto, a bronze medallist at the World Championships in Doha 2019, claimed victory at the 2022 London Marathon. Ngetich won bronze in the Tokyo marathon earlier this year.
(10/10/2024) Views: 140 ⚡AMPRunning the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is the pinnacle of achievement for elite athletes and everyday runners alike. On race day, runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will set out to accomplish a personal dream by reaching the finish line in Grant Park. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is known for its flat and...
more...A mix of highly experienced marathon runners with strong personal records and younger challengers could produce some fascinating races at the 46th Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon on November 3rd.
Ethiopia’s Abebe Negewo and Kenneth Kipkemoi of Kenya head the current start list with personal bests of sub 2:05:00. Kenya’s former World Championships’ marathon bronze medalist Sharon Cherop is the fastest woman on the list with 2:22:28. Cherop, Negewo and Kipkemoi have all turned 40 this year, but they are still going very strong. They will have to hit top form if they want to challenge for victory in Istanbul. Ethiopians Kelkile Gezahegn and Sentayehu Lewetegn will be among their rivals while 24 year-old debutante Betty Kibet of Kenya could produce a surprise.
A total of 42,500 runners have entered the race that leads the athletes from the Asian side of the city onto the July 15 Martyrs Bridge and then into the European part of Istanbul. 7,500 of them will run the classic distance on 3rd November. The event is a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, which guarantees high standards in every aspect. Entries will still be accepted until next Monday (October 14th) at: https://maraton.istanbul
“No marathon is run in a city that bears the traces of three great empires that have left a significant mark on world history. No marathon passes over a bridge that connects continents above a magnificent strait. Thanks to this unique feature, we believe that the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon is the best thematic marathon in the world,” said Race Director Renay Onur.
There are now many examples of runners who have turned 40 and still going strong: Kenenisa Bekele, Tadesse Abraham or Edna Kiplagat are among them. With a personal best of 2:04:51 Abebe Negewo is the runner with the fastest PB in the Istanbul field. He ran this time in Valencia in 2019 when he was fourth. While Negewo, who is also known as Abebe Degefa, has not raced as often as during his early career he produced one excellent marathon in each year: 2:05:27 in Valencia in 2021, 2:06:05 in Hamburg in 2022 and 2:08:12 in Rotterdam last year. Negewo has not competed yet this year, so if he wants to continue this streak of strong results Istanbul will be his best chance.
Kenneth Kipkemoi is the other top-class marathon runner in Istanbul’s men’s field who turned 40 this year. The Kenyan’s last three marathons were consistently fast: Kipkemoi ran 2:08:15 in Rotterdam in 2023 and then won the Eindhoven Marathon in the autumn with a personal best of 2:04:52. This year he returned to Rotterdam where he was fourth with 2:05:43.
Two Ethiopians who are more than ten years younger will be among the favourites as well. 28 year-old Kelkile Gezahegn, who has a PB of 2:05:56, is a runner who focusses fully on the classic distance. Since the start of his international career in 2016 he competed only in city marathons. He managed to win all his first four marathons in the year 2016, all in China. “The marathon is my distance,“ said Kellie Gezahegn when he won the Frankfurt Marathon in 2018. Dejene Debela is 29 years old and ran his personal best of 2:05:46 when he was runner-up in Chicago in 2019. After a two year-break, which seems to have been injury related, he came back this year with 2:09:33 in Taiyuan, China.
Sharon Cherop is the most prominent athlete in the elite field of the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon. The 40 year-old Kenyan took the bronze medal in the marathon at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, in 2011. A year later Cherop won the prestigious Boston Marathon and in 2013 she clocked her PB of 2:22:28 when she was runner-up in Berlin. This PB makes her the fastest woman on the start list in Istanbul. Sharon Cherop is still going strong. Last year she won the Milan Marathon and this spring she was second in Hannover with 2:24:41. “I think I can run for a couple of more years,“ she said after the race in Germany.
Sentayehu Lewetegn will be among Sharon Cherop’s challengers. The Ethiopian ran a strong debut in Frankfurt in 2018 with 2:22:45 for sixth place. The 28 year-old could not improve this PB yet, but she came close in Ljubljana: Two years ago she was second there with 2:22:36.
Betty Kibet is an athlete who could have an immediate impact in the marathon. The 24 year-old Kenyan will run her debut over the classic distance in Istanbul. While she has a promising 66:37 half marathon PB she ran the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Half Marathon this April and finished sixth with a fine 68:39. Betty Kibet, who was a world-class junior athlete in her early career, has a strong 10k PB of 31:08 and ran 1:21:43 in Kolkata, India, for 25k in December last year.
(10/10/2024) Views: 124 ⚡AMPAt the beginning, the main intention was simply to organise a marathon event. Being a unique city in terms of history and geography, Istanbul deserved a unique marathon. Despite the financial and logistical problems, an initial project was set up for the Eurasia Marathon. In 1978, the officials were informed that a group of German tourists would visit Istanbul the...
more...The Kenyan passed away in hospital, where he’d been receiving treatment for an illness
Kipyegon Bett, the former world under-20 800m champion, has sadly passed away at the age of 26.
The Kenyan, who also secured a bronze medal over two laps at the 2017 World Championships in London, was receiving treatment for an illness in hospital.
According to Nation, Bett was vomiting blood due to damage to some of his internal organs.
Purity Kirui, who is Bett’s sister and the 2014 Commonwealth 3000m steeplechase champion, told the outlet: “He’d been unwell for about a month and had been treated at AIC Litein Hospital as an outpatient. On Saturday (October 5), his condition deteriorated and was referred to Tenwek Hospital for further tests.”
Bett started competing internationally in 2015 and claimed respective gold and silver 800m medals at that year’s African and World Youth Championships.
The following season he became world under-20 800m champion in Bydgoszcz, clocking 1:44.95 to take the crown.
Bett also recorded his personal 800m best of 1:43.76 in 2016, with only world record-holder David Rudisha ahead of him at ISTAF Berlin.
It was therefore no surprise to see Bett make a global senior podium in 2017.
In a pulsating race at the World Championships, Bett clocked 1:45.21 and placed third behind France’s Pierre-Ambroise Bosse and Poland’s Adam Kszczot.
That year he also won the 800m at the Shanghai Diamond League, running 1:44.70 to win the event in China.
However, Bett tested positive for EPO in 2018 and subsequently received a four-year ban.
He only ever raced once after it ended and that was in the 400m hurdles two years ago.
(10/07/2024) Views: 143 ⚡AMPThe Scottish marathon record-holder will make his half-marathon return on home turf in Glasgow
Callum Hawkins is set to make his first half-marathon appearance of the year this Sunday (October 6) at the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run in Glasgow.
The 32-year-old hasn’t competed in any half-marathons this season, but he did race in the London Marathon back in April, finishing in 16th place with a time of 2:17:34.
In 2019, the Kilbarchan athlete set the Scottish marathon record at the London Marathon with a time of 2:08:14, securing a tenth-place finish. That same year, he was fourth at the 2019 World Championships over 26.2 miles.
In 2019, the Kilbarchan athlete set the Scottish marathon record at the London Marathon with a time of 2:08:14, securing a tenth-place finish. That same year, he was fourth at the 2019 World Championships over 26.2 miles.
In the women’s race, rising star Natasha Phillips – the U20 European and British Half Marathon record-holder – will hope to make her mark on home turf. The 19-year-old also claimed the Scottish U20 cross-country title earlier this year in Falkirk.
The Great Scottish Run will also feature a 10km race, where double Olympian Chris Thompson, who recently announced his retirement, will make his final professional appearance in Scotland.
The 43-year-old, who represented Great Britain at two Olympic Games and earned a European 10,000m silver medal, previously won the Great Scottish Run half-marathon in both 2017 and 2018.
Thompson’s final meet before officially retiring will be at the Great South Run on October 20.
The Great Scottish Run is set to be the largest ever, with over 30,000 participants taking to the streets of Glasgow.
The 10km race will begin at 8.30am with the half marathon beginning at 10am.
(10/05/2024) Views: 167 ⚡AMPExperience the inspiring atmosphere of Scotland’s biggest running event and achieve something great this autumn. This spectacular weekend of running is a celebration of sport that is suitable for the whole family and is televised live on the BBC. The Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run half marathon welcomes thousands of runners to the city of Glasgow every year. The...
more...The former Vienna and Sapporo Marathon winner was attacked by thugs at his home in one of Eldoret’s exclusive estates.
Former Kenyan marathoner Samson Kandie has reportedly passed away following an armed attack at his home in Eldoret on Thursday.
Reports claim, Kandie, who represented Kenya at the 2001 World Championships, succumbed to his injuries following an attack by thugs at his Elgon View house in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county.
The motive of the attack is yet to be known but police in Eldoret are pursuing the matter with a view to nabbing those responsible.
The former Vienna and Sapporo Marathon winner was attacked by thugs at his home in one of Eldoret’s exclusive estates.
Former Kenyan marathoner Samson Kandie has reportedly passed away following an armed attack at his home in Eldoret on Thursday.
Reports claim, Kandie, who represented Kenya at the 2001 World Championships, succumbed to his injuries following an attack by thugs at his Elgon View house in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county.
The motive of the attack is yet to be known but police in Eldoret are pursuing the matter with a view to nabbing those responsible.
It was his second third place finish in successive years after doing the same at the 1998 edition of the event, when he clocked 2:09:11.
Kandie also recorded third place at the Xiamen Marathon in China in 2000 and at the 2003 Prague Marathon after clocking 2:11:48 and 2:14:02 respectively.
His other marathon win came in San Sebastian Spain in 2001 after clocking 2:10:21.
(10/04/2024) Views: 166 ⚡AMPWhile the international field for the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has rarely been stronger the number of elite Canadian entries continues to grow.
Justin Kent, who represented Canada at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, has now added his name to the medal contenders for this Canadian
Championships which are run concurrently within this World Athletics Elite Label race.
Kent says he has prepared well and is looking to beat his personal best time of 2:13:07, recorded while finishing 10th in the 2023 Prague Marathon. That race led to his call-up for a place on Canada’s 2023 World Championships team with his long-time training partner, Ben Preisner (2:08:58 personal best).
“Budapest was definitely a memorable experience,” Kent remembers, “Having my team-mate Ben there, and we ran kind of side by side which was really cool. It was pretty special. You get to wear that Canadian singlet longer than in any other event. It was awesome.
“It was hot so Ben and I had pretty strict orders to run conservatively the first half then swallow up as many bodies as we could in the second half. I still have this sensation of us - it felt like we just hopped into the race that last ten kilometres as we were going by guys that were just zombies because they were so depleted. We were like 80th at halfway and we ended up 27th (Preisner) and 29th.”
he will be in Toronto alongside his friend as he has offered pacemaking duties.
The pair will no doubt bring that commonsense approach to the race taking the weather conditions into account. During this buildup Kent has been encouraged by the fact both coach Richard Lee and Preisner have seen workouts that indicate Kent is more than capable of running around 2:10.
Only nine Canadians have gone under 2:11 and just four have beaten the 2:10 barrier.
“I don’t necessarily want to get ahead of myself. I have definitely learned the hard way of being too ambitious,” Kent says. But I know, definitely, I am the fittest I have ever been. It depends on the weather and the pacing.
“There is a pace group (going for) 2:10 I’d like to be maybe a little bit quicker the first half and see what I can do that would set me up well to run in the 2:10’s. That’s easier said than done.”
Kent will also be accompanied in Toronto by his wife of two years, 800m runner Lindsey Butterworth, who represented Canada at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and their four-month-old daughter, Willa.
With a family to support Kent continues to do coaching work with Mile2Marathon which he views as a chance to connect to the running community. His main source of income, however, is working as a marketing specialist for a Vancouver-based startup company called Stoko, which manufactures supportive apparel used to overcome injuries.
“I am in the office four days a week. They are flexible with my hours to get my training in or sneak out early to get my training in,” he explains. “I have been with the company for just coming up to a year.”
Meanwhile Butterworth is on maternity leave from her job as a community health specialist for Fraser Health Authority. She is back running and will, in fact, compete in the Toronto Waterfront 5km.
As for his objectives with this year’s Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Kent recognizes that a national championship offers bonus World Athletics points used in the qualification for next year’s World Championships in Tokyo. The automatic qualifying standard in the men’s marathon has been lowered to 2:06:30
“Definitely I think with the new standard of 2:06:30 a lot of guys are going to be trying to get bonus points at races,” he concedes. “I think that is more my aim this whole build is to win a national championship. I think the (fast) time will come with that.
“I haven’t thought too much beyond October 20th. I know if I can run well it would give me a great opportunity to make the team next year. But the main goal is still to come away with a national title or at least contend for one.”
(10/03/2024) Views: 117 ⚡AMPKenyan running legend Janeth Jepkosgei made a historic contribution to the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA), donating the singlet she wore on 28 August 2007 when winning the 800m title at the World Championships in Osaka.
It was the first ever world title won by a Kenyan woman in a middle-distance event, paving the way for eight more titles claimed by her successors in subsequent editions up to 2023.
Jepkosgei, who is now head coach of the U20 Athlete Refugee Team, made the donation to the MOWA during the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24, presenting her singlet to World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon.
‘Inspiring the sport of running’
“I’m very happy to present my 2007 World Championships singlet to the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA),” said Jepkosgei. “When it is displayed in the online museum and exhibited around the world, I hope it helps to inspire and promote the wonderful sport of running, which, in my role as head coach for the U20 Refugee Team, I know is a powerful force for good.”
Ridgeon added: “Thank you to Janeth for her work with the Athlete Refugee Team and for the enormous generosity she has shown by donating her 800m world title-winning uniform to our museum’s collection. The support and encouragement of champions like Janeth is crucial to the success of our heritage programme, which helps preserve and promote our sport’s inspiring history to athletes and fans alike.”
From world champion to global role model
Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei, born in 1983 in Kabirirsang village (Rift Valley Province), was one of the most consistent 800m runners of her decade. Her journey began as a hurdler, but after transitioning to middle-distance running, she won the world U20 800m title in 2002.
Known for orchestrating races with fast starts, Jepkosgei stood on a major championship podium every year from 2003 to 2011, earning the 2007 world 800m title, 2008 Olympic silver, and two more world silvers in 2009 and 2011.
Off the track, Jepkosgei was deeply involved in her community, serving as the Kenyan team captain at numerous championships, sponsoring students, and supporting local projects. After the birth of her daughter Becky Olympia Jepchirchir and her retirement in 2016, Jepkosgei became even more involved in the sport’s development by hosting training camps and becoming one of the few female coaches in the athletics world.
She notably discovered young Emmanuel Wanyonyi, whom she coached to his world U20 800m title in 2021, and then mentored alongside her former Italian coach, Claudio Berardelli, to his Olympic title in 2024.
Since 2022, Jepkosgei has also been the head coach of the U20 Athlete Refugee Team (ART), a women-driven programme based near the South Sudan border in East Africa. She has embraced a mentorship role, passing on her vast experience to the next generation, a journey marked by her iconic victory in Osaka in 2007.
A soaring victory in Osaka
In Osaka, Jepkosgei astonished everyone as early as the semifinals, with a world-leading time and Kenyan record of 1:56.17, also the fastest prelim in 800m history.
In the final, she set a blistering pace right from the start, exiting the first turn with a three-metre lead and hitting the 100m mark in 13.0, an unprecedented achievement in a championship.
Neither the efforts of Belarusian Svetlana Usovich, Russian Olga Kotlyarova, Mozambican Maria Mutola, nor Moroccan Hasna Benhassi could keep up with the Kenyan’s solo race, as she easily won in 1:56.04, further improving the best time of the year.
Jepkosgei’s winning singlet will sit alongside the shoes and clothing of other world 800m champions in the Heritage Collection of MOWA, including Ana-Fidelia Quirot, Maria Mutola, Willi Wülbeck, Wilson Kipketer and David Rudisha.
(10/02/2024) Views: 122 ⚡AMPMilkesa Mengesha and Tigist Ketema achieved an Ethiopian double at the BMW Berlin Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (29).
Racing at the 50th edition of the event, held on a sunny morning in Germany’s capital, Mengesha kicked away from Cybrian Kotut in the closing stages to win the men’s title in a PB of 2:03:17, while Ketema solo ran her way to a 2:16:42 triumph in the women’s race.
Kenya’s Kotut finished five seconds behind Mengesha, securing second place in 2:03:22, with Ethiopia’s Haymanot Alew third in 2:03:31. Ketema led an Ethiopian top four in the women’s race, winning by more than two minutes ahead of her compatriots Mestawut Fikir (2:18:48), Bosena Mulatie (2:19:00) and Aberu Ayana (2:20:20).
After a fast start Mengesha, who finished sixth in the World Championships marathon last year, was part of a lead group of 11 that followed the pacemakers through the halfway mark still on sub-2:02 pace, in 1:00:57.
Kenya’s former world half marathon record-holder Kibiwott Kandie was to the fore as the pacemakers stepped aside just after 25km. The group had reduced to eight and was bunched together by the time 30km was reached in 1:27:21, and seven were still in contention – including Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele, the fastest man in the field – as they passed the 35km mark in 1:42:14.
Kandie, Takele and Ethiopia’s Dejene Megersa couldn’t hold on and the race was down to Mengesha, Kotut, Kenya’s Stephen Kiprop and Alew with around 5km to go. They reached the 40km mark in 1:56:59 before Mengesha and Kotut strode ahead.
Mengesha dropped his rival with the Brandenburg Gate finish line in sight, crossing it to win in 2:03:17, the third fastest time in the world so far this year and a PB that improves the previous best he set in Valencia in 2022 by more than two minutes.
He dropped to his knees and was followed over the finish line by Kotut in 2:03:22, also a PB by more than a minute.
Ketema was a dominant winner of the women’s race. The 26-year-old, who ran 2:16:07 when making her marathon debut in Dubai in January, is a training partner of Tigist Assefa, who set a world record of 2:11:53 when winning in Berlin last year.
This time Ketema was in control and she was joined by her compatriot Azmera Gebru and a group of men’s race runners as 5km was reached in 16:06 and 10km in 32:14.
Ketema was 12 seconds ahead at halfway, which she hit in 1:07:53, and she only increased her advantage from there. She reached 30km in 1:36:59, by which point Gebru had been overtaken, with Ketema’s closest challengers being Mulatie, Fikir and Ayana who were running together 1 minute and 53 seconds back.
Ketema continued to forge ahead and she reached 40km in 2:09:24, with a gap of 2 minutes and 20 seconds. While Fikir closed slightly, Ketema was well clear and she won in 2:16:42, the third fastest time in the women’s race at the Berlin Marathon.
Fikir was second in 2:18:48, a PB by almost two minutes, while Mulatie was third in 2:19:00, taking almost eight minutes off her previous best set on her debut in Houston in January.
(09/29/2024) Views: 188 ⚡AMPThe story of the BERLIN-MARATHON is a story of the development of road running. When the first BERLIN-MARATHON was started on 13th October 1974 on a minor road next to the stadium of the organisers‘ club SC Charlottenburg Berlin 286 athletes had entered. The first winners were runners from Berlin: Günter Hallas (2:44:53), who still runs the BERLIN-MARATHON today, and...
more...Former World Half Marathon record holder Kibiwott Kandie is poised for a major showdown at the Berlin Marathon and will be drawing inspiration from Kenyan legend Paul Tergat.
It is make or break for former world half marathon record holder Kibiwott Kandie ahead of Berlin Marathon showdown on Sunday, September 29.
The marathoner is set to make a return to the grand stage after an absence since May 2023 following an injury that forced him to pull out of the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
The absence marked the second consecutive time the Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medallist missed out on the global showpiece.
Kandie is now poised for a make or break race as he gets back on the road for the first time since his injury.
The former world half marathon record holder has revealed he is in good shape, having kept to his training routine with the competition in mind.
“I carried on training knowing that one day there would finally be a race. I stayed in good shape," he told World Athletics.
Kandie is drawing inspiration from his hero and former long distance runner Paul Tergat ahead of his return.
“When I was young, I used to hear everyone saying, Paul Tergat, world records. This has stayed in my mind,” he revealed.
“He became a kind of role model and I used to think when I grow up I would like to be like him, I would like to run like him, I would like to do the things he has done. He still inspires me, he’s still a role model for me. The work that I am doing is because of him. I feel I can’t let him down.”
The Kenyan is one of only seven men to ever complete a half marathon in under 58 minutes, with his personal best of 57:32. He won the Valencia half marathon three times, including when he set the world record in 2020.
(09/28/2024) Views: 181 ⚡AMPThe story of the BERLIN-MARATHON is a story of the development of road running. When the first BERLIN-MARATHON was started on 13th October 1974 on a minor road next to the stadium of the organisers‘ club SC Charlottenburg Berlin 286 athletes had entered. The first winners were runners from Berlin: Günter Hallas (2:44:53), who still runs the BERLIN-MARATHON today, and...
more...A new study tests the performance claims of Omius’ unique looking headband worn by Olympic legends Sifan Hassan and Eliud Kipchoge.
As the best men’s marathoners in the world prepared to race in Paris last month, Jake Leschly was waiting at the 3K mark, peeping over the shoulder of the spectator next to him, who was streaming the race broadcast on his phone. Leschly is the CEO of a small three-person company called Omius, which makes a bulky, futuristic-looking headband that purports to keep you cool—and he was about to get a pleasant surprise: “They introduce Kipchoge,” Leschly recalls, “and I’m like, ‘Son of a bitch, he’s wearing it!’”
Omius’s headband first showed up in the triathlon world back in 2019. The fledgling company took a hiatus during the pandemic, but resumed sales in 2022. Triathletes have been enthusiastic: according to Leschly, 43 of the 53 pros at last year’s Women’s Ironman World Championship in Kona wore it, along with a third of the 2,000 age-group competitors.
But the headband’s conspicuous presence at this summer’s Olympic marathons—along with Kipchoge, other notables wearing it included Sifan Hassan and Hellen Obiri, the gold and bronze medalists in the women’s race, and Bashir Abdi, the silver medalist in the men’s race—brought it to a new audience. In the
The one simple trick that Omius relies on is to increase the surface area available for evaporation. The headband contains 20 cooling units, each of which consists of nine mini-towers of porous and heat-conducting graphite. Overall, this increases the surface area of the relevant patch of your forehead by a factor of five. The cooling units can be swapped in and out; Omius also makes visors and caps, and is developing other garments.
As long as you keep the headband damp and have airflow passing across it, water will evaporate from this large surface area, drawing heat away from your forehead and creating a cooling effect. Sweat can help moisten the cooling units, but in most situations you’ll need to periodically splash or spray them with water. You’ll generate enough airflow simply by running outdoors, but to use the headband indoors on a treadmill or stationary bike, you’ll need a fan. Leschly advises against cycling outdoors with it, because the cooling units don’t have appropriate impact properties.
The one simple trick that Omius relies on is to increase the surface area available for evaporation. The headband contains 20 cooling units, each of which consists of nine mini-towers of porous and heat-conducting graphite. Overall, this increases the surface area of the relevant patch of your forehead by a factor of five. The cooling units can be swapped in and out; Omius also makes visors and caps, and is developing other garments.
As long as you keep the headband damp and have airflow passing across it, water will evaporate from this large surface area, drawing heat away from your forehead and creating a cooling effect. Sweat can help moisten the cooling units, but in most situations you’ll need to periodically splash or spray them with water. You’ll generate enough airflow simply by running outdoors, but to use the headband indoors on a treadmill or stationary bike, you’ll need a fan. Leschly advises against cycling outdoors with it, because the cooling units don’t have appropriate impact properties.
You might think that the goal of sucking all this heat from your forehead is to cool your whole body down. That’s been the claim for some previous cooling devices, like palm-coolers that purported to lower your core temperature. But Omius isn’t going down that road. “It obviously does not change your core temperature,” Leschly says. “Nothing changes your core temperature.” Instead, he says, it’s a local effect that makes you feel cooler, enabling you to go faster. That’s not a crazy claim: one study, for example, found that applying a tiny amount of heat through a heat pad caused cyclists to slow down even though their core temperature didn’t change. But it makes Omius’s claims much harder to test.
Desroches’s study involved ten volunteers who completed a running test twice: once with the real headband and once with the sham headband. The test involved 70 minutes of running in a heat chamber set to 95 degrees Fahrenheit with 56 percent humidity at a predetermined moderate pace, followed by an all-out 5K time trial. The researchers measured all sorts of physiological data, including core temperature with a rectal thermometer, skin temperature with four different probes, and forehead temperature
It’s probably worth mentioning that the basic headband with cooling pieces currently costs $204. That’s considerably more than other cooling options like, say, pouring water on your head. As it happens, there’s another new study, just published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance by a team led by Samuel Chalmers of the University of South Australia, that explores the benefits of pouring water on yourself during hot runs.
While the details differ, the two studies are remarkably similar. In this case, 13 runners did a 10K time trial followed an hour later by a 60-minute moderate run, in a room set at 87 degrees Fahrenheit and 47 percent humidity. They completed this protocol twice; in one of the sessions, they poured two cups of water over their head, face, and arms every 2.5K or ten minutes. As with the headband, water dousing made them feel cooler and lowered their skin temperature, but didn’t change their core temperature. There is one key difference compared to the headband, though: they ran 1.0 percent faster in the water dousing time trial, which was a statistically significant benefit.
Because of the differences in protocol—the lack of a placebo trial
(09/28/2024) Views: 193 ⚡AMPEthiopia’s Tigist Ketema and Tadese Takele start as the fastest in the fields and will be hoping to lead the way when they line up for the BMW Berlin Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (29).
Ketema, previously better known as an 800m and 1500m specialist, made her mark in the marathon in Dubai in January as she ran 2:16:07, a time that places her ninth on the women’s world marathon all-time list. She then ran 2:23:21 to place seventh in London in April and Berlin will be her first race since then.
“I have prepared for a personal best and plan to run the first half on Sunday in around 68 minutes,” she said. “I hope it won't be too cold because I prefer to run in slightly warmer weather.”
Ketema is one of three women with sub-2:20 PBs on the entry list, as her competition includes her compatriots Genzebe Dibaba and Yebrugal Melese, who have respective PBs of 2:18:05 and 2:19:36.
Dibaba ran that PB on her debut in Amsterdam in 2022 and she clocked 2:21:47 in Chicago a year later. “I saw Haile Gebrselassie run two world records in Berlin on TV and since then I've always wanted to run in Berlin,” she said. “Now the time has come. It would be a success for me if I ran a personal best.”
Another eight women on the entry list have dipped under 2:22 for the marathon in their careers so far, including Mestawot Fikir (2:20:45), Azmera Gebru (2:20:48), Sisay Gola (2:20:50), Fikrte Wereta (2:21:32) and Aberu Ayana (2:21:54), as well as Japan’s Mizuki Matsuda (2:20:52) and Ai Hosoda (2:21:42).
Germany’s Melat Kejeta is also part of that group, having clocked 2:21:47 in Dubai in January. She placed sixth at the Tokyo Olympics but was unable to finish the Olympic marathon in Paris due to stomach problems.
A total of 13 world records have so far been set in the Berlin Marathon, the most recent being the 2:11:53 by Tigist Assefa – a training partner of Ketema – in last year’s women’s race.
The men’s title on that occasion was won by Eliud Kipchoge, as he claimed a record fifth victory.
Kipchoge does not return this year but Takele does, following his third-place finish in last year’s race in a PB of 2:03:24. That was his most recent race due to injury, but he says he is now fit and ready to run. “I’ve trained very well,” he said, “and expect to run a strong race.”
Another four men to have dipped under 2:05 feature on the entry list, including Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut, who ran his PB of 2:04:34 when finishing second in Amsterdam last year, and Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros and Bazezew Asmare, who respectively clocked 2:04:41 in Paris in 2021 and 2:04:57 in Amsterdam in 2022.
Kenya’s former world half marathon record-holder Kibiwott Kandie races the marathon for the third time and will be looking to build on the PB of 2:04:48 he set in Valencia last year as he hunts for a first win over the distance.
They will be joined by athletes including Kenya’s Samwel Mailu, the world half marathon bronze medallist who set a course record of 2:05:08 to win the Vienna City Marathon last year and continues his comeback after injury, and Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha, who finished sixth at the World Championships last year and has a best of 2:05:29.
Elite fields
Women
Tigist Ketema (ETH) 2:16:07
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 2:18:05
Yebrugal Melese (ETH) 2:19:36
Mestawot Fikir (ETH) 2:20:45
Azmera Gebru (ETH) 2:20:48
Sisay Gola (ETH) 2:20:50
Mizuki Matsuda (JPN) 2:20:52
Fikrte Wereta (ETH) 2:21:32
Ai Hosoda (JPN) 2:21:42
Melat Kejeta (GER) 2:21:47
Aberu Ayana (ETH) 2:21:54
Calli Hauger-Thackery (GBR) 2:22:17
Bekelech Gudeta (ETH) 2:22:54
Lisa Weightman (AUS) 2:23:15
Betelihem Afenigus (ETH) 2:23:20
Veronica Maina (KEN) 2:24:46
Bosena Mulatie (ETH) 2:26:59
Alisa Vainio (FIN) 2:27:26
Sonia Samuels (GBR) 2:28:04
Nora Szabo (HUN) 2:28:25
Philippa Bowden (USA) 2:29:14
Pauline Esikon (KEN) debut
Men
Tadese Takele (ETH) 2:03:24
Cybrian Kotut (KEN) 2:04:34
Hailemaryam Kiros (ETH) 2:04:41
Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) 2:04:48
Bazezew Asmare (ETH) 2:04:57
Samwel Mailu (KEN) 2:05:08
Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 2:05:29
Haymanot Alew (ETH) 2:05:30
Philimon Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:35
Josphat Boit (KEN) 2:05:42
Dejene Megersa (ETH) 2:05:42
Enock Onchari (KEN) 2:05:47
Oqbe Ruesom (ERI) 2:05:51
Justus Kangogo (KEN) 2:05:57
Haimro Alame (ISR) 2:06:04
Ashenafi Moges (ETH) 2:06:12
Asbel Rutto (KEN) 2:07:04
Samuel Tsegay (SWE) 2:06:53
Yohei Ikeda (JPN) 2:06:53
Stephen Kiprop (KEN) 2:07:04
Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:07:14
Kento Kikutani (JPN) 2:07:26
Melaku Belachew (ETH) 2:07:28
Godadaw Belachew (ISR) 2:07:45Y
uhei Urano (JPN) 2:07:52
Guojian Dong (CHN) 2:08:12
Filimon Abraham (GER) 2:08:22
Haftom Welday (GER) 2:08:24
Sebastian Hendel (GER) 2:08:51
Olonbayar Jamsran (MGL) 2:08:58
Haftamu Gebresilase (ETH) debut
(09/27/2024) Views: 159 ⚡AMPThe story of the BERLIN-MARATHON is a story of the development of road running. When the first BERLIN-MARATHON was started on 13th October 1974 on a minor road next to the stadium of the organisers‘ club SC Charlottenburg Berlin 286 athletes had entered. The first winners were runners from Berlin: Günter Hallas (2:44:53), who still runs the BERLIN-MARATHON today, and...
more...The two-time Olympic heptathlete Odile Ahouanwanou of Benin has returned home "safe and sound" after missing for 17 days.
Olympic heptathlete Odile Ahouanwanou of Benin has been found safe in France after disappearing for two weeks. The 33-year-old was last seen on Sept. 10, after dropping her child off at a daycare center in Sotteville-lès-Rouen, France.
According to a report from Le Parisien, Ahouanwanou returned home on the night of Sept. 26. However, the details surrounding her disappearance remain unclear and police are continuing to investigate.
Ahouanwanou’s sudden disappearance was a mystery in France and Benin, where she is a prominent figure in the sport of track and field. She is a double gold medalist at the African Championships and the Beninese national record holder in the heptathlon.
On Sept. 18, Ahouanwanou was placed on the wanted persons list. Investigators looked into her lifestyle habits, interviewed members of her inner circle, and reviewed data from her mobile phone and bank accounts. French police are still considering the possibility of a voluntary disappearance. The investigation is still ongoing.
Despite intensive searches and public appeals, the exact reason behind her disappearance has not yet been disclosed.
Ahouanwanou placed 15th in the heptathlon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and finished eighth at the 2019 World Championships in Doha. Her best score of 6,274 points is the national record for Benin.
(09/27/2024) Views: 132 ⚡AMPTwo-time Hamburg Marathon champion Bernard Koech returns to the Netherlands on October 20 hoping to win the Amsterdam Marathon title on his third attempt.
In 2021, Koech finished second in a personal best of 2:04:09 behind Ethiopia’s Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola (2:03:39) and ahead of Leul Gebresilase (2:04:12).
On his debut in 2013, he was third in 2:06:29 behind Wilson Chebet (2:05:35) and Ethiopia’s Birhanu Girma (2:06:04).
In April, he defended his Hamburg Marathon title in 2:04:24, 15 seconds slower than in 2023.
The 31-year-old’s impressive resume features runners-up finishes from the 2014 Rotterdam Marathon (2:06:08) and the 2012 Lille Half Marathon (59:10).
He finished second at the 2023 Copenhagen Half Marathon clocking 59:13 behind Edward Cheserek (59:11).
He placed fourth at the 2022 Chicago Marathon (2:07:15) in a race won by Olympic bronze medalist Benson Kipruto (2:04:24) with Ethiopia’s Seifu Tura (2:04:49) and John Korir (2:05:01) completing the podium.
Koech placed fourth at the 2014 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in 59:46.
He recorded a Did Not Finish at the 2013 World Championships.
Koech's main competition will come from the Ethiopians led by the 2023 Frankfurt Marathon third-place finisher Guye Adola.
Adola boasts a personal best of 2:03:46 set during the 2017 Berlin Marathon when he placed second behind two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge (2:03:32).
The Ethiopian holds victories from the 2021 Berlin marathon (2:05:45), the 2014 New Delhi Half Marathon (59:06) and the 2017 Ostia Half Marathon (59:18).
He will be joined by Tsegaye Getachew, who claimed the Amsterdam title in 2022 in 2:04:49.
The 2024 Hamburg Marathon runner-up Winfridah Moraa and 2014 World Half Marathon bronze medalist Selly Chepyego lead the Kenyan charge in the women's race.
Moraa has a personal best of 2:18:25 from Hamburg and has notable wins from the 2022 Madrid (1:07:22) and Arezzo (1:07:58) half marathons.
Chepyego, with a PB of 2:20:03 from her second-place finish at last year’s Barcelona Marathon, is no stranger to the podium.
She claimed gold at the 2001 World Youth Championships in the 3,000m (9:09.95) and bronze at the 2014 World Half Marathon Championships (1:07:52).
(09/26/2024) Views: 149 ⚡AMPDo you want to enjoy Amsterdam in October and all that the city has to offer you? Want to feel a real athlete and start and finish in the historic Olympic stadium? Or run across the widely discussed passage under the beautiful National Museum? Then come to Amsterdam for the annual TCS Amsterdam Marathon in October! The TCS Amsterdam Marathon...
more...Kenya’s Barnaba Kipkoech and Great Britain’s Natasha Cockram took the honors in emphatic fashion at Sunday’s Moy Park Belfast Half Marathon, leading home over 6,600 competitors in the largest event of its kind in Northern Ireland.
30-year-old Kipkoech was in world class form following a sub two hour and 11 minute marathon run in Rotterdam. He also ran under 63 minutes in the recent Malaga Half Marathon.
On a beautiful Belfast morning, Kipoech repeated this form from an early stage producing a sizzling pace to leave the opposition in his wake. He shattered the course record by over two minutes with a time of 63 minutes and 48 seconds. This was over three minutes ahead of North Belfast’s Finn McNally who took the runner-up spot in 67.04. The Brighton based runner is the current Northern Ireland Cross Country champion .
Annadale’s Brhane Gebrebrhan - the Northern Ireland 5,000 metres champion - took third place in 68.24 ahead of Spain’s Abdenasser Oukhelfen. Only two seconds further back was CNDR’s Conor Gallagher. Newcastle’s Robert Hagen ran a personal best of 70.22 to finish sixth.
In the women’s event US-based Cockram wasted little time in showing her dominance over last year’s winner Anne Marie McGlynn.
Cockram competed for Great Britain in the last World Championships, and has a marathon personal best of two hours and 26 minutes.
She forced the pace from early to finish in 72 minutes and 47 seconds. This was over a minute ahead of Letterkenny’s McGlynn who was also well ahead of third placed Monica Silva of Portugal in 74.59. Ivana Anderson was fifth with 79.29 followed by Sarah McNutt on 80.49.
(09/23/2024) Views: 189 ⚡AMPThe Moy Park Belfast City Half Marathon is the biggest Half Marathon event in Northern Ireland and has seen a massive growth, selling out year on year. The 2024 race, on September 22nd, will start on the Ormeau Embankment and take in the South, East, North and West of Belfast, including a new section in the east of the city. ...
more...Kenyan long-distance runner Daniel Ebenyo will make his long-awaited marathon debut at the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Ebenyo has yet to run a competitive marathon. But in his most recent race, he won the 2024 Berlin Half Marathon, running a scorching 59:30.
Ebenyo, 29, is the reigning World silver medalist in the 10,000-meter run and in the World Championship Half Marathon.
He's a three-time Kenyan national champion in the 5,000-meter run; he competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the same event, finishing 10th.
He's run a slew of half-marathons. His best time of 59:14 came from the World Athletics Running Championships, where he took second place.
(09/21/2024) Views: 171 ⚡AMPRunning the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is the pinnacle of achievement for elite athletes and everyday runners alike. On race day, runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will set out to accomplish a personal dream by reaching the finish line in Grant Park. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is known for its flat and...
more...Abdi Fufa will compete in the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 20th joining a large contingent of fellow Ethiopians on the trans Atlantic flight. Once again this is a World Athletics Elite Label race.
The 28 year-old has a personal best of 2:05:57 from the 2021 Sienna Marathon a time that will catch the attention of his competitors and perhaps cast him as a race favourite amongst the field.
More recently he finished 4th in the 2024 Dubai Marathon with a solid clocking of 2:06:23. It is no surprise, then, that Abdi aims to be on the Toronto Waterfront Marathon podium.
"My expectation in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon is to see myself on the podium,” he declares. “My (long term) goal is running well to support my family.”
Although he is married Abdi and his wife do not yet have children. In a country where the per capita annual income is a little over $1,000 the lure of Toronto Waterfront Marathon prize money - $20,000 to the winner - is immense.
The latest result in Dubai was a welcome sign that his injuries are behind him. Indeed, he didn’t compete at all in 2023.
“I had a calf injury which took me a long time to recover from,” he reveals. “But then I had continuous massage therapy and now I feel better.”
Abdi like many others grew up on a farm with his five brothers and four sisters. An elder brother enjoyed some success as a distance runner and the young Abdi took notice.
“My elder brother Imane Fufa was a good 10,000m runner and he is the one who inspired me,” he explains. “I saw him running during my childhood and so I started to run.”
After coming to the attention of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation he was selected to represent his country at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark where he finished 15th. As the third Ethiopian finisher he helped Ethiopia to the team bronze medal.
These days he lives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, and for the past three years has been one of about thirty elite marathon runners training under legendary coach Gemedu Dedefo whose most notable charges are Tigest Assefa and Tamirat Tola.
Tigest smashed the women’s world record with a stunning 2:11:53 a year ago - before taking the Olympic silver medal in Paris - while Tamirat Tola, a last minute addition to the Ethiopian Olympic team, won the gold medal in the Paris Olympics.
It is Tamirat whose influence has proven most impactful upon Abdi. Striking Olympic gold in Paris and before that the 2022 world championship gold as he did in Eugene, Oregon led to grand celebrations amongst the group. The athletes speak of the respect and camaraderie amongst themselves.
Abdi Fufa says Tamirat’s success and the closeness “that we have in the team makes us have a team sprit. We saw Tamirat Tola’s achievement is because of his hard work and patience.”
The group will meet three times a week but each athlete follows a seven days a week program. The commitment is a constant element in Ethiopia’s success
Abdi hopes to follow in the success of Tamirat Tola and continue to improve. Perhaps one day he can achieve success at the Olympics and World Championships and add to coach Gemedu’s list of exceptional athletes. The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is the next step in that journey.
(09/19/2024) Views: 154 ⚡AMPOn Sept. 10, Odile Ahouanwanou of Benin dropped off her son at a nursery and has not been seen since.
French authorities are searching for Odile Ahouanwanou, an Olympic heptathlete, who has been missing since Sept. 10. The 33-year-old, who represented the small west African nation of Benin at the 2012 and 2020 Olympics, was last seen in Rouen dropping off her child at a nursery on the morning of Sept. 10. She did not return to pick up her son, and was later reported missing.
According to a report from France Bleu, the police are considering the possibility of a voluntary disappearance. This scenario refers to a situation where a person deliberately goes missing without being a victim of a crime or other external factors. People may voluntarily disappear for various personal reasons, such as to escape financial difficulties or to start a new life.
Ahouanwanou placed 15th at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and eighth at the 2019 World Championships in Doha. Her best score of 6,274 points stands as the Benin national record.
French police have reportedly registered Ahouanwanou in the national wanted persons file, questioned witnesses and examined her daily habits. They are also working with phone operators, hospitals, banks and airlines to help trace her steps. The athlete’s Volkswagen Polo is believed to be in use, although no sightings have been confirmed.
Authorities stress that, at this stage, there is no evidence to suggest foul play, but the investigation remains open. Her son is currently in the care of a family friend. The police are looking to the public for any information that could help locate Ahouanwanou, and her disappearance remains a mystery.
(09/18/2024) Views: 154 ⚡AMPThe 2024 Paris Olympics marked exactly two decades since double Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge made his Olympic debut.
The legendary marathoner first ran in the Athens Olympics in 2004, where he won the 5,000m bronze medal before upgrading to silver four years later in Beijing in the same event.
By 2008, Kipchoge was already an established name in distance running, boasting two world championship medals and two at the Olympics.
This year, the legendary marathoner led team Kenya to the Olympics together with a strong contingent that included 2024 TCS London Marathon champion Alex Mutiso and 2022 Chicago Marathon winner Benson Kipruto.
A painful exit for the marathon legend
Kipchoge, shy about his 40th birthday, was headed for another highlight in his celebrated marathon career.
He was aiming to get back to winning ways, or at least reach the Olympic podium for a fourth time in his fifth Olympic Games.
The running guru stayed at a touching distance of the leading pack up to the 15km mark. Then he began holding his waist, early worrying signs that all was not well for the defending Olympic champion.
The pain intensified, forcing him to decide to end his race about 12 km away from the finish point at Les Invalides.
That saw him record a Did Not Finish (DNF) for the first time in his illustrious career. Before the Olympics, Kipchoge’s worst marathon result was 10th place at the 2024 Tokyo Marathon.
It was a classy exit for the marathoner who set a world record in the 5,000m of the World Cross Country Championships junior race in 2003 and won gold. That would be the scene of the marathon’s great last Olympic parade.
Lessons from Paris
Reflecting on the recent Paris Olympics, Kipchoge outlined the key lessons learned, urging sports leaders in the country to take stock of past experiences and ensure they inform future strategies.
“One thing I learned and observed during the Olympics is that peace and education play a great role in our generation. The combination of the two is magical. Now we are done with Paris. Los Angeles is up next. Can we apply the lessons learned as we head to the next Olympics?” he posed to SportsBoom.com.
A call for change in sports culture
Kipchoge also expressed concern over how Kenyan athletes are often treated, drawing a parallel to weddings where people focus on celebrating the event rather than the bride and groom.
He pointed out that in sports, much like in weddings, the spotlight is frequently on the events themselves, while the athletes, who are the real protagonists, do not receive the recognition and support they deserve.
“That is how we operate. We celebrate the events and not our athletes, which should not be the case,” he offered.
The marathon star also challenged the traditional approach of simply rewarding athletes with trophies, urging for a more profound investment in their mental and emotional well-being. He added that equipping athletes with practical skills can sustain them beyond their sporting careers.
“It is the work of federations and the Ministry of Sports to make sure athletes are comfortable. Athletes should be taught literacy, and handling pressure in emotional and physical states. Do not just award them trophies. Work on their minds as well. Can we teach our athletes basic skills like using social media channels to earn money?” he posed.
A farmer’s patience: Advice to sports federations
Kipchoge also urged sports federations and the ministry to invest in athletes with the same patience and care that a farmer applies when planting a seed, waiting for it to germinate and eventually yield a good harvest.
“To our federation leaders, let us hold sports in the heart and mind. Train our athletes, invest in them and eventually wait for the results. What athletes do behind the scenes is commendable. They are the people who build the game by their hands,” he averred.
He concluded by calling on sports federations and sponsors to go beyond simply funding events and trophies, stressing the importance of investing in the well-being of athletes. “To our sponsors, I challenge you to include humanity in your budget. Finance these athletes for the good work they are doing,” he said. Despite the unexpected turn in his last Olympic hurrah, the two-time world record holder has no intentions to call time on his career, not just yet.
(09/18/2024) Views: 144 ⚡AMPThomas Broatch will line up in defence of his Canadian marathon title October 20th as the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon once again hosts the national championships.
A year ago the Vancouver native surprised many with his victory - which also saw him finish 6th place overall in this World Athletics Elite Label race.
Most impressive was that this was his marathon debut. Three months later he took five minutes off his Toronto time running 2:11:54 for 7th place in the Houston Marathon. Lessons learned in Toronto, he believes, helped in Houston.
“In Toronto I felt pretty good in the last 10km, in terms of breathing and energy, but my legs were completely destroyed,” the 25-year-old remembers, “and I wasn’t able to really push the last 10km. So I made some adjustments in training for Houston.
“For Toronto I did pretty much all of my long runs on gravel or soft surfaces. For Houston I did all those on concrete which I think really helped. My legs felt great in the last 10km and, even though I was hurting, I was able to push. That’s something I have taken forward to make sure the legs are ready for 42km of pounding.”
The Canadian championship gold medal was accompanied by $8,000 in prize money - he also collected $2,000 for his 6th place overall finish - giving him what he calls “a generous prize pool for Canadians.”
Besides his ‘new preference’ for running on concrete he has increased his weekly training volume from 180km to 200km under the guidance of coach Chris Johnson at the Vancouver Thunderbirds Track and Field Club.
Until two years ago Broatch was still focusing on track racing (5,000m and 10,000m) while the marathon was simply a distance to be contemplated for the future. Now with a couple of positive experiences he realizes it is logically his best event.
“Yes definitely,” he declares. “I think I will still do other distances to help with the marathon. But I think, especially because the first one went quite well and then I was able to improve even more, I definitely see myself focusing on the marathon.”
That hasn’t stopped him from dropping down on occasion. In April he finished second in the Vancouver Sun Run 10k with a personal best of 28:58. He explains that this was right at the end of an exhausting buildup for the Copenhagen Marathon, which flew under the radar and even escaped the keen eyes of the World Athletics statisticians.
“The Sun Run was a really good race. It actually wasn’t the big focus of the Spring,” he says almost apologetically. “I actually ran the Copenhagen marathon two weeks after Sun Run so this was more of a prep race for that marathon.
“I think that showed me that the marathon training doesn’t really hurt my speed but gives me that extra strength which helps my 10k. That was by far my fastest 10k and the course is not even that fast.”
The Copenhagen Marathon didn’t go as well as he had hoped so he’s not concerned few knew about it. After running Houston and coming away with a strong personal best he wondered if an even faster time was in the cards. Confidently, he went out harder than his body could handle.
“I went out in 2:10 pace (65 minutes at halfway) for the first 27km then pretty much collapsed the last third of the race,” he reveals. “It was a pretty spectacular blow up.”
Basically, he jogged home just to finish.
Among the things he realized is that his marathon training helped his 10k form but the racing effort at the Sun Run might have taken too much out of him coming that close to the Copenhagen race. Another lesson learned.
Broatch works as a software engineer for a renewable energy company called ‘Clear’ writing software for wind farm owners. In his free time he has been enjoying playing golf with family and friends as well as online chess. He admits to being a fan of ‘The Three Body Problem’ trilogy of books.
It is hard to believe that Broatch is still 25 and has many years ahead of him. As he looks toward Toronto Waterfront he seems wiser and confident in the approach he is taking.
“Training has been pretty good,” he reports. “I have been able to run consistently 190 to 200km a week for the last three months now. No injuries, no illness. Definitely, pretty tired. But I think that has been a feature of all my marathon builds.
"I know the Toronto Waterfront course is pretty quick, the organization is great, and they give us a good chance to run a fast tine. So, I definitely would like to improve my Houston time. I think going under 2:11 and getting in that 2:10 club would be pretty good result. I would be quite happy with that.”
Winning national championships also offers tremendous bonus World Athletics points which are used for qualification for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. He has never represented his country. An international call-up is, he says, something that “is in the back of my mind!”
(09/17/2024) Views: 186 ⚡AMPThe Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5k Run / Walk is organized by Canada Running Series Inc., organizers of the Canada Running Series, "A selection of Canada's best runs!" Canada Running Series annually organizes eight events in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver that vary in distance from the 5k to the marathon. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Half-Marathon are...
more...Double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet has opened up about how Dutch woman Sifan Hassan motivated her history-making season in 2024.
Beatrice Chebet has opened up about drawing her inspiration from Sifan Hassan, a move that has enabled her to break barriers and make history this season.
The double Olympic champion pointed out that two-time Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri has also been a vital part of her career growth but Hassan has stood out for her this season. Chebet explained that Hassan, the reigning Olympic marathon champion, is never afraid of making bold moves and she is a source of motivation to the Kenyan distance sensation.
At the Paris Olympic Games, Hassan competed in the women’s 5000m, 10,000m and marathon and she claimed bronze medals in the 5000m and 10,000m and a gold in the marathon, a feat that has never been achieved in the history of the Olympic Games.
“Hellen Obiri has always been a role model to me but for now, I’ll talk about Sifan Hassan. She is a lady who believes in herself and when she says that she will go for something, then she will pursue it, be it the 1500m or the marathon. Sifan has always motivated me and she gives me the confidence that I can do it,” Chebet said.
At the Olympic Games, Chebet claimed the gold medal in the women’s 5000m and 10,000m. It was a historic feat as no woman has ever won double gold over the two distances on the Olympic stage and she was also the first woman to win gold over the 25-lap race.
She explained that going into the Olympics, she wanted to do something unique since she had yet to win a gold medal at the World Championships. Chebet added that after winning the 5000m, the toughest of the two races, she knew the 10,000m would not be difficult.
After the Olympics, Chebet still had it in her as she went on to win the Diamond League Meeting in Zurich before claiming the Diamond League trophy in Brussels.
“This season has been great, especially going to the Olympics as a debutant and winning two gold medals. I can say it was not easy but I had to remain focused and believe in myself. When I entered the 10,000m race, I just wanted to win a medal but making history motivated me to go for a gold medal,” Chebet said.
“I had been to the World Championships but never won a medal and I wanted to do something great in Paris. The 5000m was the hardest event and going into the 10,000m, I knew I could do it. After the Olympics, I had to believe in myself and since I was the Olympic champion, I knew I had to do it,” she added.
(09/17/2024) Views: 155 ⚡AMPEvans Chebet has made his intentions clear ahead of his return to the Big Apple on Sunday, November 3.
Two-time Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet has plans to reclaim his New York City marathon title as he goes up against a stacked field on Sunday, November 3.
Chebet was forced to withdraw from last year’s edition of the race due to an injury hence he could not defend his title. Reigning Olympic champion Tamirat Tola claimed the title but the Kenyan long-distance ace will return to take what rightfully belongs to him.
After missing the Paris Olympic Games, Chebet is hoping to end his season on a high, racing in the streets of New York City. He won the title at the 2022 New York City where he debuted in the streets of the Big Apple. As reported by The Star, Chebet expressed eagerness to return to one of his favourite courses with eyes on the prize.
“I was keeping my cards close so as not to reveal anything to my competitors. My resolve to reclaim the New York title is still on course and I am confident,” Chebet said.
He disclosed that he is now injury free and ready to rumble as he gears up for the gruelling task against his opponents. Tola, who is still basking in Olympic glory will be Chebet’s greatest challenger in the race.
Belgium’s Bashir Abdi has also entered the race and he will be out to end his season on a high. Abdi won a silver medal in the Paris 2024 Olympic marathon. The 2021 champion of the New York City Marathon Albert Korir will also be in the mix to reclaim his title.
The 2019 and 2017 champion Geoffrey Kamworor who has raced sparingly this season has also confirmed to be lining up for the race. The 2024 United Airlines NYC Half champion Abel Kipchumba who is fresh from winning the Great North Run will also be lining up.
“This was my first race after my injury. I have now fully recovered and my body is now up to the task,” he said.
Chebet added that after the New York City Marathon, he will not be resting for long as he will start training for the Boston Marathon with plans to win his third title. The 35-year-old expressed his desire to compete in the marathon at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
“After New York, I will start preparing for next year’s Boston Marathon, where I am looking to win a third title. If I make the qualifying time and make Team Kenya for the World Championships, I will be happy to participate and fight for the title,” he added.
(09/13/2024) Views: 163 ⚡AMPThe first New York City Marathon, organized in 1970 by Fred Lebow and Vince Chiappetta, was held entirely in Central Park. Of 127 entrants, only 55 men finished; the sole female entrant dropped out due to illness. Winners were given inexpensive wristwatches and recycled baseball and bowling trophies. The entry fee was $1 and the total event budget...
more...Three top middle-distance runners are set to challenge the long-standing 1500m world record at the Brussels Diamond League.
The men's 1500m world record set back in 1998 by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj will come under serious threat as three of the most promising middle-distance runners—Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse—are set to clash in the Diamond League final in Brussels this Saturday.
El Guerrouj’s incredible time of 3:26.00 has stood the test of time for 26 years with no one able to break the mark that many thought would be surpassed by now.
However, the trio of Olympic and World Championship medalists are all in peak form and ready to challenge this long-standing record making this one of the most highly anticipated 1500m races in recent memory.
The Tokyo Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, enters the race as the favorite. The Norwegian sensation boasts a personal best of 3:26.73, a mere 0.73 seconds shy of El Guerrouj’s historic mark.
Ingebrigtsen’s dominance over the distance has been unmatched this season, and he has made it clear that breaking the world record is on his radar.
“I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life.The world record is something that has always been in the back of my mind, and I believe this is the best chance I’ve had to go for it," said Ingebrigtsen.
Pushing him to the limit will be the American duo of Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse. Hocker, fresh off an Olympic season that saw him claim a gold medal in the 1500m is ranked seventh on the all-time list with a personal best of 3:26.73 matching Ingebrigtsen’s time.
Hocker’s confidence has been building all season, and the 23-year-old has openly expressed his desire to break into history.
“I hope to take a stab at the world record, whether it’s this season or next year,” said Hocker.
“But right now, I’m focused on leaving a lasting legacy. The Olympic gold was the first goal, and now it’s time to chase something even bigger.”
Yared Nuguse, ranked ninth on the all-time list, is another strong contender. Nuguse has steadily risen through the ranks with a personal best of 3:27.80 and a season-best of 3:27.80 as well.
The 25-year-old has proven himself capable of competing against the best in the world and could be poised to surprise both Hocker and Ingebrigtsen in Brussels.
The race, however, will be missing one key figure in Josh Kerr, the British 1500m specialist who recently confessed that the mental toll of the season has led him to opt out of the final. Kerr’s absence opens the door for a fascinating showdown between Ingebrigtsen, Hocker, and Nuguse.
In addition to the leading trio, the race will feature strong competition from the likes of Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot, a rising star who has posted a season-best of 3:28.28, and Timothy Cheruiyot, the former World Champion.
France’s Azzedine Habz and Great Britain’s Elliot Giles will also be in the mix, having both posted times in the 3:29 range this season.
El Guerrouj’s record-breaking performance in 1998 was the first time a runner had managed to average under 55 seconds per lap for the 1500m.
With athletes now regularly running sub-3:30 times, the level of competition has never been higher. Whether it’s tactical brilliance, pure speed, or a combination of both, this race has all the ingredients to produce fireworks on the track.
(09/12/2024) Views: 162 ⚡AMPEritrea’s Nazret Weldu, who finished fourth and eighth in the last two World Athletics Championships, has been handed a 20-month suspension for missing multiple doping tests.
On Wednesday, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced the suspension of Nazret Weldu, Eritrea’s marathon record holder and 2024 Vienna Marathon champion, for violating World Athletics’ whereabouts regulations. The 34-year-old athlete has been banned for 20 months after missing three out-of-competition tests within 12 months, initiating an automatic suspension under World Athletics anti-doping rules.
The AIU detailed that Weldu’s three missed tests occurred between Nov. 9, 2023, and May 22, 2024. All athletes are required to provide accurate and up-to-date location information to allow for unannounced doping tests, a critical component in maintaining a clean sport. Weldu was given several weeks after each missed test to provide an explanation but failed to do so before AIU deadlines.
Weldu has been one of the top-ranked female marathoners in the world over the last three years, having recorded two top-10 finishes at the World Championships and a personal best marathon time of 2:20:29, which also stands as Eritrea’s national record. In April 2024, she won the Vienna Marathon in 2:24:08.
While an initial two-year ban is the standard penalty for three missed tests, Weldu’s suspension was reduced by four months. The AIU took into consideration her limited access to the internet and a lack of understanding of how to update her whereabouts information. Eritrea, her home country, has low internet penetration, with only 35 per cent of the population connected to a network.
The AIU and World Athletics rely on the whereabouts system to detect doping violations and ensure fairness in sport. Missing three tests is treated with the same severity as a positive doping result, underscoring the importance of accurate whereabouts information.
(09/11/2024) Views: 174 ⚡AMPOlympic gold medalist Morolake Akinosun announces her retirement at 30 after an illustrious career in track and field.
American sprinter Morolake Akinosun has announced her retirement from professional track and field at the age of 30.
The 2016 Olympic gold medalist and World Champion in the 4x100 meter relay bids farewell to a sport in which she has thrived for over a decade, leaving behind a legacy filled with victories, resilience, and a clear sense of purpose for her next chapter in life.
Akinosun, who earned international acclaim as part of Team USA's winning relay squad in the Rio 2016 Olympics, took to social media to confirm the news.
Akinosun, who earned international acclaim as part of Team USA's winning relay squad in the Rio 2016 Olympics, took to social media to confirm the news.
In a candid reflection on her career and her decision to retire, Akinosun shared that she felt a deep sense of peace about her decision following the 2024 Olympic Trials.
"Following the 2024 Olympic Trials, I had an overwhelming feeling and sensation immediately after that I was done. It felt so clear to me," she said as quoted by Citius Mag.
The Nigerian-born sprinter revealed that she prayed for clarity and soon found herself on a new path, meeting influential figures like Michael Johnson and Steve Gera.
Just a month later, she was headed to Paris to work as a consultant with Grand Slam Track and soon after joined the company full-time.
Akinosun’s track journey began with success at a young age, clinching gold medals in the 100 meters and 200 meters events at the 2011 AAU Junior Olympics.
She then ascended to the national stage as the 2013 USA Junior Champion in the 100 meters and silver medalist in the 200 meters.
Her collegiate career was equally groundbreaking, as she became only the second woman in history to score in four events at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in consecutive seasons.
Akinosun's true breakout on the global stage came when she won gold at the 2015 Pan-American Games in Toronto, setting the stage for her Olympic glory in 2016 and her World Championship triumphs.
She was part of the victorious 4x100m relay team at the 2017 World Championships in London and added a bronze medal from the 2019 World Championships in Doha to her extensive medal haul.
Despite her incredible success, Akinosun recognized early on the need to plan for life after track.
Outside of her athletic career she has already made a mark in the world of media and event management.
“I don’t know if anyone ever knows exactly what they want to do when they’re done,” Akinosun admitted.
“But I did start dabbling in other things to figure out what life could possibly look like for me post-track and field.”
(09/11/2024) Views: 181 ⚡AMPAll eyes will be on Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw during the TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday, October 20. Her personal best of 2:17:23 is just three seconds shy of the current women’s course record (2:17:26, set by Almaz Ayana in 2022). In 2022, the former 10 km world record holder won the TCS London Marathon. Among the men, Guye Adola, Bernard Koech, Tsegaye Getachew, and Philemon Kiplimo will be battling for the top spot.
At just 25 years old, Yalemzerf Yehualaw is still at the beginning of her career. However, she has already recorded the second fastest half-marathon time ever (1:03:61, Valencia 2021) and the third fastest 10 km time ever, which was also a former world record (29:14, Castellón 2022). She won the 2022 Hamburg Marathon in one of the fastest debut times ever (2:17:23) and later that year claimed victory at the TCS London Marathon (2:17:26). Last year, the NN Running Team athlete finished fifth in London and also placed fifth at the World Championships marathon.
In Amsterdam, Yehualaw will face a strong challenge from Kenyan athlete Winfridah Moseti. Moseti has only run five marathons so far, but her progress has been remarkable. After her debut in Milan in 2021 (2:27:44), she finished fifth in Paris last year (2:23:38) and second in Frankfurt (2:20:55). This spring, she again finished second in Hamburg, setting a strong personal best of 2:18:25.
Behind these two world-class athletes, a competitive group of women will aim to break the 2:20 barrier: Selly Chepyego (PR of 2:20:03), Haven Hailu (PR of 2:20:19, set in Amsterdam), Desi Jisa (PR of 2:20:47), and Enatnesh Tirusew (PR of 2:20:48).
Tight Competition in Men’s Race
In the men’s race, the outcome is far from certain. The fastest man in the field is Ethiopian Guye Adola with a personal best of 2:03:46. However, both Koech and Getachew have previously made it to the podium in Amsterdam, and Kiplimo is also a strong contender with his impressive half-marathon personal best of 58:11, highlighting his speed.
Guye Adola’s track record is certainly impressive. He won the 2021 Berlin Marathon (2:04:45) and finished second in Berlin in 2017, where he set his personal best of 2:03:46. He has also stood on the podium in Valencia (third in 2019) and Paris (second in 2023). Adola trains in Ethiopia alongside Tamirat Tola, who holds the TCS Amsterdam Marathon course record (2:03:39, set in 2021).
Bernard Koech finished second behind Tola in that same year, with a time of 2:04:08. Koech is a two-time winner of the Hamburg Marathon, most recently this year with a time of 2:04:24, which ranks as the eighth fastest marathon time of 2024.
Tsegaye Getachew made his international breakthrough in Amsterdam, winning the race in 2022 with a time of 2:04:49. Since then, he has focused on the Abbott World Marathon Majors, with mixed success. His best results include a fifth-place finish in Tokyo in 2024 and a third-place finish in 2023. At last year’s World Championships marathon in Budapest, he finished 16th.
Philemon Kiplimo, with a half-marathon personal best of 58:11, has room for improvement over the full marathon. He set a strong personal best of 2:04:56 in Berlin last year and finished third in Hamburg this spring.
(09/09/2024) Views: 168 ⚡AMPDo you want to enjoy Amsterdam in October and all that the city has to offer you? Want to feel a real athlete and start and finish in the historic Olympic stadium? Or run across the widely discussed passage under the beautiful National Museum? Then come to Amsterdam for the annual TCS Amsterdam Marathon in October! The TCS Amsterdam Marathon...
more...Organisers of the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon have revealed a world-class line up for this year’s World Athletics Platinum Label road race on 3 November, led by defending champions Tamirat Tola and Hellen Obiri.
Since winning last year in a course record of 2:04:58, Tola won the Olympic title in Paris in a Games record of 2:06:26. What made his feat all the more impressive is that he was only drafted into the Ethiopian team two weeks before the Games, having initially been named as a reserve.
“I’m excited to defend my title in New York, especially coming off an Olympic-record marathon performance,” said Tola. “The hilly course and crowds in Paris definitely prepared me well for the bridges and spectators in New York, where maybe I can go even faster this year.”
Two-time Olympic medallist Bashir Abdi will also be one to watch; the Belgian earned silver at the recent Olympics, having taken bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and at the 2022 World Championships.
Three past winners – all from Kenya – are also in the field: 2022 champion Evans Chebet, 2021 winner Albert Korir, and 2019 and 2017 victor Geoffrey Kamworor. Chebet has twice won the Boston Marathon, and has finished first or second in 13 marathons. Kamworor has made it on to the podium in all four of his New York Marathon appearances.
Fellow Kenyan Abel Kipchumba, who won this year’s NYC Half Marathon, will be making his New York City Marathon debut.
The US charge is led by Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who finished eighth and ninth respectively in the Paris Olympic marathon.
Women’s Open Division
Obiri is a three-time Olympic medallist and seven-time world medallist. Last year the Kenyan became the first woman in 34 years to win both Boston and New York in the same calendar year. So far this year, she retained her Boston Marathon title and went on to earn bronze in the Olympic marathon.
“There’s no place like New York, and I am so ready to defend my title,” said Obiri. “I have been racing very well on the roads in the US, and I hope I can have another good day that sees me in contention once we enter the final stages in Central Park.”
Fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi, the 2022 NYC Marathon winner, will return after finishing third last year and fourth in the Olympic marathon in Paris. The Kenyan delegation will also include 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat, four-time Olympic medallist Vivian Cheruiyot, and Sheila Chepkirui, who owns the fastest personal best in the field.
Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba will make her New York City Marathon debut and is one of the world’s most accomplished long-distance runners as a three-time Olympic and 16-time world champion. She will be joined by compatriot Senbere Teferi.
Dakotah Lindwurm, the top US finisher in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, will lead the US contingent.
Elite field
WomenSheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 2:17:56Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:18:31Senbere Teferi (ETH) 2:19:21Dera Dida (ETH) 2:19:24Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:02Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:22:45Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:23:10Fatima Gardadi (MAR) 2:24:12Kellyn Taylor (USA) 2:24:29Fabienne Schlumpf (SUI) 2:24:30Aliphine Tuliamuk (USA) 2:24:37Dakotah Lindwurm (USA) 2:24:40Lily Partridge (GBR) 2:25:12Jessica McClain (USA) 2:25:46Des Linden (USA) 2:25:55Tristin Van Ord (USA) 2:25:58Khishigasaikhan Galbadrakh (MGL) 2:26:32Maggie Montoya (USA) 2:28:07Katja Goldring (USA) 2:29:01Savannah Berry (USA) 2:29:13
MenEvans Chebet (KEN) 2:03:00Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:03:00Bashir Abdi (BEL) 2:03:36Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:04:23Abdi Nageeye (NED) 2:04:45Addisu Gobena (ETH) 2:05:01Abel Kipchumba (KEN) 2:06:49Albert Korir (KEN) 2:06:57Conner Mantz (USA) 2:07:47Clayton Young (USA) 2:08:00Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:08:01Callum Hawkins (GBR) 2:08:14Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (MGL) 2:08:50Elkanah Kibet (USA) 2:09:07Noah Droddy (USA) 2:09:09Jonny Mellor (GBR) 2:09:09Jared Ward (USA) 2:09:25Colin Bennie (USA) 2:09:38Futsum Zienasellassie (USA) 2:09:40CJ Albertson (USA) 2:09:53Nico Montanez (USA) 2:09:55Yuma Morii (JPN) 2:09:59
(09/08/2024) Views: 162 ⚡AMPIt was a similar story at the Great North Run at a wet Tyneside on Sunday (8), with contrasting half marathon wins secured by Kenya's Mary Ngugi-Cooper and Abel Kipchumba. The women produced a thrilling mass finish at the World Athletics Label road race, but from the start there was only one man in it.
Six women dominated from start to finish: Kenya’s Ngugi-Cooper, Sheila Chepkirui and Vivian Cheruiyot, plus Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi and Megertu Alemu and Britain’s Eilish McColgan, whose mother Liz won this race when it was the World Championships in 1992.
Ngugi-Cooper and Chepkirui led from Teferi and Alemu, with former winner Cheruiyot and McColgan forming the lead pack across the Tyne Bridge and through the first mile in 5:05. The sextet maintained that pace for the entire race, passing 5km in 16:03, 10km in 32:20 and 15km in 48:20. All looked comfortable as they swung downhill on to the coast road and the final mile.
The experienced Cheruiyot, who is now 40, moved up, but then was the first to drop when the others responded. Five were in contention with 200m to go, then it turned into a fight between Ngugi-Cooper and the Ethiopian pairing. The win went to the 35-year-old Kenyan, who as Mary Wacera was world half marathon runner-up a decade ago.
“It was mentally tough because everyone was there,” she said, referring to the pack. Ngugi-Cooper has strong British connections. Her coach is Steve Cram, she has a British husband, Chris Cooper, and spends a lot of the year in Leeds. “I guess that helped,” she joked, referring to the wet conditions.
While Ngugi-Cooper had company for 13.1 miles, Kipchumba was alone, apart from his watch which he checked at the mile and 5km points, so clearly signposted on the route from Newcastle to South Shields. He would have known that he passed 5km in a snappy 13:37.
The Kenyan, who only arrived in town on Saturday due to a two-day visa delay, pulled clear in the third mile with Sondre Nordstad Moen giving chase. At 10km, Kipchumba was 25 seconds up (28:01 vs 28:26), but both Moen and 2021 winner Marc Scott (28:51) weren’t losing too much more ground. That picture was only temporary as Kipchumba surged again past halfway. After that, the most significant development was that Scott caught Moen in the 12th mile.
Up front, Kipchumba looked more like a middle-distance runner with the finish in sight, and clearly knew that a sub-one hour was in prospect. He covered the last 176m from 13 miles in 24 seconds to clock 59:52.
“I decided to move early, and then I maintained,” he reflected, summing up the race in a sentence.
(09/08/2024) Views: 133 ⚡AMP
The 2022 World Marathon silver medalist Judith Korir is set to rekindle her rivalry with the 2022 World Champion Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia at the Sydney Marathon on September 15.
During their last meeting at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Gebreslase edged out Korir by nine seconds to claim the title in a course-record time of 2:18:11. Israel’s Lonah Chemtai was third in 2:20:18.
Race organizers have touted this year’s lineup as one of the most competitive as athletes eye glory in one of Australia’s most iconic cities.
“The calibre of athletes participating this year is a testament to Sydney’s allure as a world-class marathon destination. We’re excited to witness these extraordinary competitors race through our new course, against the backdrop of our iconic city,” said Sydney Marathon race director, Wayne Larden.
Korir, 28, takes a wealth of experience and success to Sydney, having won the 2022 Paris Marathon (2:19:48), 2021 Abu Dhabi Marathon (2:22:30) and Lugano Half Marathon (1:06:25), 2019 Venice Marathon (2:29:21) and the 2020 Izmir Marathon (2:33:59).
She finished sixth at last year’s London Marathon (2:20:41) and settled for fourth at the 2022 edition (2:18:43).
Gebreslase is a world marathon silver medalist from last year’s championships in Budapest, Hungary, in a time of 2:24:34, behind compatriot Amane Beriso (2:24:23) and ahead of Morocco’s Fatima Ezzahra (2:25:17).
The Ethiopian has victories from the 2021 Berlin Marathon (2:20:09) and the 2021 Bahrain Half Marathon (1:05:36).
At last year’s Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, she finished second in 1:05:51. She has finished third at the Hamburg Marathon (2:21:19), the 2022 Tokyo Marathon (2:18:18), 2022 New York Marathon (2:23:39) and the 2022 Liboa Half Marathon (1:07:11).
Korir will be joined by a formidable group of compatriots including Beatrice Cheptoo, the 2022 Istanbul Marathon champion, Rotterdam Marathon runner-up Viola Kibiwot and Sharon Chelimo, third place finisher at last year’s Frankfurt Marathon.
Two-time Frankfurt Marathon champion Brimin Kipkorir spearheads the Kenyan charge in the men's race.
Kipkorir bagged the 2022 Frankfurt title in 2:06:11 and defended it last year in a personal best of 2:04:53.
The 35-year-old is a two-time Nairobi Standard Chartered Marathon champion — 2017 (2:12:39) and 2019 (2:10:43).
He will be joined by Fukuoka Marathon champion Michael Mugo, 2017 Rotterdam Marathon third-place finisher Laban Korir and three-time Kosice Marathon winner Reuben Kerio.
They will face stiff competition from Ethiopia’s Leul Gebresilase, the 2022 world marathon bronze medalist, Seoul Marathon third-place finisher Haftu Teklu and last year’s Tokyo Marathon champion Deso Gelmisa.
(09/06/2024) Views: 157 ⚡AMPThe Sydney Marathon is a marathon held annually in Sydney, Australia. The event was first held in 2001 as a legacy of the 2000 Summer Olympics, which were held in Sydney. In addition to the marathon, a half marathon, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) "Bridge Run", and a 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) "Family Fun Run" are also held under the banner...
more...Rebecca Cheptegei, died from full organ failure following a horrific attack by a former boyfriend on Sunday, which left her with burns covering 75 per cent of her body.
Rebecca Cheptegei, an Olympic marathoner for Uganda who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, tragically passed away on Thursday morning after reportedly being set on fire by her former boyfriend in Kenya. She was 33.
According to the Kenyan newspaper Nation, Owen Menach, the Director of Clinical Services and Surgery at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, confirmed that Cheptegei died around 5 a.m. local time due to “full organ failure.” This followed a horrific attack by her boyfriend at her home in Kenya on Sunday, which left her with burns covering 75 per cent of her body. She was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.
The alleged attacker, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, was also injured by the flames and is currently hospitalized. Neighbors reportedly overheard the couple arguing outside the house shortly before the attack. Both Cheptegei and Marangach were rescued from the fire by neighbors.
The Uganda Athletics Federation led tributes to Cheptegei on X (formerly Twitter), posting: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically fell victim to domestic violence early this morning. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace.”
Cheptegei finished 44th in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics in August and previously won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022. She had a marathon best of 2:22:47.
Tragically, this is not the first instance of domestic violence involving elite female athletes in East Africa. In 2021, Kenya’s two-time 10,000m world championship bronze medalist, Agnes Tirop, was found stabbed to death by her husband at their home in Iten, Kenya. Tirop’s husband, Emmanuel Ibrahim Kipleting, was arrested after fleeing Iten and found hundreds of kilometers away. She was 25 at the time of her death.
(09/05/2024) Views: 205 ⚡AMPThe past two years have been mostly good to Tristan Woodfine as he has recorded personal bests over several distances most significantly with his 2:10:39 finish at the 2024 Houston Marathon in January.
That makes him the sixth fastest Canadian marathoner of all time.
This uplift in fortune coincides with his seeking coaching advice from none other than two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner Reid Coolsaet.
Now the 31-year-old Woodfine has confirmed he will race the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 20th, with the objective of running both a fast time and earning the Canadian Marathon Championship title. The event doubles as a World Athletics Elite Label race as well as the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships.
“It’s local, close, the support is good,“ he says of his choice for an autumn marathon. “The Canada Running Series (team) always does a great job. I have run the course before.
“Getting under 2:10 would be nice, finally. We will see how the rest of the build goes. Ten weeks is still a long timeand things can change for better or worse - hopefully for better - and by the time Toronto comes around I’d definitely love to get a PB and make another step forward there.”
Woodfine, who is currently living just outside of Eganville, Ontario with his wife Madeline, ran the Toronto Waterfront Marathon once before. That was in 2019 when he finished 13th in a time of 2:13:16. But he has twice won the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon (2022 and 2017) - run concurrently with the full marathon - and has also had success at the Toronto Waterfront 10K. That race includes a long section of the marathon course too.
Credit for his upward trajectory goes to Coolsaet.
“Reid has had so much experience in the sport,” Woodfine says of his coach. “He has got a lot of valuable insights on the training front and beyond. He has done a lot of racesand he knows the deal with which races might work well for your goals, that kind of thing.
“He has got so much experience on any aspect of training, racing, nutrition, injuries, he has seen so much he can really help out.”
One of the differences in Woodfine’s program since his association with Coolsaet comes as a surprise but might well be a valuable lesson for all runners.
“Some of the workouts in the base training period are almost a bit easier than what I was doing (before),” he explains. “I think maybe before I was pushing a bit too hard too early in the training base. So backing off a little bit when coming into the marathon block was probably one of the bigger things.”
Like most runners he has had his share of hiccups, most notably a nagging case of plantar fasciitis that saw him drop out of the Boston Marathon back in April. He blames a mechanical deficiency in his running form. But that is behind him now and as he enters his marathon specific buildup phase he is full of optimism.
Recently he raced the Falmouth Road Race in Massachusetts finishing 11th in 33:33 over the 7-mile course. A successful result at the shorter distance has added to his confidence.
“The last few weeks leading into Falmouth I did get my longer mileage in,” he reveals. “I got a 37km long run in there just to get things ready. The week before Falmouth was 220km. In this (Toronto) buildup block I would like to get up to a maximum of 250 or 260km.”
Besides a personal best, Woodfine is fully aware that a national championship offers the chance for maximum World Athletics points that would count heavily in 2025 World Championships qualifying. Those Championships are set for Tokyo.
“I talked to Reid about trying to qualify for Tokyo,” he admits. “I have had a few sit-downs (with him). I’d get a fair amount of points with another good performance with a strong time. A solid finish in Toronto would put me in a good position.”
Unlike many elite runners Woodfine doesn’t have a shoe sponsor. After completing his paramedic studies at the Ontario Health and Technology College he has put on hold a career in that field to focus on his running. To make ends meet he has been doing some online coaching, a sideline that continues to grow.
“I definitely love helping other runners achieve their goals,” he adds. “I also do some remote work for a pharmacy in the area. It’s best described as inventory and purchasing. It’s very flexible and works great with running.”
Like many elite runners the Olympic Games has been a target for Woodfine. In 2020 he beat the Tokyo Olympics qualifying standard running 2:10:51 at the London Marathon and thought he’d achieved his dream of being an Olympian. But when Cam Levins ran 2:10:14 in Austria six months later it was Levins who was chosen for the team and not Woodfine. This, despite the fact Woodfine had beaten Levins in London by well over a minute.
Despite falling short of the Paris Olympic standard with his Houston Marathon personal best he still harbours an Olympic dream.
“Yes it is still a goal. I try not to put as much emphasis on the Olympics being an ‘all or nothing’, a defining factor of success for my career,” he declares. “I think that can kind of end up making you miserable. Whether you are going to the Olympics or not. For sure, it’s a goal.
“I am in this for another Olympic cycle and hopefully I can be on the start line in LA - the third time is a charm. But I am really focused on each year and trying to enjoy each race for what it is.”
The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is an obvious step forward in his career path.
(09/03/2024) Views: 253 ⚡AMPThe Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5k Run / Walk is organized by Canada Running Series Inc., organizers of the Canada Running Series, "A selection of Canada's best runs!" Canada Running Series annually organizes eight events in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver that vary in distance from the 5k to the marathon. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Half-Marathon are...
more...Olympic legend Usain Bolt has seen his sprint times beaten by youngsters Gout Gout and Nickecoy Bramwell in recent months, but he remains philosophical on his achievements being topped.
Usain Bolt has already made his feelings clear on young athletes breaking his records by declaring that he is excited by emerging "personalities" in the sport.
Following Nickecoy Bramwell's record-breaking feat earlier in the year, another record held by the Jamaican icon was smashed this week as 16-year-old Gout Gout produced a silver medal-winning time of 20.60 seconds in the 200m at the U20 World Championships in Peru. The young Australian narrowly edged out Bolt's 2002 time in the same race when he was almost 16 years old.
The Olympic legend clocked 20.61 in the final, although he had a quicker time of 20.58 in the first round. More than two decades on from Bolt's heroics, South African Bayanda Walaza clinched gold with a time of 20.54, while Britain's Jake Odey-Jordan secured bronze in 20.81.
Back in May, 16-year-old Jamaican hopeful Bramwell took Bolt’s Under-17 400m world record at the Carifta Games in Grenada with the youngster clocking 47.26 seconds to beat the record by just 0.07 seconds. Bolt's record had previously stood for an incredible 22 years.
Speaking after Bramwell's achievements, Bolt hoped that his legendary times being eclipsed meant that athletics would be getting a much "needed" fresh injection of personality. He also claimed that the sport has not been the same since he departed the track.
“After me, it kind of went down because of who I was as a person, and how big my personality was," Bolt said. “But I think over time it will be better. I think young athletes are coming up and I see a few personalities that are needed in sport, hopefully in the upcoming years it will change.”
Who gets to inherit Bolt's heavy crown is another matter altogether, though. While Bramwell has caught the eye at longer distances, it's Gout who seems to be the major contender for Bolt's age-group records in the 100m and 200m.
The young athlete's performance has drawn strong comparisons to Bolt, with Athletics Australia president Jane Flemming among those claiming the young runner could be the next Olympic conquering superstar. Gout has taken such remarks with a degree of calmness rarely seen at such a young age, declaring that the compliment was "pretty cool".
Meanwhile, Bramwell, who has overcome several injury problems to now be discussed in the same breath as Bolt, has stated he now wants more of the legend's records. He said: "It's a wonderful feeling to break the record. Since last summer, I have been eyeing the record.
"So it's a great feeling I could come out here and get it. I just took my mind off it and focused on the record. I'm looking forward to better things.”
Bolt, 37, who retired in 2017, won eight Olympic gold medals and still holds world records in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay. He now spends his athletics retirement with his family while also dabbling in celebrity charity events, like playing in Soccer Aid.
(09/02/2024) Views: 159 ⚡AMPThe 2021 Chicago Marathon second runner-up Eric Kiptanui and Beijing 2008 Olympics 10,000m bronze medalist Linet Masai will spearhead Kenya’s charge at the Frankfurt Marathon set for October 27.
Race organizers anticipate a turnout of 12,000 participants, with expectations of a thrilling, fast-paced competition.
“We are looking forward to another high-class race that will certainly hold one or two surprises. After having the fastest race in the event's history last year in terms of the two winning times added together, we are excited to see what will be possible on October 27,” said race director Jo Schindler.
During last year’s race, Brimin Kipkorir sealed the title in 2:04:53 ahead of Ethiopian duo of Mulugeta Asefa (2:06:47) and Guye Idemo (2:07:44).
In the women’s elite race, Ethiopia’s Buzunesh Getachew (2:19:27) beat Winfred Moseti (2:20:55) and Sharon Chelimo (2:22:07) to the title.
Kiptanui enters the race with an impressive resume, including half marathon victories in Berlin (58:42) and Lisbon (1:00:05) in 2018, and Barcelona in 2019 (1:01:04).
In the marathon, he boasts a title from the Xiamen and Tuscany Marathon in 2021 (2:05:47-PB). He also secured runner-up finishes in Dubai 2020 (2:06:17) and Chicago 2021 (2:06:17).
His other accolades include a victory at the 2017 Madrid 10k Road race (27:34).
His main rival will be Ethiopia’s Herpasa Negasa, who finished second at the 2022 Seoul Marathon.
Negasa holds a personal best of 2:03:40 set during the 2019 Dubai Marathon where he placed second behind compatriot Getaneh Molla (2:03:34).
The Ethiopian’s accolades include runner-up finishes at the Hengshui 2018 Marathon (2:09:14), Lyon 2015 (2:10:17) and a second runner-up finish at the 2018 Warszawa Marathon (2:11:46).
In the women’s race, Masai will face a stern challenge from 2022 Berlin Marathon third-place finisher Tigist Abayechew.
Masai brings a rich trophy cabinet that includes bronze from the Beijing 2008 Games in the 10,000m (30:26.50) and a world title in the same event from the 2009 Berlin World Championships (30:51:24).
The 34-year-old is also a gold medalist from the 2007 World Cross Country Championships and a three-time silver medalist from Amman 2009, Bydgoszcz 2010 and Punta Umbria 2011.
In the full marathon, Masai holds a lifetime best of 2:23:46 from the 2018 Amsterdam Marathon where she finished fifth.
Abayechew holds a best of 2:18:03 she set during the Berlin Marathon, where she placed third behind Rosemary Wanjiru (2:18:00) and Tigst Assefa (2:15:37).
(08/31/2024) Views: 191 ⚡AMPFrankfurt is an unexpectedly traditional and charming city, with half-timbered buildings huddled in its quaint medieval Altstadt (old city), cosy apple wine taverns serving hearty regional food, village-like neighbourhoods filled with outdoor cafes, boutiques and street art, and beautiful parks, gardens and riverside paths. The city's cache of museums is second in Germany only to Berlin’s, and its nightlife...
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