Running News Daily

Renowned for his extraordinary athletics accomplishments and for being an inspiration, Kenya’s two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge dedicated his time on Sunday (13) to mentor World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team members in Kapsabet.

“I came here to tell you that being a refugee is not the end of life. In fact, it is the beginning of life, because as a refugee you have a lot of fruits hanging in this world,” said Kipchoge. “Do not treat yourself less because you are refugees, we are all equal as human beings, we are all athletes.”

The athletes sat with their pens and notebooks open, ready to jot down the nuggets of wisdom on the fundamentals of a successful life shared by the marathon great. They listened intently.

“The whole world has recognised you as a country, are you happy?” Kipchoge asked.

The athletes responded with a resounding ‘yes’ and clapped.

“Being recognised means you are the best,” he added. “Have faith in yourself, in your school and your coaches. Have respect.”

The seven student-athletes in attendance at the Eliud Kipchoge Sports Complex included Perina Nakang, Mfite-Umukiza Jules, Estherina Julius and Zinad Akulang, who are part of the World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team, and Peter Lotino Akileo, Peter Lopeyok Michael and James Lokibich, who are athletes sponsored by the school. Coaches were also present.

They looked at Kipchoge with admiration; meeting him was a dream. They were surprised and inspired by the simplicity and humility of Kipchoge, who was accompanied by his fellow athlete Jonathan Korir.

“Finally, I have met him. He is somebody like me,” said Lopeyok Michael.

Jules added: “I didn't expect that he could talk like he did. I thought he was a different person, but I realised that Kipchoge is a very good person. He is a parent; he is very encouraging.”

It was a class, with Kipchoge writing out key points and explainers. The theme focused on empowering, inspiring and encouraging the athletes to take education and sports seriously.

The marathon legend emphasised self-discipline, making firm decisions and being consistent, as well as building confidence – all elements that provide a strong foundation in life. 

“For me, it is very important because when you have education and talent, you can be somebody,” explained Lopeyok Michael.

The day was not about how many Olympic medals or world records Kipchoge has achieved – in fact, those did not feature at all. Instead, Kipchoge was keen on changing the mindset of the athletes and shifting their perspective on life.

“In their faces I saw the future of the refugee team, I saw the future of their countries, I saw the future of sport” he said. “I am positive about the refugee team, they have a great future. In the whole world we have 206 countries participating in the Olympics, but we have plus one which is the Refugee Team, to make 207 countries – they have a big opportunity to grab.”

It was the reminder this team needed, having experienced extremely difficult and traumatic lives. But Kipchoge views their experience as the perfect springboard for mentorship.

“They are hard to mould and easy to mould at the same time,” he said. “Hard to mould because they have passed through hard life but all in all they are easy to mould because they understand tough life more than anybody else. So, you bring that tough life to education and sport here in Kenya, they are ready to move in.”

Posing questions to each athlete about their plans, Kipchoge discovered that they all harbour the ambition of becoming a legend, just like the man in front of them.

“To be like you, to succeed and help my family, respect others, to stay humble, respect my teammates, work on school assignments and work hard in athletics,” Julius answered.

“To focus on education, to love each other and share,” responded Lokibich.

The session was interactive and engaging. There were shared aspirations, along with moments of seriousness and laughter. 

“Do you want to be successful; own a car, a house, have money and a good life, or do you want to be a legend?” Kipchoge asked.

“Aim to become the legends of the refugees – being legendary is to make an impact on behalf of the refugees. It is a real success. But you have to study, train well and remain focused.

“Being successful does not happen in one night. Success takes time. If you love your life and sports, avoid drugs. True champions are winning by their own sweat, blood and hard work,” he added.

“The longer you are in sport, the more opportunities you secure. You must know what you want, and where you want to go in your education and athletics. You must fight for opportunities.”

The athletes were accompanied by their head coach Janeth Jepkosgei, the 2007 world 800m champion, and two other coaches.

“The mentorship session was important; these kids have been longing to meet Eliud,” said Jepkosgei. “The team will see their lives differently. They are motivated and encouraged and believe that education and athletics can change your life and community, and it's an inspiration for them.”

Giving a message to the coaches, Kipchoge said: “You have to develop cohesiveness; these athletes must be free to speak to you. You know how to mentor, nurture and make talent propel.”

Then it was time for the athletes and coaches to ask Kipchoge some questions.

“My dream to meet you has come true. You have told us to know ourselves and believe we can. In your career, have you ever hit a wall with no results, yet you trained well and wanted to give up?” Jules asked.

Kipchoge replied: “The moment you perform, you have gone through challenges people do not know. I have been through a lot, but I keep pushing. You have to experience pain and frustrations so that you know how to handle success when it lands on you.”

He was also asked: “How do you feel when lining up with other champions, like (Kenenisa) Bekele?”

“Treat yourself as the best one,” Kipchoge responded. “At the start, tell yourself you have trained better than everybody else and during exams tell yourself that you have studied more than everybody else. Compete with yourself.”

Kipchoge’s remarkable athletics career, which spans 22 years, is older than the refugee athletes he mentored, as they are aged between 17 and 21 years. By sharing his experience, Kipchoge reminded them that despite his athletics triumphs, he has navigated challenges and even inner turmoil.

“He has given me and the team a lot of advice, including that I have to respect myself, my coach, my teachers and my teammates. He has been through a lot of challenges in his career, but he did not give up. Even us, we have experienced a tough life, but we are holding on,” said Nakang, who competed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Mentorship is something that Kipchoge takes seriously. In 2023, he became mentor to the U20 World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team. Through this role, Kipchoge inspires the upcoming generation.

“I treat the U20 athletes as the next generation,” he said. “I want to inspire them to run for the next 20-plus years because I want them to proceed beyond 2045, in the future promoting sport, competing for their countries, loving the sport, promoting education and bringing development and exposure to their countries.”

The 39-year-old, who holds five of the 11 fastest marathon times in history, has given a seal of approval to the World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team programme, which has been running since 2016.

“It is a plus; a firm and positive decision by World Athletics,” he said. “Let this project continue, let it flow. These are the flowers of World Athletics, what they are injecting in the form of finance and infrastructure to refugee athletes, they have shown these are real flowers of what they have been doing.”

Jakob Ingebrigtsen brought his remarkable 2026 season to a fitting close on home soil, winning the men’s street 1500m at the inaugural Runfest Norway in Sandnes on Friday.

Competing in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd, the Olympic and world champion took control of the race from the early stages and maintained his authority through the finish, stopping the clock at 3:40.7.

Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen followed in second in 3:43.3, while Sigurd Tveit completed the podium in 3:47.8.

The unusual street race added another dimension to the occasion, with 273 runners taking part on the same road and sharing the course with one of Norway’s most accomplished distance runners. For the recreational participants, it offered a rare opportunity to compete alongside Ingebrigtsen in an event that brought elite athletics and mass participation together.

The victory also provided a fitting final chapter to a season that began with significant uncertainty for Ingebrigtsen. After undergoing major Achilles surgery in February, the Norwegian was forced to miss a substantial portion of the summer campaign as he worked his way back to full fitness.

His return, however, quickly developed into another championship-winning chapter. In Birmingham, Ingebrigtsen captured European 5,000m gold before adding another major title at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where he won the 5,000m.

Those performances transformed what could have been a disrupted season into another year defined by championship success and a determined return to the highest level.

Now, with the Sandnes victory added to his 2026 record, Ingebrigtsen closes the year exactly where it began in spirit — overcoming adversity, rebuilding his form and once again competing at the front.

From Achilles surgery in February to major championship victories and finally a 1500m win before his hometown crowd, the Norwegian has given his 2026 season a memorable final scene.

Olympic 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell has announced her engagement to longtime partner Robert “Robbie” Springfield, adding a major personal milestone to the remarkable journey of one of America’s leading track and field stars.

Russell shared the news with her followers, revealing that Springfield had proposed and that she had accepted. Reflecting on their relationship, the Olympic champion described him as her best friend and expressed her excitement about spending the rest of her life with him.

The couple’s relationship dates back to their college years at the University of Kentucky, where both were student-athletes and competed in track and field. Russell established herself as a standout hurdler, while Springfield competed in the long jump, giving them a shared understanding of the demands, sacrifices and pressures that come with pursuing success in athletics.

Springfield has since transitioned from competition into coaching. A former collegiate long jumper, he is now part of the coaching staff at Morehead State University, where he works with the programme’s sprinters and jumpers.

Their relationship has developed alongside Russell’s rise to the top of the sport. The defining moment of her career came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she captured gold in the women’s 100m hurdles, securing her place among the sport’s Olympic champions.

Away from competition, Springfield has remained a familiar part of Russell’s journey, sharing in the demanding periods of training and competition that accompanied her pursuit of Olympic success. Their connection has consequently grown from a college athletics relationship into a long-term partnership.

The engagement now marks another significant chapter for Russell, this time away from the track. After reaching the pinnacle of her sporting career in Paris, the 100m hurdles champion is beginning a new phase of her personal life alongside a partner who has been part of her journey since their university days.

From competing on the same collegiate stage to building a future together, Russell and Springfield’s story has evolved alongside two careers shaped by track and field. The Olympic champion will now balance this new personal chapter with her continuing ambitions in athletics

The women’s race at the 2026 TCS Amsterdam Marathon is shaping up to be one of the most competitive editions in recent years, with a deep international field set to take on the fast Dutch course on Sunday, October 18.

At the centre of the contest will be four Ethiopian athletes who have already broken the 2:20 barrier, creating the prospect of a fascinating battle for victory and a possible assault on the course record of 2:16:52.

Defending champion Aynalem Desta will return to Amsterdam looking to retain her title after producing the biggest performance of her career at last year’s 50th edition. Desta won in a personal best of 2:17:37, establishing herself among the leading marathoners in the field and setting the benchmark for this year’s contenders.

Standing in her way will be fellow Ethiopian Meseret Belete Tola, a former Amsterdam champion who knows exactly what it takes to succeed on the course. Belete Tola captured the 2023 edition in 2:18:21, and her return adds another layer of experience and proven quality to an already formidable lineup.

The field also includes Mestawut Fikir Truneh, who arrives with an impressive marathon pedigree. Truneh finished runner-up at the 2024 Berlin Marathon in 2:18:48, demonstrating her ability to compete at the highest level on one of the world's major marathon stages.

Completing the quartet of sub-2:20 Ethiopians is Buze Diriba, whose personal best of 2:19:34 places her firmly among the leading contenders. With four athletes possessing credentials below 2:20, the race is likely to develop into a tightly contested battle from the opening kilometres.

The depth extends well beyond the leading quartet. Desi Jisa Mokonin, representing Bahrain, Yeshi Kalayu Chekole of Ethiopia and Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet of Eritrea have all established themselves as serious marathon competitors with performances approaching the 2:20 mark.

Another major name to watch is Abeba Aregawi, the former 1500m world champion representing Sweden. Aregawi has successfully transferred her talents to the marathon and made headlines earlier this year by setting a Swedish national record of 2:23:12 on her debut. Her presence adds another intriguing dimension to an already high-quality field.

Amsterdam’s marathon course has consistently provided an opportunity for elite athletes to produce fast times, and this year’s women’s lineup has the depth to turn the race into a genuine test of both championship racing and outright speed.

With four athletes already inside 2:20, two former Amsterdam champions returning to the start line and several other accomplished marathoners ready to challenge them, the battle is expected to remain open deep into the race.

The ultimate target will be the Amsterdam women’s course record of 2:16:52. Whether the leading contenders can threaten that mark remains to be seen, but the quality assembled for October 18 ensures that the record will be firmly in the spotlight when the race reaches its spectacular finish inside the Olympic Stadium.

The 2026 Valencia Half Marathon is shaping up to be a thrilling contest of speed, endurance and tactical brilliance, with some of the world’s finest road runners set to converge in Spain on October 25.

Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo and Alex Matata will be among the leading contenders, facing a formidable Ethiopian challenge spearheaded by Jemal Yimer and Tadese Worku. The field also features Rodrigue Kwizera, who boasts the fastest personal best among the leading entrants at 58:16.

Ebenyo arrives with a personal best of 59:04, placing him firmly among the athletes capable of sustaining a demanding pace over the 21.1-kilometre distance. Matata, who owns a 59:11 best, adds further Kenyan strength, while Andrea Kiptoo brings another sub-60-minute credential to the race.

Yimer has already established himself as one of the fastest athletes in the field with a 58:33 personal best, while Worku has clocked 58:35. Kenya’s Owen Korir, with a best of 58:58, further underlines the remarkable depth of the men's lineup.

Valencia Half Marathon 2026 Entries

1. Rodrigue Kwizera (Spain) — 58:16

2. Jemal Yimer (Ethiopia) — 58:33

3. Tadese Worku (Ethiopia) — 58:35

4. Owen Korir (Kenya) — 58:58

5. Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya) — 59:04

6. Alex Matata (Kenya) — 59:11

7. Andrea Kiptoo (Kenya) — 59:11

8. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Spain) — 59:42

9. Said Mechaal (Spain) — 1:00:24

10. Adel Mechaal (Spain) — 1:02:30

Kwizera, who finished second in Valencia last year, leads the field on paper and will be seeking another standout performance on the famously fast Valencia course. With several athletes carrying sub-60-minute credentials, the race has the ingredients for an aggressive battle from the opening kilometres.

Beyond the headline names, the men’s field is deep and highly competitive, bringing together a strong collection of experienced international athletes with proven ability over the half-marathon distance. With so much quality packed into the lineup, the race promises an intriguing battle in which tactics, endurance, positioning and finishing speed could all play a crucial role in determining the eventual champion.

Yet personal bests will count for little once the gun goes off. The title could ultimately be decided by patience, positioning and the ability to respond when the pace begins to rise in the closing stages. Every surge, every tactical move and every second saved could prove decisive on the road to the finish.

With Kenya, Ethiopia and Spain represented by athletes of exceptional quality, Valencia promises a high-octane men's showdown in which the leaders are likely to be separated by only a handful of seconds. The final kilometres could provide the defining moments of a race packed with speed, ambition and anticipation.

On October 25, the question will be simple: who has the strength to command the streets of Valencia and claim the coveted half-marathon crown?

 

April 19, 1982. The Boston Marathon unfolded under unusually warm, sunny conditions, and by the closing stages, the race had become a private battle between two very different American runners: Alberto Salazar, already one of the biggest names in distance running, and Dick Beardsley, the Minnesota runner who had emerged as a serious marathon contender.

For roughly nine miles, from the Newton Hills toward the finish, Beardsley did much of the leading, with Salazar tucked close behind. Neither man could shake the other. They ran deep into Boston locked together, trading surges and refusing to surrender an inch as the crowds along the course grew louder.

Salazar finally made his decisive move with less than a mile remaining. He opened a small gap, but Beardsley refused to disappear. The Minnesota runner chased him through the final streets, closing again as they approached the finish.

Then came the final sprint.

Salazar held his form and reached the finish first in 2:08:52, with Beardsley only two seconds behind in 2:08:54. It was an extraordinary result: both men broke 2:09 in the same Boston Marathon, and both shattered the previous course record.

The race became known as the “Duel in the Sun,” and it remains one of the most celebrated head-to-head battles in Boston Marathon history. Beardsley had not won, but his performance established him as one of America's elite marathoners.

For Salazar, however, victory came at an enormous physical cost. Immediately after crossing the finish line, he collapsed and required emergency treatment, including several litres of intravenous saline. The combination of heat, dehydration and an all-out effort had pushed his body to the limit.

Salazar's marathon career would never again produce quite the same kind of performance. His celebrated 1981 New York City Marathon victory had produced what was initially considered a world record, although the course was later found to be short. His Boston triumph therefore became one of the defining victories of his career.

Beardsley's story would take an even more difficult turn. Injuries disrupted his career, and after returning to the highest level, he suffered a devastating farm accident in 1989. Further accidents, surgeries and severe physical pain followed, eventually leading to a long battle with painkiller addiction.

He eventually overcame that struggle and transformed the darkest chapters of his life into a story of recovery, resilience and redemption.

That is what makes the 1982 Boston Marathon more than a two-second victory.

For one extraordinary afternoon, Salazar and Beardsley produced a marathon duel in which neither man was willing to give way. One crossed the finish line first. The other finished only two seconds behind him.

Two seconds separated them at Boston. Decades later, their legendary duel remains one of the greatest chapters in marathon history.