Running News Daily

Edmund Serem’s steeplechase triumph at the World U20 Championships in Lima was very much the result of a family effort.

Not only does he have older brother Amos – the 2021 world U20 champion – as a role model, he also has his father to thank for getting him into athletics, and particularly the steeplechase.

“It has always been our dad's dream to see us (Amos and Edmund) achieve what he wanted to achieve for himself as a youth, but didn't due to lack of support,” said Serem.

During their youth, their father took them to several athletics competitions around Kenya, and went on to provide his sons with everything they needed to establish their running careers.

“He would buy training shoes and running apparel and provide transport money for us to attend all the weekend meetings in the region,” recalled Serem, adding that their father chose the steeplechase distance for them.

“He would show us videos of Ezekiel Kemboi, Brimin Kipruto, Conseslus Kipruto and other steeplechasers competing at major championships. He erected barriers for us to practice jumping over and was so careful in choosing the right surfaces for us to do so as he didn't want us to get injured.”

Serem started running at the age of eight. Despite Amos being older than him, Edmund would join his brother on training runs, though would often take a shorter route. “My brother would then have to run faster and try to finish his route in the time it took me to complete the shorter one.”

When Amos started high school, the brothers trained under different coaches and environments. Edmund would later join St Patrick's Iten High School and trained under the famous Irish coach, Brother Colm O'Connell.

Edmund missed out on some competitive opportunities during his early high school years due to the Covid pandemic. Amos, meanwhile, went on to train under Patrick Sang in Kaptagat, but fate would bring the two brothers back together again.

They both now train in Kaptagat under coach Sang's programme. Despite being in two separate camps, wearing different brands and under two separate management groups, their training camps are just 600 metres apart and they see one another every morning for their training.

Sibling rivalry

Serem speaks fondly of his brother. While he has no desire to outshine his brother, he always enjoys competing alongside him in races. That feeling appears to be mutual, too.

"Every time my brother and I are in the same race, he usually performs very well,” says Serem. “I don't know if it is because he doesn't want me to beat him or because he feels stronger when I am around him, but I still look forward to racing against him.”

Both brothers have earned world U20 steeplechase titles in recent years. Three years after Amos’s triumph on home soil in Nairobi, Edmund followed in those footsteps by taking the steeplechase gold medal at this year’s World U20 Championships in Lima.

In a race in which 12 of the 16 finalists set PBs, Serem led a Kenyan 1-2 from teammate Mathew Kosgei to win in 8:15.28. Not only is it a world-U20-leading time, it’s also the third fastest in history by an U18 athlete.

He eventually won by more than two seconds, but he had struggled with stomach ache in the heats three days prior.

“After I rehydrated and recovered from the heats, my body felt good for the final,” he says. “I had high hopes of winning the race, and I told myself on the start line that if anyone else wanted to win it, they would have to fight hard for it.”

The performance capped a remarkable season for the 16-year-old. Back in March he finished sixth at the African Games, then he narrowly missed making the team for the Paris Games, finishing fourth at Kenya’s Olympic Trials. Just eight days later, he earned silver at the senior African Championships before ending his season on an even bigger high with his triumph in Lima.

Managing expectations

Having achieved so much at such a young age, and with the steeplechase being one of Kenya’s strongest disciplines, Serem knows that all eyes will be on him and his brother in the coming years. He takes it all in his stride, though.

"Most of my friends and relatives now believe more in me and see our dream to restore the steeplechase glory to Kenya becoming a reality,” he says. “Many are telling me that my brother and I are the potential runners to dominate the steeplechase in the future.”

Apart from two editions of the Games that the country boycotted, Kenya won every Olympic title in the men’s 3000m steeplechase from 1968 to 2016. That streak came to an end in 2021 when Soufiane El Bakkali won gold in Tokyo. The Moroccan has won three more global titles since then, while the world record was broken last year by Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma.

But Kenya is keen to reassert its dominance on the event.

Serem was one of several up-and-coming talents who were recently invited to meet with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Sports and Athletics Kenya senior officials to plan a way forward in ensuring Kenya remains a powerhouse in athletics.

“We talked about strategic plans to nurture and work with the young and emerging stars to maintain Kenya's glory in athletics into the future, especially in the steeplechase,” he said. “In recent years the men's steeplechase has been dominated mostly by Morroco's Soufiane El Bakkali, but we plan to end that.”

Although he’ll be an U20 athlete for two more years, and will be young enough to defend his world U20 title in 2026, Serem already has his eye on competing at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

“We’re taking things one step at a time,” he says. “The first step will be to make the team at the national trials, and then we will make the plans for the World Championships after that.”

Serem and his training group spent the past month working primarily on gym work before gradually moving to some longer and easier runs to build endurance. He may also participate in some local cross-country races as part of his training.

Heading into next year and beyond, perhaps the biggest motivating factor for both Edmund and Amos will be to accomplish the kind of successes that their father was unable to achieve due to the lack of support back then.

"Our father had a great passion for athletics but didn't get enough support at the time. He has provided Amos and me with everything we’ve needed, telling us, 'I don't want you to lack anything as I did during my time'.

“So I don't care which one of us wins the race,” added Serem of the prospect of racing against his brother in the future. “Because the success will eventually end up at home.”

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.