Running News Daily

Kenyan Titus Ekiru is eager to make grand entry to big stage

Milano Marathon champion Titus Ekiru is among athletes to watch on Sunday during this years’ edition of the London Marathon.

Ekiru has been training in Kapsabet, Nandi County at the Stanley Biwott Nike camp and wants to lower his personal best time of 2 hours, 02 minutes and 57 seconds.

In May this year, Ekiru posted one of the fastest times this season after winning Milano Marathon in 2:02:57 improving his own course record he set in 2019 of 2:04:46.

But he wants to lower it further if the weather conditions allow on Sunday in his World Marathon Majors debut in London.

Ekiru improved the Milano course record he set in 2019 of 2:04:46 by one minute and 49 seconds, becoming the fifth fastest marathoner of all time alongside compatriot Denis Kimetto. His time went into the records as the fastest marathon ever run on Italian soil.

He will be the third fastest in the elite field on Sunday behind Ethiopia’s Birhanu Legese who has a personal best time of 2:02:48 and Mosinet Geremew whose personal best time is 2:02:55.

He will be teaming up with compatriots Valencia Marathon champion Evans Chebet and Vincent Kipchumba who was second last year in London.

“After my good performance in Milano, I went straight to camp to continue with my training programme because I knew there were many upcoming races I could participate in. It has been four months of vigorous preparations and I just want to run a good race,” said Ekiru who is under Rosa Associati Company.

Ekiru said that he had high hopes of participating in the Olympic Games but a nagging knee injury locked him out.

"It’s sad the knee injury I was nursing in 2020 locked me out of many events and thus missing out on the Olympics slot but I’m happy my season has begun well. My focus now is to do well in the race as I look forward to next year's World Championships in Eugene, USA,” said the 29-year-old Ekiru.

Ekiru’s career took shape in 2016 when he finished second at Casablanca Marathon in Morocco clocking 2:15:43 before winning the 2017 Seville Marathon in Seville, Spain in 2:07:42. He later emerged fourth in the Honolulu Marathon that year.

In 2018, he won the Honolulu Marathon in a time of 2:09:01 and the half marathon event of the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Half Marathon clocking 1:01:02. He also won Mexico City Marathon in a new course record of 2:10:38.

In 2019, Ekiru won the Milano City Marathon and set a new course record of 2:04:46.

He also won the Portugal Half Marathon in 2019 and set a new course record of 1:00:12.

Later in December that year, he defended his Honolulu Marathon title in a new course record of 2:07:59. 

In 2021, he won the Milano City Marathon in a new course record of 2:02:57 and is now looking forward to improving it as he focuses on running the fastest time in the world.

The world record is currently held by Eliud Kipchoge after clocking 2:01:39 in 2018 Berlin Marathon.