Running News Daily

Taiwan’s Wan Jin Shi Marathon concludes in wet conditions

World Athletics gives marathon gold-label designation for excellent course planning and execution

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — More than 11,000 runners competed in the 2023 New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi (WJS) Marathon on Sunday (March 19), drawing 300 competitors from 33 countries.

The road race is Taiwan's first World Athletics certified “Gold Label” event, indicating that the running surface and route meet top-quality international conditions and the event is supervised by properly trained medical staff, per UDN.

The WJS Marathon was held in Wanli’s Emerald Bay with a series of warm-up activities before the 6:00 a.m. start. New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) had the honor of firing the starter’s pistol and both domestic and foreign competitors took off on the 42-kilometer marathon race. Afterwards, a shorter 10km race also commenced

Later at a press conference, Hou said he was proud that the WJS Marathon became the first event in Taiwan to be certified with the “Gold Label” by World Athletics.

Previously, the group went under the name International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) and is recognized as the main governing body for athletic competitions such as track and field, road running, cross-country racing, and marathons.

Hou added that approximately 11,000 runners participated in today's marathon. Among them, 300 runners came from 33 countries, such as Bahrain, Spain, Ethiopia, and Kenya. He was also proud that many marathoners wore clothing made from coffee grounds and PET bottles, which promoted his future vision for sustainability.

Race organizers are planning to apply for a special green certificate next year to make the road race more sustainable. This year, LED screens at the start and finish of the race replaced PVC signage, and even race result certification was provided electronically instead of being printed.

In the end, it was Kenyan athlete, Barnabas Kiptum, who won the race in 2:11:57 with the top Taiwan male finisher being Chiang Chieh-wen (蔣介文) who crossed the finish line in 2:23:06, per UDN.

As for the women's competition, it was won by Ethiopian Bekelech Gudeta Borecha in 2:29:25. The top Taiwan female finisher was Lisa Reis (雷理莎) in 2:46:24.

(03/19/2023) Views: 531 ⚡AMP

Kenyan and Ethiopian runners win Taipei Marathon 2022

Kenya’s Lani Kiplagat Rutto and Ethiopia’s Alemtsehay Asefa Kasegn won the 2022 Taipei Marathon men's and women’s divisions, respectively, on Sunday (Dec. 18).

Rutto finished with a time of two hours, nine minutes, and 42 seconds, and Kasegn clocked two hours, 25 minutes, and 55 seconds, which broke the women’s course record, CNA reported.

Rutto, who was just 25 seconds shy of breaking the men's record, won the first place prize of US$26,667 (NT$820,000), while Kasegn took home US$60,000 for breaking the women’s record of two hours 27 minutes and 36 seconds.

Kasegn was last year’s Taipei Marathon female champion, and she came back this year to break the women’s course record.

The fastest Taiwanese runner was 40-year-old Chiang Chieh-wen (蔣介文), who finished in two hours, 25 minutes, and 53 seconds. Meanwhile, Lisa Ries (雷理莎) won the women’s domestic contest in two hours, 40 minutes, and 54 seconds, which was her personal best, the report said. Chiang and Ries each won a cash prize of NT$100,000.Kasegn had tagged along behind Chiang from the beginning and followed him closely until the finish line. Chiang said jokingly after the event, “I was thinking ‘it doesn’t matter to me if she tags along behind me,’ but, shouldn’t she dole one-third of her NT$1.8 million prize money to me?”

Ries said she had to withdraw from the competition the previous two years because of injury, and this year she achieved her goal of finishing the race without getting hurt. She added that now all her efforts will be focused on qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

(12/19/2022) Views: 663 ⚡AMP
by George Liao

Foreign runners take gold at Taipei Marathon

Paul K. Lonyangata won NT$1.8 million ($63,880US) for his first-place finish and record-breaking achievement

Kenyan runner Paul K. Lonyangata won the 2020 Taipei Marathon men's division on Sunday (Dec. 20) with a time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 18 seconds; while the female champion, Ethiopian Askale M. Wegi, came in at 2 hours, 28 minutes and 31 seconds, according to a China Times report.

Lonyangata was awarded prize money of NT$1.8 million (US$62,000) for his first-place finish and record-breaking achievement.

The Kenyan champion said this was not the first time to win a road race, but it was the highest prize money he had ever received from a single race. He added that his prize money would help many people in his hometown who have contracted COVID-19, as well as fund schools.

Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said during an address before the start of the race that about 37,000 runners had registered for the event, but only 28,000 runners were selected by drawing lots, in order to maintain the quality of the event, CNA reported. In the future, 28,000 will become the limit for the number of people participating in the running event, the mayor said.

In order to obtain an IAAF Platinum Label for the event, which has been held every year since 1986, the city government invited 12 elite international athletes to participate in the event, the mayor said. He added that during the quarantine period, they were provided with running machines in their rooms so they could keep training.

The mayor went on to say the Taipei Marathon is likely the only large-scale city marathon to take place this year without a hitch, due to the pandemic, per CNA.

(12/20/2020) Views: 1,185 ⚡AMP

The strongest fields ever assembled for the New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi Marathon will be gunning for race records

On the men's side, four entrants with sub-2:10 credentials will be on the start line targeting the 2:13:05 standard set by Kenyan Josphat Too in 2013.

Among the favourites is Kenyan Mike Mutai, the winner of the 2016 Hong Kong Marathon who also boasts podium finishes from marathons in Singapore, Hangzhou and Hefei. Mutai, 36, clocked his 2:09:18 lifetime best in Dubai in 2012.

Another contender is Ethiopian Abraham Girma whose 2:06:48 personal best set in 2012 makes him the fastest in the field. More recently, he clocked 2:12:46 in Porto last November, finishing fifth.

A third contender is Philip Kangogo of Kenya, who set his 2:08:16 lifetime best when winning the 2015 Barcelona Marathon in his debut over the distance.

Mathew Kipsaat, who clocked 2:09:19 at the 2017 Rome Marathon, is also in the field. 

Similarly in the women's race, five women with sub-2:30 credentials have been recruited to set their sites on Kim Jong-hyang's 2:34:53 race record set in 2014.

He Yinli (marathon world ranking: 164) of China is the fastest in the field with a personal best of 2:27:35 set at the 2015 Chongqing Marathon where she's finished on the podium twice. She clocked 2:31:14 at the Osaka Women's Marathon in January, her most recent race.

Kenyan Nancy Koech (marathon world ranking: 318) is another contender. She arrives armed with a 2:29:30 career best set at the 2017 Daegu Marathon, with wins at the Malaga, Copenhagen and Munster marathons to her credit.

Another Kenyan, Sylvia Medugu (marathon world ranking: 201), has a 2:29:09 personal best, set at the 2017 Frankfurt Marathon. 

(03/15/2019) Views: 2,086 ⚡AMP

Japan’s Yuki Kawauchi is very versatile winning marathons in both Cold and Hot conditions

Yuki Kawauchi won the New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label road race, on Sunday. It was 75 degrees and 85% humidity so running a good time became less important than winning. However, Yuki clocked 2:14:12, identical to the time he ran in this race two years ago, but this time he was the first across the line. Yuki lead from the gun, opening with a nine-second lead after five kilometers, he extended it to 37 seconds at the 10K point before reaching the midway point in 1:04:44, more than two minutes clear of his nearest pursuer, Kenyan Johnstone Maiyo. Maiyo made up some of that ground in the second half, but couldn't challenge Kawauchi, who went on to win by 28 seconds. Maiyo clocked 2:14:40 in second with Aredom Degefa of Ethiopia third in 2:14:54. The heat and high humidity slowed everyone down the second half. Normally Yuki runs negative splits but not Sunday. "I was the runner-up in 2016, so this time I really wanted to win the title,” said Kawauchi, who clocked his 2:08:14 lifetime best in Seoul in 2013. (03/18/2018) Views: 1,723 ⚡AMP

Yuki Kawauchi targeting course record in New Taipei City and his 27th sub 2:12

When Yuki Kawauchi last raced the New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi Marathon, it took a course record to beat him. That was two years ago. The prolific racer from Japan will return to the IAAF Silver Label road race seeking not only victory but an improvement on the course record on Sunday (18). The 31-year-old, who has won more than 30 international marathons, has a best of 2:08:14. In New Taipei City in 2016 he was beaten by Kenya’s William Chebor, who clocked a course record of 2:13:05 to Kawauchi’s 2:14:12. Since then, Kawauchi has gone on to win several other marathons and place ninth at last year’s World Championships. This will be his third marathon of the year, following victories in Massachusetts in January and Kitakyushu last month. (03/17/2018) Views: 1,958 ⚡AMP