Running News Daily

Yimer and Wereta secure Ethiopian double in Seoul

Jemal Yimer prevailed after a sprint finish in the men’s race, while Fikrte Wereta claimed a clear women’s race win to secure an Ethiopian double at the Seoul Marathon on Sunday (17).

It was a first World Athletics Platinum Label road race win for both athletes, two-time world half marathon fourth-place finisher Yimer continuing his marathon journey with an almost three-minute PB of 2:06:08 and Wereta also running a lifetime best of 2:21:32.

The men’s race saw a big group remain together until after 30km, when Yimer formed part of a breakaway group of seven. The 27-year-old had been happy to sit back in the pack up to that point, passing 10km in 29:43 and 20km in 59:54.

The pace remained consistent as he reached 25km in 1:14:37 and 12 athletes were still running together at the 30km mark, hit by the leaders in 1:29:35.

Yimer’s compatriot Guye Adola, the 2021 Berlin Marathon champion, had looked in control to that stage, as he and Kenya’s Mike Kiptum Boit continued to switch the lead. But Adola couldn’t maintain the pace and he was among the athletes to drop back over the next couple of kilometres.

A group of seven forged ahead and six athletes remained together as 35km was reached in 1:44:27.

Yimer still had four others for company as he hit 40km in 1:59:19 alongside his compatriot Balew Yihunie Derseh plus Boit and his Kenyan compatriots Edwin Kiptoo and Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo.

But after doing much of the leading, Boit could only watch as Kilimo, Kiptoo and Yimer strode ahead.

Timing his kick to perfection, Yimer waited until the final corner to make his move. Glancing over his shoulder, he left Kilimo and Kiptoo behind and punched the air as he crossed the finish line.

He won in 2:06:08, with Kilimo a second behind him and Kiptoo a further second back.

Boit held on for fourth place in 2:06:20, while Derseh was fifth in 2:06:22.

In the women’s race, a nine-strong group running alongside male runners was on sub-2:20 pace for the opening kilometres but the tempo eased as the leaders reached 10km in 33:28, led by Kenya’s Celestine Chepchirchir.

Bahrain’s Desi Jisa Mokonin, looking to regain a title that she won in 2019, also took turns at the front and led as 15km was reached in 50:25 and 20km was passed in 1:07:29.

The main contenders remained together as an eight-strong group hit 30km in 1:41:05 and like in the men’s race, it was at around this stage that a significant move was made.

Jisa and Wereta were joined by Kenya’s Visiline Jepkesho and Ethiopia’s Betelihem Afenigus Yemer in a breakaway group and Wereta looked comfortable as she took her place at the front, with her challengers in single file behind her.

Wereta, Jisa and Yemer passed the 35km mark together in 1:57:42, with Jepkesho 11 seconds back at that point, and then Wereta attacked. She had built a lead of 23 seconds by 40km, passed in 2:13:54, as she was chased by Jisa (2:14:17), Yemer (2:14:43) and Jepkesho (2:15:01).

Wereta continued to stretch her lead and had an advantage of 47 seconds by the finish, which she crossed in 2:21:32. 

Jisa secured the runner up spot in 2:22:19, while Jepkesho passed Yemer in the closing stages to claim third place – 2:22:52 to 2:23:20. Ethiopia’s Yebrgual Melese was fifth in 2:23:43.

(03/17/2024) Views: 541 ⚡AMP

Competitive fields look to make a statement in Seoul

Ethiopia’s Guye Adola and Bahrain’s Desi Mokonin are among the athletes who will be looking to make a mark when they compete in the Seoul Marathon, this year’s sixth World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (17).

While Adola competes in Korea for the first time, Mokonin has the benefit of race experience, as she returns to an event that she won in 2019.

Adola has the fastest PB among the entries, thanks to the 2:03:46 he ran to finish second when making his marathon debut in Berlin in 2017. The 2014 world half marathon bronze medallist returned to win in Berlin in 2021, running 2:05:45 for the third-fastest time of his career so far.

He is back in marathon action for the first time since October, when he placed third in Frankfurt after finishing runner-up in Paris in April.

There are a number of athletes who will want to challenge him in Seoul, where the men’s field features another six sub-2:06 athletes. The course record stands at 2:04:43, achieved by Mosinet Geremew in 2022.

Kenya’s Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba has won each of the four marathons he has completed so far, most recently winning the Shanghai Marathon in November in a PB of 2:05:35, but he withdrew when defending his Xiamen Marathon title in January.

His compatriot Solomon Kirwa Yego finished third in Shanghai in a PB of 2:05:42 and then placed eighth in Xiamen, while Joel Kemboi Kimurer ran his PB of 2:05:19 in Milan in 2021 and Laban Kipngetich Korir clocked his best of 2:05:41 in Amsterdam in 2022.

Ethiopia’s Derseh Kindie will be looking to build on the PB of 2:05:51 he set in Valencia in December and he’ll be joined on the start line by his compatriots Gebru Redahgne, who finished second in the 2022 Barcelona marathon in 2:05:58, and world half marathon fourth-place finisher Jemal Yimer.

China’s Feng Peiyou and Olonbayar Jamsran of Mongolia will be among those seeking Olympic qualification.

Ethiopia’s Yebrgual Melese is the quickest in the women’s field when it comes to PBs with the 2:19:36 she ran in Dubai in 2018, but the 2015 Chicago Marathon runner up’s last recorded result was a fifth-place finish in the 2020 Xiamen Marathon.

She’s the sole sub-2:20 runner in the women’s race but she will be joined by four others who have dipped under 2:22.

Those include Mokonin, who won the 2019 Seoul Marathon in 2:23:44 and clocked her PB of 2:20:47 in Doha just over a year ago. She ended 2023 with a 2:22:29 performance to finish seventh in Valencia.

Kenya’s Celestine Chepchirchir opens her 2024 campaign after having raced four marathons last year, topped by the 2:20:46 she ran to finish fourth in Valencia. Like Mokonin, she has previously raced in Seoul and it is where she recorded her PB of 2:20:10 set in 2022, when she finished fourth.

She lines up alongside her compatriot Janet Ruguru, who set a PB of 2:23:00 to finish second in Beijing in October and placed third in the Daegu International Marathon in the April.

Sisay Meseret Gola followed her 2:20:50 PB performance in Seville in 2022 with two 2:22 marathons in 2023 – in Osaka and Amsterdam. She withdrew from this year’s Osaka Women's Marathon in January but now returns to action in a field that also features her Ethiopian compatriot Fikrte Wereta, who ended 2023 with a win and a PB in Shenzhen, clocking 2:22:07.

Former Mongolian record-holder Munkhzaya Bayartsogt will be among those hoping to put themselves in the running for a place at the Paris Olympics.

The course record of 2:18:04 was set by Romania’s Joan Chelimo Melly in 2022.

Leading entries

Women

Yebrgual Melese (ETH) 2:19:36

Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN) 2:20:10

Desi Mokonin (BRN) 2:20:47

Sisay Meseret Gola (ETH) 2:20:50

Visiline Jepkesho (KEN) 2:21:37

Fikrte Wereta (ETH) 2:22:07

Sintayehu Tilahun (ETH) 2:22:19

Janet Ruguru (KEN) 2:23:00

Margaret Agai (KEN) 2:23:28

Sifan Melaku (ETH) 2:23:49

Munkhzaya Bayartsogt (MGL) 2:28:03

Marina Khmelevskaya (UZB) 2:29:28

Ayano Ikeuchi (JPN) 2:33:29

Men

Guye Adola (ETH) 2:03:46

Joel Kemboi Kimurer (KEN) 2:05:19

Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:35

Laban Kipngetich Korir (KEN) 2:05:41

Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 2:05:42

Derseh Kindie (ETH) 2:05:51

Gebru Redahgne (ETH) 2:05:58

Mark Kiptoo (KEN) 2:06:00

Felix Kandie (KEN) 2:06:03

Mike Kiptum Boit (KEN) 2:06:08

Ashenafi Moges Weldegiorgis (ETH) 2:06:12

Edwin Kiptoo (KEN) 2:06:52

Kibrom Desta Habtu (ETH) 2:07:05

Balew Yihunie Derseh (ETH) 2:07:12

Timothy Kipkorir (KEN) 2:07:53

Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:08:01

Feng Peiyou (CHN) 2:08:07

Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo (KEN) 2:08:08

Olonbayar Jamsran (MGL) 2:08:58

Huang Yongzheng (CHN) 2:10:49

Gantulga Dambadarjaa (MGL) 2:11:18

Jemal Yimer (ETH) 2:11:31

Evans Kipchumba (KEN) debut

(03/16/2024) Views: 699 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Walelegn wins again in Seoul

Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn was a comfortable winner of the Seoul International Marathon on Sunday (19), crossing the finish line of the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in a PB of 2:05:27.

It was his second victory in the Korean capital, having won there just four months ago in 2:06:59 at the JTBC Seoul Marathon. On this occasion, the 2020 world half marathon bronze medallist went much quicker in what was just the third marathon of his career.

He ran as part of a pack for most of the way, passing through 5km in 14:51 and 10km in 29:33 before reaching the half-way mark in about 1:02:30, putting them on course for a finishing time of about 2:05 – just outside the course record of 2:04:43 set last year by Mosinet Geremew.

The pace dropped slightly leading up to 30km, which was reached in 1:29:31 with eight men still in the lead pack. Walelegn then put in a bit of a surge and covered the next 5km segment in 14:34 – the quickest of the race. It was enough to break away from compatriots Shifera Tamru, Haftu Teklu and Olika Adugna Bikila, who formed a three-man chase pack.

With a seven-second lead at 35km and a 27-second lead at 40km, Walelegn continued to pull away from his opponents, and went on to cross the line in 2:05:27.

The three chasers broke up in the final two kilometres. Tamru – a former winner in Seoul (2019) and Daegu (2022) missed out on adding another Korean marathon victory to his collection, taking second place in 2:05:41. Teklu, who was contesting just the second marathon of his career, was third in 2:05:53, finishing comfortably ahead of Bikila (2:06:29).

Only the men’s race had been granted a World Athletics label. The women’s race, entirely a domestic field, was won by Jeong Da-Eun.

(03/19/2023) Views: 773 ⚡AMP

Melly and Geremew run course records for Seoul Marathon success

Joan Chelimo Melly and Mosinet Geremew both broke the course records to triumph at the Seoul Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (17).

Ethiopia’s world silver medallist Geremew saw off the challenge of his compatriot Herpasa Negasa and Brazil’s Daniel do Nascimento to win the men’s race in 2:04:43, while Romania’s Melly made a breakthrough to win the women’s contest in 2:18:04 ahead of Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede and Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba.

Both eventual winners managed to pull away from their rivals over the final couple of kilometres and keep them at bay, but it remained a fight to the finish. Negasa was just six seconds behind Geremew, with Do Nascimento a further two seconds back in a South American record, and Kebede was eight seconds behind Melly, with those five athletes all finishing inside the previous respective course records of 2:05:13 and 2:19:51.

Geremew, Negasa and Do Nascimento had been part of a 19-strong group that passed 5km in 14:42 and 10km in 29:14. By 20km that pack had 14 members, with 58:43 on the clock. Over the next 10km, three runners were dropped, with Geremew, Negasa and Do Nascimento among those to the fore along with Kenya’s Elisha Kipchirchir Rotich, Philemon Rono and Mark Korir (1:28:41). Rotich, last year’s Paris Marathon winner and the 2019 runner-up in Seoul, dropped out a short while later, while Geremew, Negasa and Do Nascimento began to break away, with the Brazilian pushing the pace.

Geremew and Negasa then made a move and looked to be leaving Do Nascimento behind, with a six-second gap, 1:43:31 to 1:43:37, at 35km and Korir and Rono another eight seconds back.

But Do Nascimento wasn’t giving up and rejoined the leaders to trail by just a few strides as 40km was passed in 1:58:27.

It was London and Chicago runner-up Geremew who was strongest in the closing stages and he held off his challengers to return to winning ways after being unable to finish the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year.

Negasa, who was second in Dubai in 2019, claimed another runner-up spot in 2:04:49, while Do Nascimento improved Ronaldo da Costa’s South American record of 2:06:05 – a world record when it was run in 1998 – by more than a minute, finishing third in 2:04:51.

Korir was a couple of minutes back in fourth in 2:06:54, one second ahead of Moses Kibet.In the women’s race, Melly – who has a half marathon best of 1:05:04 and was contesting her fourth marathon – was among the nine runners who passed 5km in 16:40 and 10km in 32:58. The lead group was down to six at 15km (49:30) and Melly had broken away with 2019 Beijing Marathon winner Kebede, Chumba and Kenya’s Celestine Chepchirchir by 20km (1:05:44).

That quartet continued to race through 25km in 1:21:58 and 30km in 1:38:29, and while Olympic seventh-place finisher Chumba was 10 seconds back at 35km – 1:55:03 to 1:55:13 – she passed Chepchirchir in the closing stages to finish third, eight seconds ahead.

Melly and Kebede had broken away by 40km, passed in 1:12:16, with Melly eventually striding away to win by eight seconds, 2:18:04 to 2:18:12, and record an almost three-minute PB.

Chumba was third in 2:20:02 and Chepchirchir fourth in 2:20:10, one place off her position in Seoul in 2019.

Seven years after her victory in Seoul, Ethiopia's Guteni Shone finished fifth in 2:28:05.

(04/17/2022) Views: 1,523 ⚡AMP

Highly competitive fields ready to clash in Seoul this weekend

Organizers of the Seoul Marathon have assembled what is arguably their strongest ever line-up for the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race on Sunday (17).

Eight men with sub-2:06 PBs and five women with sub-2:21 lifetime bests are among the highly competitive fields.

World silver medalist Mosinet Geremew heads the men’s line-up. The former Ethiopian record-holder, who has a PB of 2:02:55, has finished in top three in eight of his nine completed marathons. He was unable to finish the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year, but he’ll return to action on Sunday in a bid to become just the second Ethiopian man in history to win the Seoul Marathon.

If he falls short of that target, compatriot Herpasa Negasa stands a good chance. Runner-up in Dubai in 2019, he is a 2:03:40 performer at his best.

Elisha Kipchirchir Rotich leads the Kenyan charge. A formidable opponent, he won the Paris Marathon last year in a PB of 2:04:21. He also has five other career marathon victories to his name, and he finished second in Seoul in 2019.

Three-time Toronto Marathon winner Philemon Rono is also entered, as is Kenyan compatriot Mark Korir. The 2015 Paris Marathon winner has a 2:05:49 PB and will be making his fifth appearance in Seoul; he has made the podium three times in the Korean city but is yet to win.

Korea’s Joohan Oh – formerly known as Wilson Loyanae of Kenya – is also familiar with the streets of Seoul, having won the race four times. He also holds the course record at 2:05:13, but his last completed marathon was back in 2019 when he finished second in Gyeongju in 2:08:42.

Ugandan duo Filex Chemonges and Moses Kibet are also worth keeping an eye on. Chemonges, who represented Uganda at the Olympics last year, holds the national record at 2:05:12. Kibet, meanwhile, has only contested two marathons to date but already has a PB of 2:05:20.

Other entered athletes include 2017 Seoul runner-up Felix Kandie of Kenya, Kenneth Keter, Brazilian Olympian Daniel do Nascimento, two-time Amsterdam winner Benard Kipyego, Solomon Kirwa Yego and Martin Kosgey.

The women’s race looks just as competitive and similarly tough to call.

Guteni Shone returns to Seoul, seven years after her victory there. Since then, she has also won in Ottawa and Seville, while in more recent years she has finished second in Prague in 2021 and second in Dubai in 2020 – the latter with a PB of 2:20:11, making her the fastest in the field for Sunday. In fact, she has finished in the top two in her past four marathons and she won’t want to relinquish that streak this weekend.

She’ll be joined on the start line by two fellow Ethiopians who also have a strong marathon record. Sutume Asefa, winner of the Beijing Marathon in 2019, set a PB of 2:20:30 when finishing third in Tokyo two years ago. Shure Demise, meanwhile, set her PB of 2:20:59 on her debut at the distance in Dubai back in 2015, but has gone on to win in Toronto twice. She also placed third in Tokyo in 2019 and in Chicago in 2018.

Netsanet Gudeta may not have the fastest PB of the elite field – partly because she has only completed two marathons to date – but she is a proven contender at the half marathon distance, having won the 2018 world title. Her half marathon PB of 1:05:45 suggests she’s capable of improving on her 2:26:09 marathon PB.

Joan Chelimo Melly has an even quicker half marathon PB, 1:05:04, making her one of the fastest women of all time for the distance. The Kenyan has started to move up to the marathon in recent years and has a PB of 2:20:57.

Other Kenyans in the line-up include Agnes Jeruto Barsosio, who was third in Seoul in 2016, Selly Chepyego Kaptich, and Celestine Chepchirchir, who was third in Seoul in 2019. Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba, seventh at the Olympics last year, is another one to watch.

Elite field

Women

Guteni Shone (ETH) 2:20:11

Sutume Asefa (ETH) 2:20:30

Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN) 2:20:57

Agnes Jeruto Barsosio (KEN) 2:20:59

Shure Demise (ETH) 2:20:59

Selly Chepyego Kaptich (KEN) 2:21:06

Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:23:10

Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN) 2:23:38

Netsanet Gudeta  (ETH) 2:26:09

Men

Mosinet Geremew (ETH) 2:02:55

Herpasa Negasa (ETH) 2:03:40

Elisha Kipchirchir Rotich (KEN) 2:04:21

Philemon Rono (KEN) 2:05:00

Filex Chemonges (UGA) 2:05:12

Joohan Oh (KOR) 2:05:13

Moses Kibet (UGA) 2:05:20

Mark Korir (KEN) 2:05:49

Felix Kandie (KEN) 2:06:03

Kenneth Keter (KEN) 2:06:05

Daniel do Nascimento (BRA) 2:06:11

Benard Kipyego (KEN) 2:06:19

Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 2:06:24

Martin Kosgey (KEN) 2:06:41

Vincent Kipsang Rono (KEN) 2:07:10

Lucas Kimeli Rotich (KEN) 2:07:17

Belachew Alemayehu (ETH) 2:07:55

Brian Kipsang (KEN) 2:09:07.

(04/15/2022) Views: 2,054 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

2021 Seoul Marathon will be held virtually in May

The 2021 Seoul Marathon, the largest marathon competition in Korea, will be held virtually this year. The 2021 Seoul Marathon, which is co-hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, The Dong-A Ilbo, and Sports Dong-A, and sponsored by the Seoul Sports Council, will be held from May 1 to May 9.

The race will be kept non-contact due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the 2020 Seoul Marathon was delayed to the second half of the year, it was held both online and offline.

Participants of Seoul Marathon this year will hold a race of their own without restrictions of time and place, using running applications of their choice. Those who have applied for participation will be provided with race information and recommended courses from May 1.

Moreover, 30 ambassadors of Seoul Marathon, who have been selected for the first time, will promote exercise in daily life in time of social distancing by introducing their own stories of running.Those who wish to participate can sign up at www.seoul-marathon.com from 10a.m. on April 12. Up to 15,000 runners will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Once accepted, a package will be sent to participants by courier to help them enjoy their race.

The package will include a lace poncho for warm-up and cool-down before and after the race, a memento t-shirt and a t-shirt celebrating the completion of the marathon by New Balance, and a finisher medal. The participation fee is 30,000 won. To sign up, visit the official Seoul Marathon website at www.seoul-marathon.com.

(03/30/2021) Views: 1,427 ⚡AMP

2020 Non-contact Seoul Marathon will be held for two days from Saturday

The Dong-A Marathon, a leading the marathon world in Korea, is introducing a new type of offline marathon in line with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 Seoul Marathon Untact Race, which is the one and only type of race in the world, will be held for two days from Saturday at the Jamsil Sports Complex.

With the 2020 Seoul International Marathon/ The 91st Dong-A Marathon, which is one of the six World Marathon Majors and Platinum Label race, cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a completely new type of race is being introduced.

While most of the major marathons are being held virtually around the world, the Seoul International Marathon will be the first offline race, where participants gather in one place and complete the marathon race following quarantine rules.

The organizer of the Seoul Marathon gave six virtual race missions in advance and qualified those who achieved more than one mission to apply for the offline race.Participants of the offline race will run 10 laps inside the Olympic Main Stadium and the Auxiliary Stadium, running a total of 10 kilometers.

Participants will begin the race consecutively with a 10-meter distance from each other and will be asked to use a designated lane for COVID-19 prevention.Participants should wear a mask and avoid contact by using a separate lane when passing the runner in front of them.

Organizers will keep the race non-contact by following social distancing rules, such as taking preventative measures against COVID-19 at stadiums and strictly calculating time interval between the start of participants.

(10/22/2020) Views: 2,042 ⚡AMP

Seoul Marathon Has Been Canceled Due to Coronavirus

The 2020 Seoul Marathon has been canceled due to the coronavirus. In some good news for those registered, full refunds will be given to all runners.

The 2020 Seoul Marathon was scheduled to take place on March 22 and now, a bit less than 3 weeks from the start date, the organizers of the Seoul Marathon have decided to cancel this year’s running of the event.

Unlike Tokyo Marathon, the Seoul Marathon will be issuing refunds to all runners. Here is their statement on this matter:

2020 Seoul Marathon cancellation and refund, Seoul Marathon Organizing Committee is officially announcing the cancellation of 2020 Seoul Marathon due to the outbreak of COVID-19. There will be a full refund for every participant. If you have paid with a credit/debit card, a refund will be automatically made. If you have paid with a wire transfer, please leave your bank account detail as you apply for a refund on our official website. It might take a while for the refund to be processed. Thank you for your understanding and hope you all be safe and healthy.

This is definitely going to be a disappointment to the 44,000 runners that were set to participate in the various events for the Seoul Marathon. However, I have to say that the organizers did a great job with this.

First of all, they cancelled it before the taper for runners would begin. This can help those that were planning on running to keep their running  program going as they look for another event. The second thing was that they are giving a full refund. They still would have had to make outlays for many things leading up to the marathon but they are not taking that out of the pockets of the people who registered.

Both of those things are likely to go a long way in creating some loyalty from runners who were signed up for this year. Also, while I am sure that many runners would have preferred a longer wait-and-see mode, I think it was the right call to cancel it now.

South Korea has been hit hard already with the coronavirus in terms of numbers compared to other countries and they likely would have seen many runners either not want to come or unable to come for the race. This is due to things like countries warning against travel there right now due to the coronavirus.

(03/05/2020) Views: 2,408 ⚡AMP

Soh Rui Yong broke a 24-year-old record at Seoul Marathon

It has been a great day for national marathoner Soh Rui Yong. All of his hard work and training has been paid off when he clocked at 2hr 23 min 43 sec at the Seoul Marathon on Sunday Morning (March 17th). It is a big deal for him as he broke the 24 year old record at the event.

The effort he put in during that race is what he would consider a big achievement as it has always been his goal to go under 2:24. As a matter of fact, he was planning to do that at the Tokyo Marathon earlier this month. However, he had to withdrew from the race due to a mix-up where he was placed in a mass start up pen instead of the elite and sub-elite group.

Soh Rui Yong is also known for his previous achievements where his previous best in the Chicago Marathon back in 2016 was 2:24:55. He also has obtained 2 gold medals in the SEA games.

He expressed his joy with the results he put out as he commented, “It took years of work and I finally found the race and opportunity to do it, so I am happy with that.”

He also mentioned how this marathon is the only serious attempt at record. When it comes to previous marathons, he was “unsure of his fitness going in” but this time he managed to go in fit and healthy.

Soh Rui Yong has done 5 weeks worth of training in Flagstaff, Arizona which is located in the United States. Even with an Achilles heel injury which caused clocking in lower mileage, Soh Rui Yong managed to keep his confidence that he would go under 2hr 24 min as his key workouts there were faster than before.

Soh Rui Yong is not just hardworking in his sports career but even in his working career. He is current working in business development and is also a sports ambassador with lifestyle portal called The Smart Local.

(03/25/2019) Views: 2,459 ⚡AMP

Kenya's Wilson Erupe Loyanae wins for the 4th time at Seoul Marathon

Kenya’s Wilson Erupe Loyanae became the first man to win four times at the 74th annual Seoul Marathon that was held early Sunday (18) in Seoul, South Korea. The 29 year-old first won in the Korean capital in 2012, clocking a course record of 2:05:37. He won again three years later in 2:06:11 and then successfully defended his title in 2016 in 2:05:13, an improvement on his course record. Loyanae beat a strong field that included Marius Kimutai who on paper had the fastest time of 2:05.47 that he ran in Amsterdam in 2016. Kimutai won both of his marathons last year, clocking 2:06:04 in Rotterdam and 2:08:33 in Ljubljana. In between those runs, he also set a half marathon PR of 1:00:07. Loyanae broke the tape in 2:06.57. He was followed by Mark Korir who crossed the line in 2:07.03 with Benson Kipruto closing the podium three in 2:07.11. Kimutai finished 4th in 2:07:45...The women's race saw a group of eight running together through 20 kilometers in 1::08:06. Then Ethiopian Damte Hiru made a decisive break. The 24-year-old finished unchallenged in 2:24:08. There were over 20,000 participants. (03/19/2018) Views: 1,932 ⚡AMP

2:05:47 Marathoner Marius Kimutai going for his 7th major win at Seoul Marathon

Marius Kimutai will line up for the Seoul Marathon with the aim of achieving his third successive victory over 26.2 miles, but the Kenyan faces a tough challenge. Since setting his PB of 2:05:47 in Amsterdam in 2016, Kimutai won both of his marathons last year, clocking 2:06:04 in Rotterdam and 2:08:33 in Ljubljana. In between those runs, he also set a half marathon PB of 1:00:07. For what can often be an unpredictable event, the 26-year-old has an impressively consistent record at the marathon distance. He has finished on the podium at 11 of his 12 marathons to date, winning six of those races. (03/17/2018) Views: 1,915 ⚡AMP