Running News Daily

Obiri and Kibet win Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

Hellen Obiri and Benard Kibet Koech achieved a Kenyan double at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Saturday (18).

Two-time world 5000m champion Obiri went one better than her runner-up spot in Ras Al Khaimah last year, clocking 1:05:05 to triumph by 44 seconds in the women’s race ahead of Ethiopia’s world marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase.

The men’s race was closer, but Kibet still claimed a clear win as he kicked away to beat his Kenyan compatriot Daniel Mateiko by four seconds - 58:45 to 58:49.

Obiri and Gebreslase were part of a pack that passed through 5km in 15:10. By 10km they had broken away from their competition, clocking 30:28 at that point, just ahead of Kenya’s Olympic marathon silver medallist Brigid Kosgei (30:31).

Obiri started to make a move and was 25 seconds ahead at 15km, following her pacemaker through that mark in 45:39. Her lead only grew and she eventually crossed the finish line 44 seconds clear, Gebreslase claiming the runner-up spot in 1:05:51.

Running a well-judged race, Ethiopia’s Ftaw Zeray finished third in a PB of 1:06:04, half a minute ahead of Kosgei.

In the men’s race, Kibet and Mateiko featured in the lead group that passed the 10km mark in 27:33. Breaking away along with their compatriot Richard Yator, the trio were together through 15km in 41:30 before Yator was dropped.

Kibet kicked and Mateiko couldn’t match his rival’s finishing strength, as Kibet took more than a minute off his PB with his winning performance.

Yator followed them over the finish line in 59:37, while Ethiopia’s Gemechu Dida finished fourth in 59:53.

A record number of more than 5500 participants took part in the programme of events in Ras Al Khaimah, which also included a half marathon relay, 5km race and 1 mile events.

Kosgei joins Obiri, Korir at Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

Women’s world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei has confirmed participation at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates in February 18, 2023.

Kosgei has a life time best of 2:14:04 over the 42km distance and 1:04:49 in the 21km distance. She returns to the Middle East with the hope of improving her second-place finish that she settled for in 2020.

Kosgei has a decorated running career which includes being the Olympic marathon silver medallist and 2017 Bogota Half Marathon champion. She is also the 2019 Bahrain and Houston Half Marathon champion.

She will be joining two-time World 5000m champion Hellen Obiri and World marathon silver medallist Judith Korir.

Obiri, who has a personal best time of 1:04:22 over the distance, placed second in last year’s edition of the race after being edged out by Ethiopia’s Girmawit Gebrzihair. Gebrzihair won the race in 1:04:14. Sheila Chepkirui placed third in 1:04:36.

On her part, Korir is the 2021 Lugano Half Marathon champion with a personal best time of 1:05:28. She settled for fourth place in last year’s edition of the race in 1:05:28.

Meanwhile, in the men’s category, Daniel Mateiko will face-off Ethiopia’s Seifu Tura with the hope of a podium finish. Mateiko will be looking to improve on his sixth-place finish at last year’s edition of the race. He lines up with a personal best time of 58:26.

Bernard Koech leads strong Kenyan squad for Tokyo Marathon next month

Bernard  Koech leads strong Kenyan contingent for the Tokyo Marathon slated for March 5

In the absence of defending champion and world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge, the 34-year-old will spearhead the country's charge in the  Japanese capital.

Koech, who has a personal best of 2:04:09 set at the Amsterdam Marathon two years ago, will have Cyprian Kotut for the company at the event. Kotut clinched the Hamburg Marathon last year when he clocked 2:04:47.

Titus Kipruto will also be one to look out for. He finished second at last year's Amsterdam Marathon, where he posted 2:04:54. 

Koech said he is looking forward to rubbing shoulders with the top marathoners in the world.

“It's going to be a great race. My training has been good and I have another two and half weeks to work on my endurance before we depart to the event," said Koech. 

The Kenyan trio faces an acid test in the shape of Ethiopian Lemma Sisay who finished third at last year's Berlin Marathon, where he clocked 2:03.36.

Sisay will have compatriot  Gelmisa Deso at the start line. Deso has a personal best of 2:04:43 set at the Valencia Marathon in 2020.

Esa Mohammed of Ethiopia will also be in contention for the win. The Ethiopian has a personal best of 2:05:05 set in Amsterdam last year

In the women's category, Team Kenya will be led by Rosemary Wanjiru in the absence of defending champion Brigid Kosgei, who is preparing for the London Marathon in April.

Wanjiru has a personal best time of 2:18:00 set at the Berlin Marathon last year.

Joan Chelimo will be one of the favourites after winning the Seoul Marathon last year in a personal best time of 2:18:04. 

The Kenyan duo will have to contend with the threat of the Ethiopian athletes led by last year's runners-up Bekere Ashete who clocked a personal best of 2:17:58 alongside compatriot Abayachew Tigist, who has a time of 2:18:03 set in Berlin last year. 

Japan will be well represented by Kengo Suzuki of  Fujitsu She holds the Japanese record of 2:04:56.

The former Japan record holder, Suguru Osako (Nike) will also be in the mix once again. In the 2020 edition, he set a new Japanese record of 2:05:29.

Tokyo Marathon race director Tadaki Hayano said he expects a competitive race. “We have a good crop of elite runners who will be competing as well as some of the Japanese athletes and it promises to be a very fascinating event" 

Sifan Hassan to debut in stacked women’s London Marathon field

Aday after releasing the men’s start list for the 2023 London Marathon, race organizers have announced the women’s field, and it is jam-packed with stars. The race will feature marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir and Sifan Hassan, who will be making her highly anticipated marathon debut. The race is April 23, and with so many amazing runners set to toe the line in London, it will be incredible to watch.

Who to watch for in London 

Kosgei has the fastest seed time of the women’s field–by a long shot. (Her 2:14:04 world record is a full minute and a half faster than that of Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa, who owns the fifth-fastest marathon in history at 2:15:37.) However, Kosgei isn’t necessarily a lock for the win, as there are far too many other extremely successful athletes in the mix. Jepchirchir has had an incredible string of marathons, winning the last five she has entered, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic marathon, Boston and New York. She’ll be a heavy favourite to make it six in a row (and grab yet another World Marathon Major) in London. 

Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw is another must-watch athlete; not only is she the 10K world record holder, but she also won her debut marathon in Hamburg last spring. Just a few months later, she followed up with a win at the London Marathon and is the defending champion.

Like Hassan, Great Britain’s Eilish McColgan will be running her debut marathon. She’s coming off an amazing season in 2022 that saw her win Commonwealth Games gold in the 10,000m and silver in the 5,000m and set three national records, including her 1:06:26 half-marathon best. Canadian marathon record holder Natasha Wodak is also set to race in London. 

Hassan’s debut

Hassan is one of the fastest runners in history. She is the reigning Olympic champion in the 5,000m and 10,000m (she also won bronze in the 1,500m last Olympics) and the owner of two world championship gold medals, plus she has multiple Dutch, European and world records to her name. What’s so impressive is not simply that Hassan has so many world records, but also the breadth of her success. Her shortest record is over 1,000m (her time of 2:34.68 is the Dutch record). Jumping up to the 1,500m, she has the European best of 3:51.95, and her mile PB of 4:12.33 is the world record. The European records in the 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m and half-marathon all belong to Hassan, and she owns the one-hour world record, too. 

With so much success over so many distances, she will likely do something amazing in the marathon. It shouldn’t be a surprise if it takes her a race or two to get into the marathon mindset (going from the half to full marathon is a big jump, even for the world’s best runners), but it also won’t be a surprise if she ends up running one of the fastest marathon debuts in history on April 23. 

Yalemzerf Yehualaw, Brigid Kosgei headline stellar women's London Marathon field

Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw will defend her London Marathon title in April, with world record holder Brigid Kosgei and Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya also set to run, organisers said on Thursday.

Reigning Olympic 10,000m and 5,000m champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands will make her marathon debut at the age of 30, with 1,500m world record holder Genzebe Dibaba, 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion Almaz Ayana and Berlin Marathon champion Tigist Assefa also taking part.

Home hopes will be carried by Britain's Eilish McColgan, the Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion, who will also be making her marathon debut.

"My victory at last year's TCS London Marathon was a day I will never forget. I can't wait to go back to London and be part of this amazing team," world 10km record holder Yehualaw said.

Hassan said she was considering both track and marathon options ahead of next year's Olympic Games in Paris.

"I need to test myself over the marathon distance... I'm really excited to be making my marathon debut. It will be a step into the unknown in many ways for me but I'm looking forward to it," she added.

Race director Hugh Brasher is delighted with the strength of the field.

"This is quite simply the greatest women's field ever assembled for a marathon – arguably the greatest field ever assembled for a women's distance race," he said.

"We have two reigning Olympic champions, three world record holders and multiple national record holders, in addition to an incredibly strong British contingent led by Eilish McColgan."

2023 Elite field announced for Tokyo Marathon

It’ll be hard to top the 2022 Tokyo Marathon. After all, Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei each set the course records for the men’s (2:02:40) and women’s (2:16:02) races, respectively. The course records will stand, but neither Kipchoge or Kosgei are back to defend their titles.

So which fresh faces will stand atop the Tokyo Marathon podium? The fields are littered with World Marathon Major success stories—some ready to snag another title, others looking for their very first. Expect competitive, exhilarating races on both sides.

The Tokyo Marathon website has a comprehensive list of the men’s and women’s elite fields, but here’s who we’re looking out for.

Non-Major Marathon Champs Shoot for First Major Men’s Title

The men’s athletes are no strangers to winning. Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia leads the field in accolades with his 2021 London Marathon victory. He also has the fastest personal best in the field—2:03:36.

Behind him are a handful of men who have recently won big marathons—just not majors. CyBrian Kotut of Kenya won the 2022 Hamburg Marathon in 2:04:47. Deso Gelmisa of Ethiopia finished first at the 2022 Paris Marathon in 2:05:07. Titus Kipruto of Kenya won the 2022 Milano Marathon in 2:05:05. Each of them will be gunning for a major marathon win—as will 2022 New York City Marathon runner-up Mohamed El Aaraby.

There’s no shortage of home-grown talent either. Owning the Japanese record of 2:04:56, Japan’s Kengo Suzuki leads a group of seven other countrymates—all of whom want to make the podium.

All Eyes on the Six Women With Sub-2:19 Personal Bests

A talented group of women could challenge the top-10 all-time list. Six of the competitors have run faster than 2:19, but only one of them has cracked 2:18—Ashete Bekere of Ethiopia. She’ll have her hands full, as 2022 Berlin Marathon runner-up and third-placer—Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya and Tigist Abayechew of Ethiopia, respectively—will want to nab a title.

The Japanese contingent, led by Mao Ichiyama and her 2:20:29 personal best, hope to put someone on the podium. However, they’ll likely have to run faster than 2:20 to do it, and just Ichiyama and Mizuki Matsuda have overcome the 2:21 barrier.

Lindsay Flanagan is the sole American elite in both races. She’s coming off a successful 2022 season that included a personal best of 2:24:35 and an 11th place finish at the New York City Marathon.

Ten reasons to be excited for the 2023 Athletics season

There are many things to look forward to in the sport of athletics in the upcoming year.

There’ll be three global championships in 2023, with ever-expanding one-day meeting circuits spread throughout the year. Rivalries will be renewed, and record-breakers will continue to push boundaries in their respective disciplines.

Here are just ten of the many reasons to be excited by what’s to come over the next 12 months.

1. World Athletics Championships Budapest 23

More than 2000 athletes from about 200 countries will head to the Hungarian capital to compete in the world’s biggest track and field event of 2023. Taking place just 13 months after the last edition, it will be the shortest ever gap between two World Championships, so fans won’t have long to wait before seeing the best athletes on the planet re-engage in battle for global honours.

2. Pushing boundaries

World Athletes of the Year Mondo Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone have elevated their respective events to new heights in recent years.

Both aged just 23, their progression and record-breaking exploits will most likely continue in 2023. The same applies to other dominant forces within the sport, such as world and Olympic triple jump champion Yulimar Rojas and marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge.

3. New eras

The sport, as with everything in life, continues to evolve. Kenya, for example, dominated the steeplechase for years, but now the leading forces in that discipline are from Morocco, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan.

The women’s throws, meanwhile, are now the domain of North America. And Japan is a leading force in men’s race walking.

New faces and countries will likely emerge in 2023, changing the landscape of the sport.

4. Sprint showdowns

Gone are the days where the world’s leading sprinters avoid each other on the circuit. Multiple world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, for example, will often line up against fellow Jamaican stars Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson. And 200m specialists Noah Lyles and Erriyon Knighton have clashed frequently in recent years. No doubt there will be many more high-octane sprint duels in store in 2023.

5. World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23

The newest global event within the sport, the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 will unite elite and recreational runners in the Latvian capital on September 30 and October 1. The range of distances — mile, 5km and half marathon — means there’s something for all of the world’s best endurance athletes to sink their teeth into. The same applies to the thousands of runners who’ll take to the streets of Riga for the mass races as they race in the footsteps of legends.

6. Crouser vs Kovacs

They provided one of the greatest duels the sport has ever witnessed at the 2019 World Championships, and there’s no sign of the rivalry ending between Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs. The shot put giants have won numerous global titles between them. Crouser has been a dominant force in recent years, but Kovacs also hit an all-time career peak in 2022 with a lifetime best of 23.23m, taking him to No.2 on the world all-time list behind Crouser. No one would be surprised if either man broke the world record in 2023.

7. At the double

When the timetable for the 2023 World Championships was release a few months ago, it became clear that many popular doubles — such as the 100m and 200m, 800m and 1500m, 1500m and 5000m, 5000m and 10,000m, 20km and 35km race walk, women’s long jump & triple jump, and women’s 200m and 400m – would be doable in Budapest. The likes of Yulimar Rojas, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Fred Kerley and Sydney McLaughlin have all hinted at attempting major championship doubles in recent years, so it will be fascinating to see who enters more than one discipline in the Hungarian capital.

8. Continental Tour Gold expands

The global one-day meeting circuit will have 14 Gold level meetings in 2023, taking in new stops in Botswana, Grenada and Melbourne.

It means there are now Gold meetings in five different continental areas. The wider series has also expanded with 165 Continental Tour meetings currently on the calendar for 2023, 13 more than in 2022.

9. Distance duels

Endurance athletes are extra fortunate in 2023 because they will be able to compete at all three global championships, covering a range of surfaces. Letesenbet Gidey and Hellen Obiri provided one of the most thrilling clashes at the World Championships in Oregon, and there’s a good chance they’ll race one another again, either in Bathurst, Budapest or Riga.

World 5000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, meanwhile, could potentially line up against two-time world 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei in Budapest — or even on the circuit throughout the season.

There are four women active in the marathon — Brigid Kosgei, Ruth Chepngetich, Amane Beriso and Tigist Assefa — with sub-2:16 PBs, all of whom could push one another to a world record. And in the race walks, the likes of Toshikazu Yamanishi and Massimo Stano could clash at either 20km or 35km — or both.

10. World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23

One of the first big highlights of the year will take place Down Under when Bathurst hosts the World Cross Country Championships.

Recent editions have been highly competitive and engaging, and that will no doubt be the case once more as hundreds of the world’s best distance athletes take to Mount Panorama. And, as is the case with Riga and Budapest, there are opportunities for recreational runners to be a part of the event too.

Ugandans Joshua Cheptegei and Prisca Chesang reign in Madrid

Two-time world 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei and Ugandan compatriot Prisca Chesang were victorious at the San Silvestre Vallecana, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, in ideal conditions in Madrid on Saturday (31).

The men's 10km race had been billed as a thrilling encounter between world 10,000m record-holder Cheptegei and Spain's world 1500m bronze medalist Mohamed Katir. The Ugandan star, who hadn’t competed since the World Championships in Oregon, took command of the pacing duties right from the start and his swift early pace could only be followed by Katir, his compatriot Jesús Ramos and Italy's Ilias Aouani.

The first kilometer, which includes an uphill section of about 350 meters, was covered by the lead quartet in 2:41. The speed then increased over the second kilometer, covered in 2:36 for a 5:17 2km split, with Cheptegei always at the helm. During the third kilometer the two Spaniards briefly took the lead to reach 3km in 8:00, a pace which proved too fast for Aouani.

Over the following kilometers, Katir and Cheptegei ran absolutely even, none of them ahead of the other and the tandem went through halfway in a brisk 13:16, still with Ramos for company. Ramos began to fade about 200 meters later and the race became a fascinating clash between Cheptegei and Katir.

The Ugandan, who holds the second ever quickest 10km performance of all time (26:38), tried to get rid of Katir after reaching 7km in 18:35, but the 24-year-old Spaniard remained in close attendance. The key move came with the clock reading 20:45, shortly before the 8km checkpoint, when Cheptegei finally managed to open up a gap of a few seconds over the Spaniard.

The Kapchorwa native progressively extended his lead over the ninth kilometer – the toughest of the race – and then cruised home in 27:09, the fifth quickest performance in Madrid, to finish 10 seconds ahead of Katir while Ramos managed to keep his chasing Spaniards at bay to finish third in 27:52.

“I knew Katir was going to be a tough rival since he has improved a lot over the last few seasons,” said Cheptegei. “Today's race was my first competition in more than five months so my only target was to regain sensations. Of course I also wanted to win so I’m leaving Madrid delighted.”

Chepetegi confirmed that he plans to defend his world cross-country title in Bathurst on 18 February and that he’ll likely make his marathon debut after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Following the last-minute withdrawal of pre-race favorite Tsehay Gemechu, the early stages of the women's race became a three-way battle between world U20 5000m bronze medalist Prisca Chesang, Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba and Kenya's world steeplechase record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech. That trio covered the opening kilometers at 2:56/km pace, reaching 3km in 8:44, then the Ugandan teenager broke away from her rivals. By midway (14:29) she was six seconds ahead of Chepkoech, herself another 11 seconds clear of Niyonsaba.

The leader maintained her rhythm over the following kilometers but her pursuers' pace decreased. With a quarter of the race to go, Chesang's advantage on Chepkoech had grown to 18 seconds.

At the tape, Chesang was timed at 30:19, the third quickest performance here, bettered only by Brigid Kosgei (29:54) and Hellen Obiri (29:59) in 2018. Further back, Niyonsaba overtook a fading Chepkpech on the last uphill section to take the runner-up place in 30:58 to Chepkoech's 31:06.

Leading results

Men

1 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 27:09

2 Mohamed Katir (ESP) 27:19

3 Jesús Ramos (ESP) 27:52

4 Sergio Paniagua (ESP) 28:00

5 Aaron Las Heras (ESP) 28:04

6 Carlos Mayo (ESP) 28:04

7 Ignacio Fontes (ESP) 28:06

8 Carlos Díaz (ESP) 28:08

9 Nassim Hassaous (ESP) 28:13

10 Juan Anronio Pérez (ESP) 28:18.

Women

1 Prisca Chesang (UGA) 30:19

2 Francine Niyonsaba (BDI) 30:58

3 Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) 31:06

4 Mahelet Mulugeta (ETH) 31:57

5 Naima Ait Alibou (ESP) 32:36

6 Laura Priego (ESP) 32:49

7 Nina Chydenius (FIN) 32:51

8 Laura Luengo (ESP) 32:53

9 Laura Méndez (ESP) 33:06

10 Clara Viñarás (ESP) 33:54.

Chepkoech is set to compete at San Silvestre Vallecana 10k road race

World 3000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech will be lining up against a competitive field at the San Silvestre Vallecana, a New Year’s Eve 10 km road race in Madrid, Spain.

Chepkoech temporarily leaves the track to compete at the world's best 10K and victory will be another milestones in her many achievements. Besides her 2019 World Championships gold, she is also a nine-time Diamond League winner.

However, the iconic race has also attracted other elite athletes including Africa 10,000m champion Tsehay Gemechu from Ethiopia and Francine Niyonsaba, the 2016 and 2018 World 800m indoor champion.

Brigid Kosgei holds the women's course record with 29:54 from 2019. She set the milestone just a few months before achieving her unbelievable and still-standing world marathon record of 2:14:04.

Gemechu comes to the race to extend the Ethiopian winning streak after Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Degitu Azimeraw won the previous two editions. She placed fourth in the 5,000m at the 2019 World Championships and finished sixth at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships.

Niyonsaba, who has been enjoying road race and cross-country success, will also be looking to shine in Madrid. Most recently, Niyonsaba won the Banos International Sales Cross Country. She holds a very fast 5, 000m personal best at 14:25.34 from last year.

The women's elite field will also have Prisca Chesang, the 19-year-old Olympian from Uganda who won the U20 world bronze medal at 5,000m this year, and Mahlet Mulugeta, the Ethiopian.

Brigid Kosgei, Stanbic Bank partner to help teenage mothers in Marakwet

World marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei has partnered with Stanbic Bank to help 50 teenage mothers in Marakwet West to resume learning after terminating their studies due to early pregnancy.

Kosgei, who won the 2018 and 2019 Chicago Marathons, the 2019 and 2020 London Marathons and the 2021 Tokyo Marathon, said many girls in the area are dropping out of school due to pregnancy.

Kosgei thanked the bank after receiving Sh6 million from the institution to go towards the education of the 50 girls.

“Seeing the girls going back to school is one my greatest achievements. I challenge them to forget the past and focus on their education for a bright future,” said Kosgei.

Stanbic Bank CEO Charles Mudiwa said the bank decided to support the girls through the Brigid Kosgei Foundation so as they go back to school and proceed with studies.

Mudiwa regretted that many girls from Marakwet are dropping out of school due to teen pregnancy and hence there was a need for intervention by all stakeholders to enable the teenagers resume learning.

“On average one in five girls aged between the age of 15 and 19 drop out of school due to pregnancy. Today, we gave out Sh6m to more than 50 who had dropped out of school to go back to school,” said Mudiwa.

Mudiwa challenged the society not to condemn such children but instead help them resume learning.

He said that the bank will pay fees for the girls from Form One to Form Four.

The foundation will also support 10 boys from the same area from needy families to pay secondary school fees for the next four years.

Most of the beneficiaries are students at Kipkundul Mixed Day Secondary School.

Kosgei said the foundation will continue working with various institutions to support needy children in the area to pursue their studies.

“As a village girl, I know the challenges facing such girls. I am ready to go out of my way to support needy girls in society,” said Kosgei.

Area Member of parliament Timothy Kipchumba Toroitich pledged to support the initiative by improving infrastructure in all schools.

Toroitich cautioned parents and guardians against denying teenage mothers an opportunity to resume learning.

According to a report by the National Council for Population and Development, every year, about 13,000 girls drop out of school due to unplanned pregnancies.

In 1994, Kenya introduced a return to school policy for teenage mothers.

Under this policy, any girl who gets pregnant is allowed to remain in school for as long as she wants or is able to.

Expect an Ethiopian Flavor For Sunday's 50th Honolulu Marathon

After a marathon journey to get to Hawaii, a quartet of Ethiopian runners are looking forward to making the most of their first visit to the Aloha State. The group of athletes, coached by Yirefew Birhanu Derb, will line up Sunday before dawn for the 50th running of the Honolulu Marathon, America's fourth-largest marathon. The race features a more robust elite athlete roster following last year's slimmed down line-up coming off the pandemic.

Shifera Tamru and Asefa Mengstu lead the men's elite field, while Abebech Afework and Bere Ayalew are the top entrants in the women's division. After a trip that required more than 21 hours of air travel across multiple flights --from their home base in Addis Ababa to Frankfurt, then Los Angeles before reaching Honolulu-- they arrived late Wednesday. They immediately popped into a McDonald's for dinner, and have been getting acclimated to the local time zone, 13 hours behind Ethiopia.

They were all very happy to be invited to this race because they know it's a very good marathon," Coach Derb told Race Results Weekly during a photo shoot for the athletes on Waikiki Beach. "They are looking forward to racing and happy to have the chance to visit Hawaii."

Tamru, 24, is coming off October  Chicago Marathon, where he clocked 2:07:53 to finish fifth for the second consecutive year. He says that he has recovered well and is ready to go for Sunday. He has won three marathons in his career, all in South Korea: Chunchon in 2018, Seoul in 2019 and Daegu this past April. His personal best of 2:05:18 came at the Dubai Marathon in 2019.

The more experienced Mengstu --who represented Ethiopia as far back as the 2010 IAAF Half Marathon Championships-- has a resume with 13 marathon finishes, including the 2018 Dubai Marathon, where ran his lifetime best of 2:04:06. His most recent race was eight months ago, so he should be well rested. "I'm happy to be here and I'm expecting to win the race on Sunday," he said with a quiet smile as the athletes posed for photographs and chatted with the media.

The two men work well together in training, Derb says. But on Sunday, he points out, "it must be a competition." In addition to each other, they will have to watch out for a strong Kenyan, 36-year-old Barnabas Kiptum, who has a personal best of 2:04:17 (Milan, 2021). He dropped out of the Chicago Marathon this fall, but in July he proved he is still a contender by placing 15th at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. Stanley Biwott, the 2015 New York City Marathon champion with a 2:03:51 personal best, had planned to run here but scratched.

The women race is likely to come down to a duel between Afework and Ayalew. Like their male teammates, they also have a strong friendship and symbiotic relationship. "They are happy when they are training together, and they can help each other when they compete," Derb said.

Afework, 31, is by far the more seasoned of the two. Her international racing career dates back to the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where she placed 18th. She has 20 marathon finishes to her name, and a personal best of 2:23:33 from Dubai in 2015. "I have a lot of experiences from other races and I'm expecting to use that previous experience to run well on Sunday," said Afework, who is coming off a DNF in October's Lisbon Marathon.

The 23-year-old Ayalew is a comparative novice, with four marathons in the books, but each one has been progressively faster. The most recent, in Eindhoven, Netherlands, in October, resulted in her quickest time yet (2:22:52). "My training has been good and I expect to show that on Sunday," she said.

The women's field also includes Canadian Olympian Lanni Marchant, who won this race a year ago on a short recovery from the New York City Marathon, and Japanese veteran Mai Ito (2:24:42 PB).

Should weather conditions cooperate --it's been very windy the last several days-- both the men's and women's course records could be in play. Titus Ekiru of Kenya holds the men's standard of 2:08:00 from 2019, while his compatriot Brigid Kosgei clocked 2:22:15 in 2017. (Kosgei set the current world record of 2:14:04 two years later.) Prize money will be paid three deep: $25,000-10,000-5,000.

The forecast for Sunday morning calls for a temperature of 74F/23C when the gun goes off at 5 a.m. Most of the race will be run in the dark, as the sun will rise just before 7 a.m. on race day.

Will Letesenbet Gidey break the women's marathon world record in Valencia on Sunday?

The undisputed fastest female distance runner in history, Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia, will make her highly anticipated 42.2-km debut on Sunday at the 2022 Valencia Marathon.

The 24-year-old currently holds world records over 5,000m (14:06.62), 10,000m (29:01.03), and the half-marathon (62:52), plus she is the reigning world 10,000m champion.

Gidey has found success in Valencia—it’s where she set two of her world records (5,000m and half-marathon). To date, she is the only woman to run under the 64- and 63-minute barrier for the half-marathon, which predicts she is ready for something fast on Sunday.

What attracts many of the world’s top marathoners to race in Valencia is the favourable weather and flat course. In the 2020 edition, 60 athletes achieved their qualification times for the Tokyo Olympics.

The weather for Sunday couldn’t be better for marathoning—the current forecast calls for 5 C with less than 10 km/h winds. It is reported that Gidey will have three male pacemakers guiding her, and she will be trying to run fast, says her agent.

Although Gidey has not come out and said she is chasing the world record, her previous times over 10K and 21.1 km have shown that she could be capable of something in the range of 2:16 to 2:12. 

Until 2019, only one female marathoner had ever run under 2:16—Paula Radcliffe‘s 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon. Since 2019, three women have broken the 2:16 mark, with Brigid Kosgei’s world record time of 2:14:04 at the 2019 Chicago Marathon leading the way. Her Kenyan compatriot Ruth Chepngetich came within 14 seconds of her record at this year’s Chicago Marathon, becoming the second-fastest female marathoner in history (2:14:18).

Letesenbet Gidey leads Sifan Hassan and the late Agnes Tirop at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. Photo: Kevin Morris

Another time on Gidey’s mind is the Ethiopian national record of 2:15:37, which was run by Tigist Assefa at the 2022 Berlin Marathon.

Right now, Gidey is at the top of her game, and the only thing holding her back is her lack of marathon experience. Valencia offers her a chance to reach times no woman has touched, and on Sunday, we are likely to see something special.

Our prediction is something in the realm of 2:13-low, smashing the world record and achieving the title of the fastest debutante of all time. 

Ethiopians And Kenyans Lead Elite Field at Historic 50th Honolulu Marathon

Athletes from Ethiopia and Kenya lead the elite field for the historic 50th edition of the Honolulu Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, December 11. Founded in 1973, and historically one of the five largest marathons in the United States based on finishers, this year's race will have its first full elite athletes program since 2019, paying prize money three-deep for both men and women: $25,000-10,000-5,000. The race will be run on its traditional course starting at Ala Moana Beach Park, making a loop through Downtown, wrapping around Diamond Head, going out along the Kalanianaole Highway to Hawaii Kai, then returning to Waikiki to finish in Kapiolani Park just after sunrise.

The race was held virtually in 2020 because of the pandemic, and had only a limited elite athlete program in 2021. Organizers are excited to have athletes this year who are strong enough to challenge the course records which were both set by Kenyans: 2:08:00 (2:07:59.02) by Titus Ekiru in 2019 and 2:22:15 by now world record holder Brigid Kosgei in 2017.

"We are excited to welcome top professional athletes to attack our incredible course records for the 50th anniversary race," said Honolulu Marathon Association President Dr. Jim Barahal. "At its core the Honolulu Marathon is an athletic competition, whether against others or against oneself, and we are excited to see what transpires on December 11."

Shifera Tamru is the leading entrant from Ethiopia. The 24 year-old has a personal best of 2:05:18 (Dubai, 2019) and has three marathon wins and five podium finishes in eight starts. He won the 2022 Daegu Marathon in Korea last April in 2:06:31, and was most recently fifth at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in October in 2:07:53. He'll be running the Honolulu Marathon for the first time.

His top rival is likely to be the Kenyan veteran Stanley Biwott, the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon champion who has a personal best of 2:03:51 (London 2016). Biwott, 36, has not completed a marathon since 2018 when he was fourth at the Abu Dhabi Marathon. He returned to racing after a long layoff earlier this year, clocking a 1:01:57 half-marathon in Padova, Italy. He has completed a total of 13 career marathons with four wins and eight podium finishes. Like Tamru, this will be his first run in Honolulu.

The other top contenders on the men's side are Asefa Mengstu of Ethiopia (2:04:06 personal best, Dubai, 2018) and Barnabas Kiptum of Kenya (2:04:17, Milano, 2021). Both men are veterans. Mengstu has completed 13 career marathons with 4 wins and 7 podium finishes. Kiptum has completed 18 marathons in 20 starts with 3 wins and 13 podium finishes. Neither man has ever run the Honolulu Marathon.

Two strong Ethiopian athletes lead the women's field. Abebech Afework (2:23:33 personal best, Dubai, 2015) and Bere Ayalew (2:22:52, Eindhoven, 2022) will both be making their Honolulu Marathon debuts. Afework, 31, is the more experienced athlete. She has completed 20 marathons in 21 starts, and has racked up three wins and seven podium finishes. She is coming back from a DNF at the Lisbon Marathon in October. Ayalew, 23, has only run four marathons. However, she's made the podium at all four including a second place finish at the Eindhoven Marathon in October of this year where she ran her personal best. Both athletes will be making their Honolulu Marathon debuts.

Reigning Honolulu Marathon champion, Lanni Marchant of Canada, is also in the field. The 38 year-old, who ran both the 10,000m and the marathon at the 2016 Rio Olympics, won last year's race in 2:41:25 on very limited training after finishing 11th at the TCS New York City Marathon a month before In her long marathon career, which began in 2011, Marchant has completed 15 marathons and made the podium three times. A criminal appeal lawyer based in Denver, she is the former Canadian record holder with a 2:28:00 personal best.

"It was a struggle out there," Marchant said after last year's race. "I dehydrated quick. Those last few miles I really had to find my purpose for running. I just got myself across the finish line."

Rounding out the elite field is Mai Ito of Japan. The 38 year-old --who competed in the 2016 Olympic Marathon and both the 2011 and 2015 World Championships Marathons-- has completed all 15 marathons she has started. Her personal best of 2:24:42 was set in Nagoya in 2015. This will be her first run ever at the Honolulu Marathon.

2022 - the year when international road racing got back to normal

There have been big city races with mass participation, high-profile clashes between the world’s elite distance runners, and numerous records broken across a range of distances.

Road running is back in a big way.

While some World Athletics Label road races in 2022 still had to be postponed or adapted in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, road running as a whole is almost back to normal.

Nine Elite Platinum Label marathons have been held already this year, with the 10th and final one due to take place in Valencia on 4 December.

World Athletics Elite Platinum marathons in 2022

Tokyo – 6 March

Winners: Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:16:02 CR, Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:02:40 CRWorld record-holders Brigid Kosgei and Eliud Kipchoge got their years off to a great start, winning in the Japanese capital with course records.Finishers: 18,272

Nagoya – 13 March

Winner: Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:17:18 CRAfter an enthralling tussle with Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, Ruth Chepngetich prevailed in 2:17:18, breaking the course record in the world’s largest women-only marathons.Finishers: 8698

Seoul – 17 April

Winners: Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN) 2:18:04 CR, Mosinet Geremew (ETH) 2:04:43 CREventual winners Joan Chelimo Melly and Mosinet Geremew were pushed all the way to course records in the Korean capital in two close races. Geremew won by six seconds, while Melly finished eight seconds ahead of her nearest rival.

Boston – 18 April

Winners: Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:21:01, Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:06:51Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir maintained her winning streak to win in one of the world’s most prestigious races, finishing just four seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh. Evans Chebet enjoyed a more comfortable victory in the men’s race.Finishers: 24,607

Berlin – 25 September

Winners: Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:15:37 CR, Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:01:09 WROlympic champion Eliud Kipchoge returned to the site of his last world record-breaking performance and improved on the mark by 30 seconds, setting a world record of 2:01:09. Meanwhile, Tigist Assefa smashed the women’s course record – and Ethiopian record – with her 2:15:37 victory.Finishers: 34,879

London – 2 October

Winners: Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:17:26, Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:39Yalemzerf Yehualaw got the better of defending champion Joyciline Jepkosgei in an enthralling duel, while Amos Kipruto made a similar late-race break to take the men’s title.Finishers: 40,578

Chicago – 9 October

Winners: Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:14:18 WL, Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:24Ruth Chepngetich came within seconds of the world record to win in 2:14:18, the second-fastest time in history. Benson Kipruto, winner in Boston last year, added another US big city marathon win to his collection.Finishers: 39,420

Amsterdam – 16 October

Winners: Almaz Ayana (ETH) 2:17:20 CR, Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) 2:04:49Ethiopia’s 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion Almaz Ayana ran the fastest marathon debut in history to win in the Dutch capital, holding off former track rival and compatriot Genzebe Dibaba. Tsegaye Getachew made it an Ethiopian double, winning by just five seconds from Titus Kipruto.Finishers: 12,669

New York City – 6 November

Winners: Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:23:23, Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:08:41Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi pulled off one of the biggest road-running surprises of 2022, winning the New York City Marathon on her debut at the distance and beating many established stars of the sport. Evans Chebet added to his Boston win from earlier in the year.Finishers: 47,839

Valencia – 4 December

Elite field: includes Letesenbet Gidey, Sutume Kebede, Tiki Gelana, Tigist Girma, Etagegne Woldu, Amane Shankule and Tadelech Bekele in the women’s race, and Getaneh Molla, Tamirat Tola, Dawit Wolde, Jonathan Korir, Hiskel Tewelde, Chalu Deso and Gabriel Geay in the men’s race.Places: 30,000

For the masses

It’s not just elite runners who have been able to enjoy top-quality road racing. Events in most corners of the world have been able to stage mass races of some sort in 2022.

That looks set to continue in 2023 too, not just with Label road races but also at World Athletics Series events.

Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey is set to make marathon debut in Valencia

The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso announces its elite international line-up for its 42nd edition on December 4.

Some of the best athletes on the international scene will take to the streets of Valencia “Ciudad del Running” with the aim of improving the course record (2:03:00) and seeking the best women’s debut in the history of the event.

Tamirat Tola (2:03:39), the reigning World Marathon champion, heads the men’s line-up alongside his Ethiopian compatriots Getaneh Molla (2:03:34) and Dawit Wolde (2:04:27) in a preliminary list with up to seven athletes with fastest times under 2:05 over the Marathon distance.

Kenya, a world power in the marathon, will be well represented not only by Jonathan Korir (2:04:32), but also by a trio of important debutants over the distance: Alexander Mutiso, Philemon Kiplimo and Kelvin Kiptum. Attention will also be focused on another athlete who will be initiated at 42,195 metres: the Ethiopian Milkesa Menghesa, the winner of the Copenhagen Half Marathon.

In the women’s category, the spotlight will be on the long-awaited debut of Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey (currently world record holder in the 5000, 10000, 15K and half marathon, two of which were achieved in Valencia), who will make an eye-catching debut in a marathon on 4 December with the realistic ambition of beating the time of 2:17:23 (world record for a debutant), but also of getting as close as possible to the women’s world record of 2:14:04 (Brigid Kosgei, Chicago).

The Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui, also a debutant, could become the other female star of the Valencia Marathon in 2022, without forgetting some of the other runners included in this line-up with excellent times: Sutume Kebede (2:18:12) and Etagegne Woldu (2:20:16), who achieved second place last year in this marathon.

Marc Roig, international elite coach for the Valencia Marathon, assesses the line-up: “We are very proud that Letesenbet Gidey has chosen Valencia to make her marathon debut. It is a clear demonstration that we are an attractive marathon and of the very strong links between Gidey and the city of Valencia. But, as ever, the Valencia Marathon is not based on a single name: fifteen of the women have run under 2h26 and fourteen of the men under 2:07. And let’s not forget the three debutants with 58 minutes and another one with 57 minutes in the half marathon”.

Obiri and Kwizera are the favorites in Madrid

The 57th San Silvestre Vallecana, a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and possibly the most prestigious of the myriad of New Year's Eve races around the world, will return to its usual circuit (December 31) after a change last year because of the pandemic.

The women’s race on the slightly downhill 10km point-to-point course – which starts alongside the famous Santiago Bernabeu stadium of Real Madrid and finishes on the pitch of another Spanish first division club, Rayo Vallecano, in the Madrid suburbs – has Kenya’s distance ace Hellen Obiri as the athlete to beat.

The two-time world 5000m champion and Olympic silver medalist finished second in Madrid in 2018 after a thrilling battle with her fellow Kenyan and current world marathon record-holder Brigid Kosgei. Obiri’s outstanding 29:59 time then proved not enough to take the victory, but the 32-year-old will be eager to claim victory in Madrid for the first time on her opening appearance this winter.

Yet the reigning world cross country champion Obiri will face tough opposition provided by Ethiopia’s Degitu Azimeraw, 10 years her junior. Azimeraw is an accomplished road specialist, having recorded the second quickest ever marathon debut when she won in Amsterdam in 2:19:26 in 2019 to also break the course record in the Dutch city.

After another fine performance over the classic distance of 2:19:56 for sixth in Valencia in 2020, the Ethiopian moved to 11th on the world all-time list last October following her runner-up spot in London in a big lifetime best of 2:17:58. Azemiraw boasts a relatively modest 31:03.32 10,000m clocking set in Hengelo a couple of years ago. The NN Running Team athlete will be joined by her teammates Lonah Salpeter of Israel and Haven Hailu from Ethiopia.

The 33-year-old Salpeter holds the European 10km record with a 30:05 time to her credit set in Tilburg in 2019, one year after she won the European 10,000m title in Berlin. She attempted to land an Olympic marathon medal in Sapporo, remaining in a four-unit leading pack until the 36th kilometer, but some stomach problems ultimately hampered her aspirations. After that disappointment, Salpeter bounced back eight weeks later to place fifth at the London Marathon in her second quickest time of 2:18:54, not particularly far from her career best of 2:17:45 run in Tokyo in 2020 which makes her the eighth fastest woman in history.

Watch out too for the 23-year-old Hailu, as she was an unheralded distance runner until this year but clocked 2:20:19 for third in Amsterdam in October. She will compete in the company of her fellow Ethiopian Likina Amebaw Ayel, a 32:20 performer.

The men’s contest is also shaping up well as the classy cast includes the in-form Burundian Rodrigue Kwizera. The 22-year-old is enjoying a fantastic cross country season on Spanish soil, having taken victories at several prestigious events such as Soria, San Sebastian, Atapuerca, Italica and Venta de Banos. While the race record of 26:41 set by Jacob Kiplimo in 2018 seems unreachable, Kwizera should run well under the 28-minute barrier for the first time in his career.

Trying to deny Kwizera top spot will be Spain’s 2021 sensation Mohamed Katir, who broke three long-standing national records in the short space of 33 days. The rising Spaniard began his tally by clocking 12:50.79 for 5000m in Florence on 10 June, continued with a 3:28.76 1500m performance in Monaco on 9 July and concluded in style by taking the win over 3000m in Gateshead four days later, timed at 7:27.64.

In his first appearance at a major championships, Katir finished eighth at the Tokyo Olympics over 5000m. He more recently took the spoils at the Jean Bouin, a 10km road race held in Barcelona on 28 November, when he outsprinted Eritrea’s Merhawi Mebrahtu after a one-month stint at the altitude of Font Romeu. The 23-year-old’s next primary goal is the indoors, where he will try to excel over 3000m.

Kenya’s Shadrack Koech and Uganda’s Boniface Abel Sikowo should also be in the hunt for a podium place on Friday. The former holds a 27:21 10km lifetime best, while Sikowo is an 8:25.91 3000m steeplechase athlete who is tackling the road events and ran a 1:01:44 half marathon debut in Barcelona in October.

Not to be discounted is Kenya’s Emmanuel Kiplagat, as the 19-year-old clocked 28:28.02 for 10,000m last summer at the altitude of Nairobi.

In addition to Katir, Spanish hopes rest on Nassim Hassaous and Abdessamad Oukhelfen as they finished seventh and 12th respectively at the European Cross Country Championships in Dublin to lead Spain to team silver, while marathon runners Ayad Lamdassem (2:06:35) and Yago Rojo (2:08:56) will be aiming for a top 10 spot. The Tokyo Olympics 1500m 13th-placed Ignacio Fontes will also be in contention.

Weather forecasters predict perfect conditions for the race, with a mild and windless night, and temperatures between 12 and 14ºC by the time of the event.

Valencia Marathon elite line-up has ambitious goals for 2022

The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso elite line-up for its 42nd edition on 4 December, when some of the best athletes on the international scene will take to the streets of Valencia Ciudad del Running with the aim of improving the course record (2:03:00) and seeking the best women’s debut in the history of the event.

Tamirat Tola (2:03:39), the reigning World Marathon champion, heads the men’s line-up alongside his Ethiopian compatriots Getaneh Molla (2:03:34) and Dawit Wolde (2:04:27) in a preliminary list with up to seven athletes with fastest times under 2:05 over the Marathon distance. Kenya, a world power in the marathon, will be well represented not only by Jonathan Korir (2:04:32), but also by a trio of important debutants over the distance: Alexander Mutiso, Philemon Kiplimo and Kelvin Kiptum. Attention will also be focused on another athlete who will be initiated at 42,195 metres: the Ethiopian Milkesa Menghesa, the winner of the Copenhagen Half Marathon.

Valencia will also witness an interesting European battle between Germany’s Petros, Sweden’s Tsegayand the Swiss runner Wanders. Overall, the final line-up includes over 150 runners with accredited times under 2:20:00 for the marathon or 1:06:00 for the half marathon.

Gidey: the most eagerly awaited debut

In the women’s category, the spotlight will be on the long-awaited debut of Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey(currently world record holder in the 5000, 10000, 15K and half marathon, two of which were achieved in Valencia), who will make an eye-catching debut in a marathon on 4 December with the realistic ambition of beating the time of 2:17:23 (world record for a debutant), but also of getting as close as possible to the women’s world record of 2:14:04 (Brigid Kosgei, Chicago).

The Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui, also a debutant, could become the other female star of the Valencia Marathon in 2022, without forgetting some of the other runners included in this line-up with excellent times: Sutume Kebede (2:18:12) and Etagegne Woldu (2:20:16), who achieved second place last year in this marathon.

Overall, the final line-up contains over 80 athletes who have run sub 2h45:00 in the marathon or sub 1:17:30 in the half marathon.

World marathon silver medalist Judith Korir keen to better performance at next year's World Champs

Judith Korir is looking to improve her performance in next year’s edition of the World Championships in Budapest.

The 2019 Venice Marathon champion placed second in 2:18:20 in the last edition of the global show in Oregon, USA. 

She said she identified her major setbacks during the global championships and she has been working on them in readiness for the next year's edition.

“I am looking forward to next year’s World Championships and this time, I want to win gold. I had issues with my speed and endurance. I did not have much experience but so far, I have learned a few ropes. If I get a chance to run any major marathon, I’ll also take it up,” Korir said.

Korir has had a good season which kicked off with a win at the Paris Marathon (2:19:48), a second-place finish at the World Championships, and a fourth-place finish at the London Marathon (2:18:43) this month.

She expressed her excitement about her achievements and said she was happy to end her season on a high.

At the London Marathon, Korir was supposed to be a pacemaker but later joined the elite field at the last minute after Brigid Kosgei withdrew due to an injury.

Korir said she was not really prepared for London but decided to challenge herself.

“I am happy to end my season well and I feel good. In London, I had earlier been assigned the role of pacemaker and I hadn’t trained for the whole marathon. Being my first major, I decided to challenge myself. I believe the race has helped prepare me for other major races ahead,” she said.

The 2020 Izmir Marathon champion added that she looks up to women’s marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei.

“Kosgei is disciplined and she is also a good adviser. She also helps us during training sessions,” she said, adding that her husband who is also her pacemaker, Michael Douglas, and her coach Erick Maiyo have played key roles in her success. 

Korir recalled she started running during her high school days at Mokwo Girls Secondary School. She said when she completed school in 2013, she did not receive enough support and therefore decided to take a break.

She resumed serious training in 2017 at Kaptagat before relocating to the Kapsait Training Camp in 2018 and she has been there to date.

Emily Sisson sets a new American record in the marathon today in Chicago. clocking 2:18:29!

Three days shy of her 31st birthday and with only one previous marathon on her resume, Emily Sisson took to the streets of Chicago and lowered the American women’s marathon record by 43 seconds, becoming the first American woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 19 minutes.

Conditions on the Chicago Marathon’s relatively flat course were ideal, with Sisson — who won the 10,000 at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials last summer — finishing second to Ruth Chepng’etich. The Kenyan repeated as the Chicago champion with a time of 2:14:18, fractions of a second off the world record of 2:14:04 set by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei in the 2019 Chicago Marathon.

Sisson finished in 2:18:29, taking 43 seconds off the American record set by Keira D’Amatoin January in Houston. Before D’Amato, the record had stood for 16 years; now it has been lowered twice in 10 months, something D’Amato expected.

“There’s a number of American women that are also gunning for that record, so I think if I don’t lower it myself, it’s not going to be mine for very much longer,” she said before the Berlin Marathon two weeks ago. D’Amato, who did not run in Chicago, joined Sisson at the finish line, along with Deena Kastor and Joan Benoit Samuelson — women who held the American record before her.

“It’s amazing,” Sisson said, according to NBC Chicago. “I mean, the women standing here today, they’ve all accomplished so much, so just to be amongst them is an incredible honor.”

Sisson said she wasn’t aware that the record was in reach until very close to the finish line.

Emily Sisson (born October 12, 1991) is a professional runner for New Balance in Phoenix, Arizona. Emily Sisson was 9th at the 2017 London IAAF World Outdoor Track and Field Championships for 10,000 meters, and won the USATF road 10k Championships in 2016 and 5k in 2018. In the 2019 London Marathon, her first try at the distance, she placed 6th in a time of 2:23:08.

In December 2020, she ran the Valencia Half-Marathon in 1:07:26, narrowly missing the American record set by Molly Huddle in Houston on January 14, 2018. Sisson subsequently qualified to compete at the 2020 Olympics in the 10,000 m run, by coming in 1st place at the US Olympic Trials; she finished 10th at the event. On May 7, 2022, clocking in at 1:07:11 she broke the USA woman's half marathon record at the 500Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

On October 9, 2022, she broke the American women's marathon record at the 2022 Chicago Marathon, running 2:18:29 to finish 2nd

Results and Highlights From the 2022 Chicago Marathon

Ruth Chepngetich narrowly missed the world record on the women’s side, while Benson Kipruto It was a terrific day for racing at the 2022 Chicago Marathon and the performances proved that. Over 40,000 runners took to the streets of the Windy City on Sunday morning on what turned out to be a fast day all around.

There was an American record and nearly a world record on the women’s side, while the men’s race saw a good battle between a number of the the world’s top marathoners.Chepngetich Narrowly Misses World Record, Repeats as Champion

Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya went out guns blazing and clocked an incredible 2:14:18 to win the Chicago Marathon in the second-fastest time in world history, just 14 seconds off Brigid Kosgei’s world record which was also set in Chicago.

She went out super hot in 65:44 at the halfway mark—on pace for a 2:11!—and though she slowed after that, she was still on world record pace through 40K before missing the time.Benson Kipruto Breaks Away for the Win

With a late surge in the 25th mile, Benson Kipruto of Kenya won the 2022 Chicago Marathon in 2:04:24, a personal best and the fastest winning time in Chicago since 2014. He also won the 2021 Boston Marathon.

His older brother, Dickson Chumba, won the Chicago Marathon in 2015 and twice won the Tokyo Marathon in 2014 and 2018.

Defending champion Seifu Tura was second in 2:04:49.

Emily Sisson Breaks the American Record

Emily Sisson ran 2:18:29 to place second at the Chicago Marathon and smash the American record, which was set earlier this year in 2:19:12 by Keira D’Amato in Houston after being held by Deena Kastor for 16 years.

Sisson also set the American record in the half marathon this year in 1:07:11. The U.S. Olympic Trials champion in the 10K, who turns 31 this week, suffered an injury during her buildup to the Olympic Games in Tokyo and had to withdraw from a planned marathon last fall.

Defending champion Jepkosgei promises fast time in London

Defending champion Joyciline Jepkosgei and World marathon silver medallist Judith Korir have promised to run fast times at this year's London marathon on Sunday in the British capital.

Jepkosgei, 28, said she has trained well for the last four months in Iten and will be looking to lower her best time.

“I am much better now than in April, so expect a fast race if the pacesetters will do their work,” said Jepkosgei, who will be eyeing her third Majors victory, having followed up her maiden New York City Marathon win in 2019 with London Marathon glory last year.

“We have four athletes who have run under two hours and 18 minutes. Note that I am the second fastest in the field, “said Jepkosgei before joining Korir in their evening session at De Vere Beaumont, Windsor, on the outskirts of London on Wednesday.

“You see every athlete always wants to do better than the previous race. I am not different...I want to lower my personal best on Sunday,” declared Jepkosgei.

Jepkosgei joined the league of the world’s greatest marathoners to have won London, one of the most prestigious race in the World Marathon Majors, triumphing in a personal best time of two hours, 17 minutes and 43 seconds.

Jepkosgei hopes that the current favourable weather will hold for a good race on Sunday.

“We ran under rainy and chilly conditions last year but this weather is promising. I love it,” said Jepkosgei, who hopes to represent Kenya at the World Athletics Championships next year and 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“You see if you have invested well in a race, you tend to fear nothing and that is why I want to show up strongly on Sunday thought I know we have good athletes with incredible times in the pack,” said Jepkosgei.

“Everything has fallen in place the way I want this year and all I pray for God to deliver a good race for me,” said Jepkosogei, who has been training under coach Nicholas Koech since June.

It will be Jepkosgei’s second race this year having finished seventh at Boston Marathon in 2:24:43 on April 18.

Despite not having focused on finishing the race just like last year, the 26-year-old Korir, who has been told to go full length, hope to return good times.

“I knew I would pace-set, having come from the World Athletics Championships in July, but I was told to cover the full course two weeks ago,” said Korir, who will be competing in her eighth marathon.

“I will give it a shot and who knows...I could end up the winner.”

Korir’s best Championship results was when she claimed silver for Kenya in a personal best of 2:18:20 at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States in July this year

However, Korir, who trains with women’s marathon World Record holder Brigid Kosgei is Kapsait, Elgeyo Marakwet, won Paris Marathon this year and Abu Dhabi Maraton in 2021.

She also won the 2019 Belgrade and Venice Marathon races.

Kenyan women have won the last six editions of London Marathon.

London Marathon preview: will we see two course records broken?

For the third straight year, the TCS London Marathon is set to take place on the first Sunday of October (Oct. 2). Many of the world’s top marathoners have made their way to London for a shot at USD $55,000, plus added incentives for time bonuses and course records.

If anyone were to break Eliud Kipchoge’s world record of 2:01:09 in Berlin last weekend, they would earn a huge payday of USD $400,000+, between prize money and bonuses.

A number of the top athletes have scratched from the marathon this week due to injury, including the British Olympic champion of years past, Mo Farah, who is out with a hip injury; 2022 world championship silver medallist Mosinet Gemerew; and the women’s world record holder, Brigid Kosgei, who suffered a hamstring injury in the lead-up to the race.

Both the men’s and women’s fields are still loaded with former Olympic medalists and Abbott World Marathon Major champions. Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele headlines the men’s race, returning to London for the first time since 2018, after second-, third- and sixth-place finishes in his past three attempts. Bekele, 40, has not been in top form since he ran the second-fastest marathon of all time to win the 2019 Berlin Marathon (2:01:41).

His challenges will come from his Ethiopian compatriot and defending champion Sisay Lemma and two-time Tokyo Marathon winner Birhanu Legese, who holds a personal best of 2:02:48 and is the third-fastest man in history.

Another name not to ignore is Bashir Abdi of Belgium, who earlier this year became the first Belgian to win a medal at both the world championships and the Olympics in the marathon. Abdi won bronze in Tokyo and followed it up with another bronze in Eugene. 

Amos Kipruto of Kenya has been quiet this season after his PB and second-place finish to Kipchoge at the Tokyo Marathon in March. 

Women’s preview

With the two-time London Marathon champion and world record holder Kosgei out, her compatriot, Joyciline Jepkosgei, is the favourite. Jepkosgei brings experience and consistency to the field, having won this race last year in 2:17:43.

The dark horse is Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who previously held the half-marathon world record and ran the fastest debut marathon in women’s history, clocking 2:17:23 at Hamburg in April. She has gone undefeated in her last four road races and reached the podium in her last seven. 

Ashete Bekere of Ethiopia also has the experience, winning Berlin in 2019 and finishing third in London last year. Earlier this year, she was second to Kosgei at the Tokyo Marathon, where she ran her personal best of 2:17:58.

Judith Jeptum Korir of Kenya, the 2022 world championship silver medallist and reigning Paris Marathon champion, was originally planning to pace the leaders on Sunday, but has been a late addition to the elite list. London will be Korir’s third marathon in six months, but she has reached the podium in her last two. 

World record holder Brigid Kosgei withdraws from London Marathon with injury

World record holder and twice London Marathon champion Brigid Kosgei has been forced to withdraw from Sunday's race due to a minor hamstring injury, organisers said on Monday.

Kosgei, who won the London Marathon in 2019 and 2020, was one of the favourites going into the event. She also won the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year after a silver medal at the Olympics last year.

"I have been struggling over the past month with an issue in the hamstring of my right leg. My training has been up and down and not the way I would like to prepare to be in top condition for the 2022 TCS London Marathon," she said in a statement.

"We've decided it's best I withdraw from this year's race and get further treatment on my injuries in order to enter 2023 stronger than ever."

Kosgei set a world record time of 2:14:04 in Chicago in 2019. She was upset in London last year when she finished fourth in a race won by her compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei, who is set to headline the event this weekend.

Eliud Kipchoge sets new world marathon record in Berlin clocking 2:01:09

Eliud Kipchoge sliced half a minute from his own world record to win the BMW Berlin Marathon, clocking a sensational 2:01:09 at the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race on Sunday (25).

There was also a stunning breakthrough for Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa in the women’s race as she smashed the course record by more than two minutes with 2:15:37, becoming the third-fastest woman in history.

Just when it seemed Kipchoge had achieved everything he possibly could over the classic distance, the legendary pushed the world record further out of reach for the rest of the distance-running world.

Unlike his last world record run, the double Olympic champion went out hard on this occasion, passing through 5km in 14:14 and 10km in 28:22 – not just comfortably inside world record pace, but also well inside a projected two-hour finish.

Kipchoge maintained that pace through half way, which was reached in 59:50, but his pace started to drop slightly from then on, and by 25km (1:11:08) his projected finish had slipped to just outside two hours – still more than a minute inside world record pace, though.

Ethiopia’s Andamlak Belihu was just about staying level with Kipchoge up until this point, but the Kenyan superstar then gradually pulled clear and was out on his own.

He passed through 30km in 1:25:40, then reached 35km in 1:40:10. By the time he passed through 40km in 1:54:53, his lead had grown to move than four minutes with Mark Korir having moved into second place.

His victory – and world record – nor a formality, Kipchoge went on to cross the line in 2:01:09, taking 30 seconds off the world record he set in the German capital four years ago. Korir held on to second place in 2:05:58 and Ethiopia’s Tadu Abate came through to finish third in 2:06:28.

"I am overjoyed to have broken the world record in Berlin," said Kipchoge. "I wanted to run the first half so fast. No limitations.

"After 38km I knew I would be capable of breaking the world record. The circumstances were great, and so was the organisation of the event. I’m really happy with today and impressed by the fans and their support."

By contrast, several runners were in contention for most of the women’s race. A group of six women passed through half way in 1:08 - well inside course record pace – but by 30km, reached in 1:36:41, just three women remained at the front: Assefa, along with Ethiopian compatriots Tigist Abayechew and Meseret Gola.

Despite running significantly quicker than she ever had done before, Assefa – a former 800m specialist – maintained her relentless pace and opened up a gap of about 20 seconds by 35km.

She continued to pull away from the rest of the field and crossed the line in an Ethiopian record of 2:15:37 – a time that has only ever been beaten by world record-holders Brigid Kosgei (2:14:04) and Paula Radcliffe (2:15:25).

Kenya’s marathon debutante Rosemary Wanjiru came through to take second place in 2:18:00, finishing just three seconds ahead of Abayechew.

Leading results

Women

1. Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:15:37 2. Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) 2:18:00 3. Tigist Abayechew (ETH) 2:18:03 4. Workenesh Edesa (ETH) 2:18:51 5. Meseret Gola (ETH) 2:20:58 6. Keira D'Amato (USA) 2:21:48 7.  Rika Kaseda (JPN) 2:21:55 8.  Ayuko Suzuki (JPN) 2:22:02 9. Sayaka Sato (JPN) 2:22:13 10. Vibian Chepkirui (KEN) 2:22:21

Men

1. Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:01:09 2.  Mark Korir (KEN) 2:05:58 3.  Tady Abate (ETH) 2:06:28 4.  Andamlak Belihu (ETH) 2:06:40 5.  Abel Kipchumba (KEN) 2:06:49 6. Limenih Getachew (ETH) 2:07:07 7. Kenya Sonota (JPN) 2:07:14 8. Tatsuya Maruyama (JPN) 2:07:50 9. Kento Kikutani (JPN) 2:07:56 10. Zablon Chumba (KEN) 2:08:01

Fit-again Peres Jepchirchir to debut at Great North Run

Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir will make her return from injury when she debuts at the Great North Run Half Marathon on September 11 in England.

Jepchirchir, who resumed training three weeks ago, said the pain from the hip injury that locked her out of the World Athletics Championships in July in Oregon, United States, had eased.

“I feel much better now with the pain having subsided. My doctor advised me to return to training gradually and all is well as for now,” said Jepchirchir, ahead of the race that will start at Newcastle upon Tyne before ending at South Shields.

Jepchirchir was a late inclusion in the women’s marathon team for the World Athletics Championships, but withdrew days before the start of the event on July 15 with the advice from Team Kenya physician Victor Bargoria.

“It was disappointing, but I would rather not aggravate the injury since we still have another world event next year before my Olympic title defence at the 2024 Paris Summer Games,” said Jepchirchir, who hopes to use the Great North Run as part of her preparations for her New York City Marathon title defense on November 6 this year.

Judith Jeptum went on to claim silver for Kenya in Oregon, clocking a personal best of two hours, 18 minutes and 20 seconds, as Ethiopian Gotytom Gebreslase won the race in a Championship Record time of 2:18:11.

Another Kenyan Angela Tanui settled sixth in 2:22:15 as defending champion Ruth Chepngétich pulled out during the race with stomach problems.

Jepchirchir became the second Kenyan woman to win the Olympic title when she swept to victory in the streets of Sapporo, Japan in 2:27:20 seconds on August 7, 2021.

Kenyan women have won the last eight editions of the Great North Run with Hellen Obiri claiming victory last year in one hour, 07 minutes and 42 seconds.

Women’s world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei holds the Great North Run course record with her victory of 1:04:28 in 2019.

The 2020 event was canceled due to Covid-19.

Keira D’Amato Will Attempt to Lower Her American Record at Berlin Marathon

After winning the Falmouth Road Race on Sunday morning, Keira D’Amato confirmed that she will be running the Berlin Marathon on September 25 in an attempt to lower her own American record.

D’Amato set the current record of 2:19:12 in Houston in January, eclipsing Deena Kastor‘s 16-year-old American record of 2:19:36.

“I think I can run faster than I did in Houston, and I’m going to go to try to prove it in Berlin,” D’Amato told Citius Mag after Falmouth, confirming what many insiders expected as she wasn’t listed in the NY or Chicago elite fields and former NY elite athlete coordinator David Monti had previously tweeted out (but then deleted) that D’Amato was headed to Berlin.

This will be D’Amato’s second Berlin Marathon. In 2019, she finished 17th in 2:34:55 in what was then a PR of more than six minutes. This time around, she will be looking to run more than 35 seconds per mile faster.

As the American record holder, D’Amato would have attracted a hefty appearance fee from either of the two American major marathons this fall, Chicago and New York. She also would have had more time to recover from her last marathon, an eighth-place finish at the World Championships on July 18 (there are 10 weeks between Worlds and Berlin; there are 12 weeks between Worlds and Chicago and 16 between Worlds and NYC).

But D’Amato typically bounces back quickly between races — she won Falmouth less than five weeks after Worlds — and did not log a full buildup for Worlds as she was named as a late injury replacement for Molly Seidel barely two weeks before the championships. Additionally, American records result in big endorsement bonuses from shoe sponsors.

Berlin has become the go-to course for world record attempts in recent years, as it has hosted the last seven men’s world records and was also the venue of choice for Shalane Flanagan‘s American record attempt in 2014 (Flanagan fell short of the AR but still ran her lifetime best of 2:21:14). But three of the last four women’s world records have fallen in Chicago, including the current mark of 2:14:04 set by Brigid Kosgei in 2019. Either would have been fine options for an American record attempt; the better option may come down to weather on race day.

Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei keen to defend London Marathon title

London Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei will be seeking to defend her title in this edition set for October 2.

Last year, the 2016 Africa 10,000m bronze medalist obliterated a strong field to clinch the title in a personal best time of 2:17:43.

“My main aim is to defend my title and also lower my personal best,” Jepkosgei said.

Jepkosgei revealed she has invested a lot in training and expects this to repay handsomely on the streets of London.

“My main focus this season was on this marathon and I have trained very well for it. I know I will perform well,” she said.

Jepkosgei insisted she is not worried about the competition, where she will face the likes of compatriots Brigid Kosgei and Mary Ngugi, the Ethiopian duo of Degitu Azimeraw (2:17:58) and Ashete Bekere (2:17:58), who finished second and third respectively last year. Bekere finished second at the Tokyo Marathon in March.

Kosgei is the fastest in the field with her world record/personal best time of 2:14:04, ran at the 2019 Chicago marathon. Ngugi has a personal best time of 2:21:32 attained at this year’s Boston Marathon.

Commonwealth Games 10,000m winner Eilish McColgan will make her full marathon debut while another Ethiopian, Yalemzerf Yehualaw (2:17:23), will be making her London Marathon debut. McColgan aims to replicate her mother — Liz McColgan — who won the 1996 edition.

“I enjoy running with elite runners. The race will be tough and that means I can post a good time,” she said.

The 28-year-old said she does not feel any pressure after training under her supportive husband/coach, Nicholas Koech.

“My coach has been a great support system for me and with that, I do not feel any pressure. He is also my adviser,” Jepkosgei said.

Meanwhile, Jepkosgei disclosed she is yet to make a decision on the 2023 World Championships in Budapest and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“After the marathon, my coach and management will sit down and decide what next,” Jepkosgei said.

Commonwealth Games 10,000m winner Eilish McColgan will also be making her London Marathon debut with the aim of replicating Liz McColgan’s (her mother) win in the 1996 edition.

Mo Farah set to run this year’s TCS London Marathon

Britain’s Sir Mo Farah has announced that he will run the 2022 TCS London Marathon, which takes place Oct. 2. Farah has not raced a marathon since the 2019 Chicago Marathon, where he finished eighth, in 2:09:58. (The previous year, Farah won in a European record of 2:05:11; he also finished third at London in 2018, setting a new British record at 2:06:21. In 2020 he performed pacing duties in a scaled-down, elite-only pandemic version of the race.)

Farah considers the British capital his hometown; he expressed his excitement at returning to this race in a press release accompanying the announcement. “I can’t wait to get back out there again, test myself against the best marathon runners in the world and enjoy that buzz and amazing atmosphere London creates on Marathon Day,” he said.

Farah, who has gone back and forth between the marathon and the track in recent years, won Olympic gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m in 2012 and 2016 and is a six-time world champion. In 2020, he broke the one-hour world record on the track, racing with his training partner Bashir Abdi, who went on to a bronze medal in the Olympic marathon in Tokyo and later the European record; in 2021, Farah failed to make the British team for the Tokyo Olympics in the 10,000m and suffered a stress fracture in his foot that scuppered the rest of his season.

He hinted at the time that he was considering returning to the marathon distance.

Farah expects to race The Big Half in London on Sept. 4 as a tune-up for his return to the marathon; he has won this race on two previous occasions.

No further information is yet available on who Farah will face in London. The women’s elite list was announced earlier this week and will include Scottish runner Eilish McColgan’s debut at the distance, as well as defending champion Joyciline Jepkosgei and world record holder Brigid Kosgei, among many others.

Joyciline Jepkosgei, Brigid Kosgei ready to clash in London Marathon

Defending champion Joyciline Jepkosgei will confront two times champion and world record holder Brigid Kosgei at this year's London Marathon on October 22 in the British capital.

Jepkosgei, who claimed her maiden victory in the British capital in a personal best and eighth fastest time of two hours, 17 minutes and 43 seconds last year, and Kosgei, the 2019 and 2020 winner, are part of the elite field heading for the race.

Jepkosgei became the 10th Kenyan woman to win the London Marathon on her third appearance in 2019.

In the same year, she won the New York Marathon in 2:22:38 and finished second at the Valencia Marathon (2:18:40).

Kosgei, who set the world record of 2:14:04 at the 2019 Chicago Marathon, finished a surprise fourth last year, but bounced back to win this year’s Tokyo Marathon in a world-lead time of 2:16:02.

Jepkosgei, 28, joined the long list of Kenyan athletes who have won the London Marathon; Joyce Chepchumba (2), Tegla Loroupe (1), Margaret Okayo (1), Keitany (3), Prisca Jeptoo (1), Edna Kiplagat (1), Jemima Sumgong (1), Vivian Cheruiyot (1) and Kosgei (2).

“It was a great achievement for me,” said Jepkosgei on the London marathon website.

“It was not an easy race.There were a lot of strong competitors and I stayed with them until there were only a few kilometres left."

“Then I was on my own. It was hard, but the cheerers around me kept me motivated and got me to the end. I was so happy to get to the finish line.”

Jepkosgei’s delight at winning was hard to miss and stayed with her throughout the night:

“I didn’t sleep at all, I was so happy,” she said.

“This achievement will stay with me forever. It was a great achievement and will last a lifetime.”

The other Kenyan in the race is Mary Ngugi, 33, who for the second consecutive time, came third during the Boston Marathon on April 18, but this time around in a personal best of 2:21:32.

The Kenyans will take on the fastest-ever female marathon debutant Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who leads a horde of Ethiopian runners to the London streets.

The 22-year-old Yehualaw is the current 10K world record holder (29:14) and ran 2:17:23 to win the Hamburg Marathon in April, the fastest marathon debut ever.

Ethiopian duo Degitu Azimeraw and Ashete Bekere, who finished second and third last year, also return.

Bekere finished second behind Kosgei at this year’s Tokyo Marathon in a personal best of 2:17:58.

ELITE FIELD

Brigid Kosgei (Ken) 2:14:04 (WR)

Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Eth)2:17:23

Joyciline Jepksogei (Ken)2:17:43

Degitu AZIMERAW (Eth)2:17:58

Ashete BEKERE (Eth) 2:17:58

Joan Chelimo MELLY ROU 2:18:04

Sutume Asefa KEBEDE (Eth) 2:18:12

Alemu MEGERTU (Eth) 2:18:51

Hiwot GEBREKIDAN (Eth) 2:19:10

Ababel YESHANEH (Eth) 2:20:51

Mary NGUGI (Ken) 2:21:32.

British half-marathon record-holder Eilish McColgan to make marathon debut in London

Eilish McColgan will make her much anticipated marathon debut in London on October 2 as she takes on a world-class field around the streets of the British capital.

The 31-year-old Scot broke Paula Radcliffe’s British half-marathon record of 66:47 on February 19, after clocking 66:26 at Ras Al Khaimah and now feels like it’s the right time to take on the marathon.

Since McColgan started competing on the roads she has broken the British 5km record, European 10km record and set a British best over 10 miles.

Given her natural progression through the longer distances on both track and field, it was always a question of not if but when McColgan took on 26.2 miles.

“It’s really just coming from a confidence side of things,” McColgan says. “I think I’ve known for like a very long time that this is where my career would go. I think my mum and my dad have known even longer than I have. From being a young kid they always said the marathon was the event I’d end up going to.

“The way I’ve progressed over the years now through the distances, taking on both the 5km and 10km, I remember thinking, ‘I’ll never ever run a half-marathon’. And yet now, I’m excited. I couldn’t wait to get out and race it against some of those the top athletes in the world.

“It is my choice. I feel I’m going to do it when I’m ready to do it and I think that’s that time is coming now. I think there’s no better place to do that than the London Marathon.

McColgan takes to the streets of the British capital 26 years after her mum, Liz McColgan won the race. Like Eilish, Liz started out on the track and gradually progressed to the marathon, winning on her debut in New York in 1991 before her triumph in London five years later.

“It’s amazing and it’s a bit surreal,” McColgan adds. “The more iconic images I’ve got in my head as a youngster were my mum running the London Marathon with Buckingham Palace in the background. It’s just incredible that so many years later I’m following in her footsteps and I think she’s excited to see that finally come into action.

“It’s always the iconic event. It was the one where I always watched my mum run as a kid when I sat in the hospitality area and ate all the free food! There’s not a London Marathon that my mum and dad have ever missed. It’s just got a buzz and everyone speaks about it, even those who don’t know much about athletics.”

Although this is McColgan’s debut marathon she does have experience of the London circuit though, having been the pacemaker for Charlotte Purdue last year.

Purdue is also part of the line-up this year which includes world marathon record-holder Brigid Kosgei, defending champion and fellow Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei and the fastest-ever female marathon debutante Yalemzerf Yehualaw of Ethiopia.

“It just feels surreal to me [to hear that],” McColgan adds. “I remember watching Paula [Radcliffe] on the side of the road in Athens and being as devastated as she was. I watched her run the world record in 2003 and it was strange watching it because, given her pace, it was like watching a robot. You thought there was no way somebody could keep it up for 26.2 miles.

“Out of all the records she set this is by far the one the hardest she set. It’s difficult for me to believe that’s it’s almost possible but if you asked me two years ago would I run 30 minutes for 10km, I’d have told you no chance but now I believe I can break that record.”

McColgan also has a busy summer on the track as she races over both 5000m and 10,000m at the World Championships in Oregon before representing Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Ahead of Paris 2024, she wants to focus on the marathon and compete in more road races in the near future.

Rhonex Kipruto and Kibiwott Kandie Added to Fastest Field in Peachtree History

Rhonex Kipruto is returning to Atlanta for two reasons: Vindication and to protect his event record at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. The 10K world record-holder was announced Thursday by Atlanta Track Club, organizers of the Peachtree, as a late addition to the elite field at Monday’s 53rd Running of the race.

The 2019 Peachtree champion isn’t the only Kenyan superstar joining the field: Also making the trip to Running City USA will be Kibiwott Kandie, whose personal best of 26:50 gives him the second-fastest 10K in the world this year and fifth fastest all time. Kandie, the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon champion and 2022 Kenyan 10,000m champion, will be making his Peachtree debut.

Kipruto’s winning time of 27:01 here in 2019 is not only the Peachtree record but also the fastest 10K ever run in the United States. To hold on to his event record – and perhaps be the first man to ever break 27 minutes on American soil – he’ll have to battle five other men with road personal bests under 27:15. In addition to Kandie who defeated Kipruto when they raced on the track earlier this month, that speedy group includes Bravin Kiptoo, who was the runner-up to Kipruto, his brother, in 2019.

Kipruto was not planning to race the Peachtree this year. As one of the top-ranked 10,000- meter runners in the world, he was expected to make the Kenyan team for the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, later in July. However, he finished a disappointing sixth in the Kenyan Championships and now hopes to redeem himself by making history on the Fourth of July.

“Chasing after the course record, weather permitting, is on my mind, especially as I failed to make Team Kenya this past weekend,” said Kipruto. “What comes after the defeat is always more important than the defeat itself.”

Kirpruto’s 2019 course record came with a $50,000 bonus for the 50th Running of the Peachtree. This year, the bonus is $53,000 to be split among any men or women in the footrace or Shepherd Center Wheelchair Division who set a record. With two other division record-holders returning – Brigid Kosgei in the women’s footrace and Daniel Romanchuk in the men’s wheelchair division – anyone who sets a record this year may find themselves sharing the purse. There will be plenty of competition. For Kosgei – whose 30:22 course record is also the fastest time ever run in the U.S. – the path to victory has become slightly easier, as Sheila Chepkirui withdrew after finishing second in the 10,000 meters at the Kenyan Championships. However, Irene Cheptai, the 2017 World Cross Country champion who finished 6th in the 10,000m in Tokyo last summer, has been added to the field.

There have been several other notable withdrawals from the elite field. Eight-time Peachtree winner Tatyana McFadden, 2017 Peachtree winner Leonard Korir and 2022 Publix Atlanta Half Marathon winner Nicholas Kosimbei are no longer racing on Monday.

Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir said she could target the London, Berlin or Chicago marathons for a world record attempt next year

The 28-year-old Kenyan set the sport ablaze when she won the New York City Marathon just 13 weeks after claiming gold in Tokyo, the first athlete to win the Olympic marathon and the five-borough race in the same year.

She picked up her second major title five months later in Boston in a thrilling sprint finish, confirming her among the most dominant marathon runners of all time.

Jepchirchir, who wants to be the first woman to successfully defend her Olympic title in 2024, said she has even loftier goals in mind.

“I still have a mission to go – I still need to run to attempt records in marathon,” she told Reuters on Friday, a day ahead of competing in the 50th running of the New York Mini 10K.

“London is a faster course, even Berlin, Chicago is a faster course… Those are the races that maybe I can attempt.”

Jepchirchir produced the fifth all-time fastest marathon by a woman in December 2020, winning the Valencia Marathon in 2:17:16, and believes she’s “not far” from breaking compatriot Brigid Kosgei’s record 2:14.04 set in 2019.

“I’m feeling good – I’m so glad, I’m so happy for my improvement in my career,” she said.

Ethiopian Tsehay Gemechu outkicked Brigid Kosgei to retain her title in Lisbon

Tsehay Gemechu outkicked Brigid Kosgei to retain her title, while Keneth Kiprop Renju claimed a clear men’s race win at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label event, on Sunday (8).

Ethiopia’s world 5000m fourth-place finisher Gemechu ran 1:06:44 to win by two seconds ahead of Kenya’s world marathon record-holder Kosgei, while Kosgei’s compatriot Renju ran solo to a time of 1:00:13, 47 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa.

Gemechu, Kosgei and Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase had remained together until the closing kilometres, passing 10km in 31:37 and 15km in 47:25. Before they reached 20km in 1:03:27, Gemechu and Kosgei had managed to drop Gebreslase and the leading pair were seven seconds ahead at that point.

Their advantage only grew and as they kicked in battle it was Gemechu who had the best closing strength, winning in a sprint finish. The race came a couple of months after Kosgei’s Tokyo Marathon victory in 2:16:02, with Gebreslase third on that occasion.

“I am so happy for my win,” said Gemechu, who finished second in the Istanbul Half Marathon in April. “The weather is very hot. I am happy to win against a strong athlete like Brigid Kosgei.”

Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter finished fourth in 1:08:33 and Italy’s Sofiia Yaremchuk fifth in 1:10:35.

Renju, meanwhile, passed 10km in 28:11 and 15km in 42:15 in the men’s race before clocking 57:02 at 20km and continuing on untroubled to triumph.

The battle for the runner-up spot was much closer and Esa ran 1:01:00 to beat Kenya’s Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi by three seconds, with his compatriot Kipkemoi Kiprono another five seconds back.

Yehualaw runs 2:17:23 in Hamburg for fastest ever women's marathon debut

Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw made history in Hamburg on Sunday (24), running 2:17:23 for the fastest ever women’s marathon debut.

The 22-year-old won the Haspa Marathon Hamburg by almost nine minutes, breaking the Ethiopian record and German all-comers’ record, while just a second separated the top two in the men’s race. Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut clocked 2:04:47 to pip Uganda’s Stephen Kissa as the top four were all under the previous men’s course record of 2:05:30 set by Eliud Kipchoge in 2013.

Having broken the world 10km record with 29:14 in Castellon in February and with a half marathon best of 1:03:51 to her name, Yehualaw’s marathon debut was highly anticipated and she delivered in fine style.

Fast from the start, she ran with her male pacemakers through 10km in 32:39 and was on exactly 2:17 marathon pace through half way (1:08:30). Slowing only marginally in the second half, she went through 30km in 1:37:34 before running solo through 35km in 1:53:55 once her pacemakers had done their job.

The world half marathon bronze medallist continued on to eventually reach the finish line with 2:17:23 on the clock, well under the previous fastest ever women’s marathon debut time of 2:18:56 achieved by Paula Radcliffe in 2002.

The performance puts Yehualaw sixth on the women's world marathon all time list, topped by Brigid Kosgei’s world record of 2:14:04 set in 2019, and is the third-fastest time of the year so far.

She led an Ethiopian top three, with Fikrte Wereta and Bone Cheluke clocking respective times of 2:26:15 and 2:26:23, also on their marathon debuts.

In the men’s race, Kotut and Kissa had broken away from a six-strong group that passed 35km in 1:43:38, and so began their fierce battle for the finish. They were together through 40km in 1:58:18 and with two hours on the clock Kissa kicked, looking for a win on his marathon debut, but his rival responded.

It was Kotut, last year’s Florence Marathon winner and a training partner of recent Boston Marathon winner Evans Chebet, who had the stronger finish and he edged Kissa at the end - 2:04:47 to 2:04:48.

It was a PB for Kotut, improving on his previous best of 2:07:11 from 2016, while Kissa was rewarded with a Ugandan record on his debut.

Joining them under the previous course record were Ethiopia's Workineh Tadesse with a 2:05:07 PB and Uganda's Victor Kiplangat with a 2:05:09 PB.

Molly Seidel despite being a favorite for the 2022 Boston Marathon, still struggles with confidence

The 27-year-old battled with an eating disorder to qualify for the USA Olympic team in her first ever marathon. Despite winning bronze at Tokyo 2020 and being a favorite for the 2022 Boston Marathon, she still struggles with confidence.

Molly Seidel is a rare kind of marathon talent.

The Wisconsin native first made athletics headlines when she qualified in second place for the U.S. Olympic team for Tokyo 2020, in her first ever marathon.

Despite this, many onlookers thought that her inexperience would show at the Olympic race in Sapporo. And how wrong they turned out to be.

In what was just her third career marathon, she finished on the podium with an Olympic bronze medal around her neck. The only runners to beat her were a triple world half marathon record holder in Peres Jepchirchir, and marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei.

Using that momentum, Seidel finished fourth at the New York City Marathon in November 2021. Her time of 2:24:42 made her the fastest American woman ever.

On April 18, 2022, she goes to the 2022 Boston Marathon as one of the favorites, seeking the host nation's first win since Desiree Linden in 2018.

But despite her recent successes the American star still struggles with 'imposter syndrome'.

"I struggle with confidence and I struggle with wondering whether or not I belong at this level, whether I belong as a competitor on the world stage," Seidel told CNN.

The making of a front runner

Growing up in Wisconsin, Seidel was always a front runner in school sport. She broke course records and won several state track titles.

The first time her school's cross-country coach Mike Dolan first saw her attack an uphill run, he knew she was special.

“She would be a minute ahead of all the guys and all the girls," Dolan told Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"I knew at that time she would be a heck of a runner."

Seidel proved her coach right as she went on to win an NCAA cross country title in 2015, two NCAA indoors (3,000m & 5000m) and an outdoor 10,000m title to become the most decorated distance runner in state history.

Some onlookers even thought she could be a potential U.S. Track Olympic Team athlete for Rio 2016.

Mental health struggles

From the outside, Seidel seemed to be in the best shape of her life, but underneath she was experiencing a deep inner turmoil.

She first went public on her struggles with depression, OCD, crippling anxiety and bulimia in a podcast ran by her close friend Julia Hanlon called "Running On Om", just two months before the 2020 Olympic Trials.

“People who are close to me knew what I was going through during my time at Notre Dame (University), from 2012 to 2016. They knew my OCD had manifested itself into disordered eating,” she revealed in a follow-up interview with ESPN.

“When I was in the NCAA, it was obvious I was battling an eating disorder. It was so obvious that people would write on track and field message boards that I looked sick." - Molly Seidel to ESPN.

“They knew I struggled to eat anything I deemed unhealthy They knew I thought I had to be super lean and super fit all the time, never even allowing myself to eat a bowl of mac and cheese or go out to eat with friends without worrying about what I would order. I've never tried to hide what I went through with my family and friends.”

In 2016 she went into a treatment program for her eating disorder, which she’s still dealing with alongside the anxiety and depression.

When Seidel returned to training, she decided to stop running 5k and 10k and stepped up to the marathon.

“I always kind of dreamed of doing the marathon," Seidel told CNN.

"I think there's just this kind of like glamor and mystery around it, and especially for a younger runner who enjoys doing the distance events in high school, that's kind of the ultimate goal. Everybody wants to do the marathon."

From first marathon to Olympic medal

Her debut 42km race at the USA Trials in Atlanta landed her a place on her nation's Olympic team with race winner Aliphine Tuliamuk and third placed Sally Kipyego.

"I struggled with this kind of imposter syndrome after the trials, specifically as probably the person no one expected to make the team and the person that got probably the most criticism like: Hey, why is this girl on the team?" she continued.

"I think I really struggled with that, and I struggled going into the Games and feeling like I belonged there and trying to prove that I wasn't a mistake on that team."- Molly Seidel to CNN.

Her second marathon effort was the daunting 2020 London Marathon, where she finished sixth .

Then, just 18 months after her first marathon Seidel, who is affectionately known as “Golly Molly” earned bronze and became the third American woman ever to medal in the Olympic marathon.

In November 2021, a broken Seidel returned for her fourth marathon in New York, where she placed fourth with a personal best time despite fracturing two ribs as she prepared for the event.

It was an absolute disaster of a build up,” she recalled.

"It was really hard, not only with the mental stress that we had going on after the Games of just feeling, frankly, no motivation. And just trying to find that drive to re-up for another hard race right after an enormous race that I'd been training effectively two years for.”

Those injuries are now behind the 27-year-old, who has been training in Flagstaff.

Though she dropped out of the New York Half in March due 'setbacks in training', Seidel heads back to Boston where she lived for four years with high hopes for something special.

“Boston was like the place that made me a pro-runner. It was the first place I moved after I finished college.It was the place that kind of like rebuilt me as a runner after going through a lot of challenges through college,” she said to CBS Boston.

“Just getting to do the race in the place that made me the runner that I am and with the people that helped me become the runner that I am, it’s just enormously meaningful to me. That what makes it a lot more special than any other race.”

2022 EDP Lisbon Half is back for more records

The fastest half marathon in the world is back. For 2022, in the 31th edition, scheduled for May 8th, the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon will be, once again, aiming for new records.

And, just like last November, there will be a bonus prize of EUR 50,000 (USD 54,000) up for grabs in case of new records.

To achieve this it will count on some of the best athletes in the world, especially in the women’s field, including the Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, the fastest female marathoner ever (2:14:04) and the eighth fastest in the half ever (1:04.49).

Tsehay Gemechu, the winner of last year’s race and the current course record holder (1:06:06) will also be present, with her fellow Ethiopians Gotytom Gebreselassie (1:05:36) and Bosena Mulatie (1:05:43). The Israeli Lonah Salpeter, the third fastest European woman ever (1:06:09), will also be present.

The time to beat for a new world record (in a women-only race) is 1:05:16, set by Peres Jepchirchir in Gdynia, at the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships.

In the men’s race, with Kiplimo’s record in sights (57:31), the field has 11 runners with personal bests below the hour mark, four of them under 59 minutes: Kenneth Kiprop Renju (58:35), Abraham Cheroben (58:40), Kevin Kiptum (58:42) and Jorum Okombo (58:48).

Besides the international field, the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon will also have the best runners from Portugal, including Hermano Ferreira, Luís Saraiva, Rui Teixeira and Nuno Costa in the men’s field and Rafaela Almeida, Sara Moreira and Solange Jesus in the women’s field.

In this year’s race – the half marathon is already sold out – there will be almost 10,000 runners from nearly 96 different nationalities. There are a few last minute bibs available for the Vodafone 10k.

“Right after the men’s world record, last year, I started preparing in my head for the process of trying for the female record too,” admits Carlos Moia, race director.

Ethiopian Gelete Burka announces a return to Ottawa, she broke the Canadian All Comers record in 2018, and she will be aiming for a sub-2:20 marathon on May 29

Gelete Burka is smiling warmly as she moves about her house in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital city. She’s looking into her mobile phone during a WhatsApp video call in which she confirmed her return to the newly renamed Tamarack Ottawa International Marathon, Sunday, May 29th.

The World Athletic Gold-label event will be held in person again after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

On her previous visit in 2018, Gelete – Ethiopians prefer to use their first names – broke the Canadian All Comers’ record (the fastest time recorded on Canadian soil) with a stunning 2 hours 22 minutes 17 seconds despite conditions that weren’t exactly agreeable.

“Of course that time everything was hard,” she remembers still smiling. “The weather! I had been training here in Ethiopia and it was so very hot and also the (strong) wind and I also had stomach cramps. Anyway, God is good and, for me that day, helped me for that victory. I was so very happy.”

The margin of victory despite stomach cramps, the wind and the cooler temperatures (it was a cool 13 degrees Celsius at 7am that day) was roughly four minutes such was the effort she expended.

“Ottawa is a good memory for me,” she continues. “When I was training I had a bit of a leg problem with an injury to my calf and I came to Ottawa with that injury. It was not easy. That was why I smiled when I came to the finish.”

Although she rarely leaves the hotel at a marathon – preferring to totally focus on the race at hand – after her Ottawa victory she attended an Ethiopian church with Ottawa friends to give thanks.

In Addis she is both an usher and a member of the forty-member choir at The Glorious Life Church. With two Sunday services, plus another on Tuesday nights, her devotion to the church is exemplary. No wonder she has little time, outside of training and travelling, for herself. When she does have free time she might have tea or coffee with friends.

As she speaks, Gelete shifts position for better light and the contents of her cabinet come into focus.

There is her 1500m gold medal from the 2008 World Indoor Championships, the 2006 World Cross Country gold and the 10,000m silver medal she earned at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing. Without a second thought she suddenly beckons two children to join her in the picture. They are her young niece and nephew, Deborah and Muse, and she asks them to say hello into her phone.

Family is ever so important. These are her youngest sister’s kids. The financial rewards of being a world class runner – she took CAD 30,000 (USD 24,120) prize money from Ottawa for instance – over two decades has allowed her to take care of both immediate family who live with her, while also contributing to the welfare of children in her home village of Kofele in south central Ethiopia.

Gelete has represented Ethiopia in six successive world outdoor championships and three Olympics. In Rio six years ago, she finished 5th in the 10,000m earning her personal best of 30:26.66. Had it not been for a slight on the part of the Ethiopian federation a year later, she might never have turned to the marathon.

“In 2017 I was in Hengelo (Netherlands) at the Ethiopian trials for the world championships. I won the Ethiopian 10,000m trials (30:40.87), but they never took me to the world championships in London,” she explains, her smile having vanished now.

“After that I stopped track and that is the point when I went to the marathon. So, I trained for the Dubai Marathon where I ran 2:20:45.”

A year later she won the 2019 Paris Marathon in 2:22:47, then finished 3rd in Chicago, one of the ‘World Majors,’ in 2:20:55. The latter result illustrates the importance of pacemakers to marathoners.

“In Paris we had a very nice pacer and also in Chicago, you remember the world record was broken,” she remembers. “The pacemakers went with the Kenyan lady (Brigid Kosgei set the world record of 2:14:04) and after 2km I was all by myself for 40km. Maybe when someone is pushing me I will run under 2:19. I need a good pacemaker. Yes I hope it is arranged (in Ottawa). I want to go under 1:10 the first half.”

Gelete is coached by Getamesay Molla and belongs to a group of strong Ethiopian runners who train together on the dusty roads of Sendafa, Sululta and Entoto outside Addis. Traffic inside the capital makes training there near impossible. Preparations, she says, are going well for Ottawa.

“My training now is very nice,” she allows. “I am happy with my training and I have another two months to get in good shape.”

Racing regularly again following the coronavirus pandemic is a welcome relief for her. Now that she is 36 years old, an age that used to indicate the twilight years of an athletics career, she doesn’t know how much longer she will continue training and racing. The Paris Olympics are two years hence.

“I don’t know about that (Paris) I don’t have an idea about this,” she says carefully.“Even if I run a good time it is not easy with my federation (to win selection). You saw like Kenenisa (Bekele who was controversially left off the Ethiopian Olympic team) last time in Tokyo. I will see what my time is. Sometimes you have the time, but I don’t know why they do this.”

Politics notwithstanding Gelete has several more world-class performances in those legs. Reducing her personal best and getting under the 2 hours 20 minutes barrier remains a target. She would like for that to happen on the streets of Ottawa.

Japan’s Mariko Yugeta, 63, runs two sub-3:05 marathons in seven days, after running 3:04 in Tokyo, she followed it up with a 2:58 in Nagoya

The first 60+ woman to ever break three hours for a marathon, Japan’s Mariko Yugeta, added a new feat to her previous world record. A week ago, Yugeta won in the 60+ category at the Tokyo Marathon with a 3:04:16, and a week after that, she bettered her time by almost six minutes, running a 2:58:40 at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon.

Yugeta, 63, ran Tokyo and Nagoya as a fitness test for April’s Boston Marathon, where she hopes to lower her world record time of 2:52:13. Through 2021, she ran into some injury problems, which kept her out of the Osaka International Women’s Marathon in January.

The force that has driven her motivation for over 40 years is regret. When Yugeta was 21, she was mesmerized by the finishers at the 1979 Tokyo International Women’s Marathon. She spent the next three years training, making her marathon debut in 1982 in Tokyo, where she finished nine minutes over her goal of sub-3:00.

Since then, Yugeta has had unfinished business. A sub-3 marathon became her lifelong goal, and she finally achieved it at the Tokyo Marathon in 2017 (2:58:17), when she was 59.

When you put her personal best time into an age grade calculator, it comes out to 2:14:03, one second faster than the current women’s marathon world record held by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei.

Yugeta’s achievements bring to mind the 1984 U.S. Olympic gold-medal-winning marathoner Joan Benoit-Samuelson, who is the only woman ever to run a sub-three marathon in five consecutive decades. (Benoit has not yet run one in the 2020s.)

In a 2021 interview with Maurten, Yugeta said she doesn’t really think about her age when she runs. She aspires to run sub-4:00/km this April in Boston, to become the first woman 60+ to run a marathon under 2:50. She currently teaches high school phys-ed and trains alongside her 16- and 17-year-old high school students.

Kipchoge and Kosgei race to Japanese all-comers' records in Tokyo

World record-holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei recorded another two of the fastest marathons of all time in Tokyo on Sunday (6), running 2:02:40 and 2:16:02 respectively on their return to Japan.

Back in the country where they claimed their respective Olympic gold and silver medals seven months ago, they both used their great experience to leave their rivals behind in the closing kilometres and break the Japanese all-comers' records in the Tokyo Marathon, the first World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race of the 2022 calendar.

Kipchoge’s performance is the fourth-best ever behind his own world record of 2:01:39 set in Berlin in 2018, while Kosgei’s is a time that only she with her world record of 2:14:04 from Chicago in 2019 and Paula Radcliffe with her 2:15:25 from London in 2003 have ever beaten.

Kenya’s world bronze medallist Amos Kipruto had remained with Kipchoge until 36km and continued running solo to a PB of 2:03:13 in second, while Ethiopia’s Olympic and world medallist Tamirat Tola was third in the men's race in 2:04:14.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s 2019 Berlin Marathon winner Ashete Bekere was runner-up this time in a PB of 2:17:58, while another winner in Berlin – 2021 champion Gotytom Gebreslase – was third, 20 seconds behind her compatriot, in a PB of 2:18:18.

Although missing his targeted own Japanese record, Kengo Suzuki had another strong performance, running 2:05:28 to finish fourth as 22 athletes went sub-2:09. A total of 50 runners, including 43 Japanese athletes, dipped under 2:15, while in the women’s race the top five went sub-2:20, 13 went under 2:30 and Mao Ichiyama with 2:21:02 in sixth led the list of 13 Japanese athletes to go sub-2:40 on a sunny and cool morning.

Despite all he has achieved in the sport so far, marathon great Kipchoge has set himself another aim of winning each of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors. After four London wins, three Berlin victories and one Chicago triumph, he added Tokyo to the list on Sunday and will now aim for Boston and New York City at some point in the future to compete the set.

With his winning time in Tokyo, Kipchoge also extended his list of all-comers’ records, having now run the fastest ever marathons on German, British and Japanese soil with some of those majors wins. Only he with his world record and 2:02:37 run in London in 2019, plus Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele with 2:01:41 in Berlin in 2019, have ever gone faster than the Kenyan’s winning time in Japan’s capital.

The race had been fast from the start and the leaders – with Kipchoge in control at the front of the pack behind the pacemakers – were well under world record pace as they passed 5km in 14:17. That pointed to a predicted 2:00:13 finishing time, but one based on a first 5km featuring a substantial downhill. At 10km the clock showed 28:37, with Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata dropped by that point, the 2020 London Marathon winner having struggled to keep in touch from 8km. A course mishap that saw runners go slightly off track just after 10km gave Kitata the chance to close the gap but he was soon dropped again from a lead group that featured Kipchoge, Kipruto and Tola, together with Ethiopia’s world silver medallist Mosinet Geremew and Kenya’s Jonathan Korir.

That five-strong pack remained together through 15km in 43:16, 20km in 57:53 and half way in 1:01:03, with the world record looking less of a target.

Geremew had been right on Kipchoge’s shoulder up to that point but he dropped back slightly at around 23km and one kilometre later the world silver medallist – who sits fourth on the world marathon all-time list with the 2:02:55 he ran in London in 2019 – pulled up and started to walk, with his hands on his head.

When the final pacemaker stopped at 27km, Kipchoge continued to push ahead and the race was down to three: Kipchoge, Kipruto and Tola, who started to lose touch 2km later. Kipchoge led through 30km in 2:02:09 and at this point a determined Suzuki had caught Kitata and was a couple of minutes behind the leaders.

Kipchoge and Kipruto were side-by-side through 35km in 1:41:30 and then Kipchoge began to make his move. He was a stride ahead at 36km and that increased to around five seconds over the next kilometre as the athletes made a turn and began running into a headwind. But he hung on to record the fastest marathon ever run in Japan by over a minute and claim a 33-second victory.

“I am really happy,” said two-time Olympic marathon winner Kipchoge. “I am excited to be here in Japan, especially after winning the Olympic Games in Sapporo. I really appreciated the crowd.”

Before the race Kipchoge had written 'ST:RO:NG' instead of numbers on his finish time prediction card and the 37-year-old felt he had achieved his aim.

“I said I wanted to run strong in Japan and I did, I ran a course record,” he said. “I am really happy I won another major marathon.”

Kosgei, too, has multiple major marathon wins to her name, having triumphed twice in London and twice in Chicago. After securing silver at the Olympics behind her compatriot Peres Jepchirchir, she finished fourth in London just two months later but was back on top in Tokyo.

The women's race record had been held by Lonah Chemtai Salpeter with the 2:17:45 she set on a slightly different course in 2020 and that time always looked under threat. The leaders were on 2:15:44 pace for the first downhill 5km and then passed 10km in 32:14.

By that point, Kosgei was running as part of a larger mixed group along with fellow women’s race leaders Gebreslase and Bekere, plus Kenya’s Angela Tanui and Ethiopia’s Hiwot Gebrekidan. A chase group featuring Ichiyama and her compatriot Hitomi Niiya, who won the first Tokyo Marathon in 2007, plus Ethiopia’s Helen Bekele and the USA’s 2020 London Marathon runner-up Sara Hall was 30 seconds back.

The same group of five led through 15km in 48:21 and reached half way in 1:08:06. At 25km, passed by the leaders in 1:20:48, chase group athletes Ichiyama and Hall remained on national record pace but those aims began to move out of reach a short while later.

Kosgei was still in control with Gebreslase tracking her, and the pair had broken away by 35km, with 1:53:08 on the clock. Kosgei missed her drink at that point but she didn’t seem to mind as she forged ahead while Gebreslase dropped off the pace. Kosgei had broken away by 37km and went on unchallenged to record another magnificent mark.

Bekere – who ran 2:18:18 when finishing third at last year’s London Marathon – came through to claim the runner’s up spot and improve her PB by 20 seconds while Gebreslase also had the run of her life to match her compatriot’s former PB of 2:18:18, building on her 2:20:09 debut performance in Berlin.

Tanui was fourth in 2:18:42 and Gebrekidan fifth in 2:19:10, while Ichiyama secured sixth in 2:21:02, Niiya seventh in 2:21:17 and Hall eighth in 2:22:56.

With their respective 2:05:28 and 2:21:02 performances, Suzuki and Ichiyama achieved a combined time of 4:26:30 – the fastest recorded combined result for a married couple running in the same race.

Before the race, Kosgei had said her target time was “a secret” and although she went on to record the third-fastest ever women's marathon, she later explained how she felt the wind in the latter stages of the race had prevented her from again attacking 2:14.

Here's Why You Should Watch the 2022 Tokyo Marathon

World record-holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei headline the return of this World Major Marathon.

On Sunday, March 6, the Tokyo Marathon will finally take place after not having been run since March 2020. Nearly 25,000 athletes will storm the streets of Japan’s biggest city to chase the finish line and personal bests. 

The 2021 Tokyo Marathon was set for October last year, until the COVID-19 Delta variant forced postponement. Race officials decided to move the 2021 edition to March 6 this year and formally cancel the 2022 race.

How to Watch the 2022 Tokyo Marathon

WHAT: 2022 Tokyo Marathon

WHERE: Tokyo, Japan

WHEN: Sunday, March 6 in Tokyo. Saturday, March 5 in the United States. Professional wheelchair racers begin at 7:05 p.m. ET. The professional racers start at 7:10 p.m. EST. 

HOW TO WATCH: Flotrack will stream the event on Saturday, March 5, starting at 6:30 p.m. EST.

What to Watch For

Eliud Kipchoge Attempts Ninth World Major Marathon Win

World record-holder and two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge has already cemented his legacy. But he’s now chasing the goal of winning all six World Marathon Majors. He already owns gold medals from Berlin, Chicago, and London—leaving Boston, New York City, and Tokyo as the remaining stops. 

An abundance of talent joins Kipchoge on the start line. 2020 Tokyo Marathon winner Legese Birhanu of Ethiopia hopes to repeat as champion. Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia has run 2:02:55, making him the fourth-fastest man in history, and will also challenge for the victory. Behind them are two others with sub-2:04 PRs: Amos Kipruto of Kenya and Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia. Japan’s chance for gold lies on the shoulders of Kengo Suzuki, who finished fourth at the Chicago Marathon last fall and owns a personal best of 2:04:56, which is the Japanese record.

Brigid Kosgei Headlines Women’s Field, Sara Hall Chases American Record

World record-holder Brigid Kosgei is the favorite thanks to her 2:14:04 personal best and Olympic silver medal from last summer. Three other women competing have broken 2:20 for the marathon: Angela Tanui of Kenya and Ashete Bekere and Hiwot Gebrekidan of Ethiopia. 

Coming off a half marathon American record in Houston, Sara Hall attempts to run under the 2:20 barrier for the first time. Doing so could scare Keira D’Amato’s U.S. record of 2:19:12, also set in Houston in January. 

Japan’s Mao Ichiyama boasts a top-10 finish at the Olympic marathon. With a 2:20:29 personal best, she’s the home country’s ringer for a podium spot—and potentially a national record.

2022 Tokyo Marathon Women's Preview

The women’s race at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon has a little something for everyone. There’s Brigid Kosgei, the Kenyan world record holder attempting to reassert herself as the world’s best marathoner after Peres Jepchirchir claimed that title in 2021.

There’s Angela Tanui, the breakout star who won three marathons last year, capped by a 2:17:57 course record in Amsterdam. And for American fans, there’s Sara Hall, fresh off setting a US half marathon record in Houston in January and ready to mix it up with the best in the world on a flat, fast course.

Women Elite Entries:

Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) – 2:14:04 (Chicago 2019)

Angela Tanui (Kenya) – 2:17:57 (Amsterdam 2021)

Ashete Bekere (Ethiopia) – 2:18:18 (London 2021)

Hiwot Gebrekidan (Ethiopia) – 2:19:35 (Milan 2021)

Gotytom Gebreslase (Ethiopia) – 2:20:09 (Berlin 2021)

Mao Ichiyama (Wacoal) – 2:20:29 (Nagoya 2020)

Sara Hall (U.S.A.) – 2:20:32 (Marathon Project 2020)

Helen Bekele (Ethiopia) – 2:21:01 (Tokyo 2019)

Natsuki Omori (Daihatsu) – 2:28:38 (Nagoya 2021)

Shiho Kaneshige (GRlab Kanto) – 2:28:51 (Osaka Int’l 2020)

Hitomi Niiya (Sekisui Kagaku) – 2:30:58 (Nagoya 2009)

Miharu Shimokado (SID Group) – 2:32:48 (Osaka Int’l 2020)

Yui Okada (Otsuka Seiyaku) – 2:32:00 (Nagoya 2020)

Hitomi Mizuguchi (Uniqlo) – 2:32:33 (Osaka Int’l 2020)

Mai Fujisawa (Hokkaido Excel AC) – 2:35:52 (Kanazawa 2021)

Tomomi Sawahata (Sawahatters) – 2:36:45 (Osaka Int’l 2022)

Debut / Do-Over

Kaori Morita (Panasonic) – 1:10:28 (Nat’l Corp. Half 2021)

Rika Kaseda (Daihatsu) – 31:39.86 (Nat’l Championships 2020).

Can Brigid Kosgei Return to the Top?

From the fall of 2018 through the fall of 2020 — four marathon cycles — Brigid Kosgei was the best marathoner in the world. By the end of that stretch, the gap between Kosgei and everyone else was not close. Her 2:14:04 in Chicago in 2019 was 81 seconds faster than Paula Radcliffe‘s previous world record and almost three minutes faster than any active marathoner had ever run. In her next race, 2020 London, she ran 2:18:58 in miserable conditions on a day when none of the rest of the world’s best marathoners could crack 2:22. She was in her own marathon galaxy.

Last year, however, Kosgei came back to Earth. That’s usually what happens when someone becomes World #1 in the fickle event that is the marathon (well, unless your name is Eliud Kipchoge). Kosgei was far from ordinary in 2021 — she still claimed second at the Olympics and fourth in London (in 2:18:40) just eight weeks later — but she was not the all-conquering giant of the previous three years. By the end of last year, the discussion about the world’s greatest female marathoner featured two women, and Kosgei wasn’t among them (right now it’s Olympic/NYC champ Peres Jepchirchir or London champ Joyciline Jepkosgei, who will race each other next month in Boston).

A win in Tokyo would nudge Kosgei back into that conversation, and she will start as the favorite on Sunday. Remember, after that dominant stretch from 2018-20, talk was starting to heat up that Kosgei could be the best marathoner the world has ever seen. That’s the trajectory she was on, and she only just turned 28 years old. If she can return to that sort of form, she’ll be your champion in Tokyo.

The Other Women Who Could Win

The top challenger to Kosgei in Tokyo is Angel Tanui, who emerged from relative obscurity to become one of the world’s top marathoners in 2021. Tanui, now 29, began last year as a serviceable road runner with pbs of 31:51/67:16/2:25:18 but wound up winning marathons in Dhaka (Bangladesh), Tuscany, and Amsterdam and finish as LetsRun’s third-ranked marathoner in the world. Tanui was only in Amsterdam because visa issues had prevented her from running Boston the previous week, but it certainly didn’t affect her race as she ran 2:17:57 to smash the course record. 2:17 doesn’t mean what it used to — these days, it’s barely fast enough to rank in the top 10 all-time — but it’s still plenty quick and signals Tanui as a major player.

Another woman to watch on Sunday is Ethiopia’s Ashete Bekere. She was only 7th in her last visit to Tokyo in 2016, but since then she’s won big-time races in Valencia (2018), Rotterdam (2019), and Berlin (2019). In her last marathon, she ran a pb of 2:18:18 to finish third in London, defeating Kosgei in the process (though Kosgei was just eight weeks removed from the Olympics). Clearly, Bekere has what it takes to win a major.

The other two notables in the field outside of Sara Hall — we’ll get to her in a minute — are the women who went 1-2 in Berlin last fall. Berlin was one of the weaker majors in 2021, but it was hard not to be impressed by Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase, who won the race convincingly in her debut in 2:20:09. Gebreslase is coached by the famed Haji Adilo, and he told Women’s Running he’s been impressed by what he’s seen recently:

“[Gebreslase] has even made big advancements in her training since Berlin,” Adilo says. “She set a personal best in the half marathon in December [1:05:36 in Bahrain], and if the weather and conditions are good in Tokyo, she could do something very special there.”

The runner-up behind Gebreslase in Berlin, Hiwot Gebrekidan, also had a good year in 2021 as she ran a pb of 2:19:35 to win Milan in May. But against this Tokyo field, 2:19 may not be good enough to challenge for the win.

Sara Hall Chases a Fast Time

Sara Hall running Tokyo is something we don’t get often: one of America’s top marathoners racing against the best in the world in a fast international marathon. Last month, Molly Seidel told Track & Field News that American pros “are gonna get our asses handed to us nine times outta ten, if the course is fast.”

Top things to know about 2022 Tokyo Marathon

Eliud Kipchoge's addition to the elite list for the Tokyo Marathon has made it one of the key athletics races of the year.

The Kenyan heads back to Japan where, last August, he became the third man to retain the Olympic marathon title after Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila and Waldemar Cierpinski of Germany.

After being postponed in 2021 due to the global pandemic, Tokyo Marathon 2021 returns on March 6, with Kipchoge and fellow marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei part of a stellar field.

Here’s your guide to the top athletes to watch out for in the newest of six the World Marathon Majors, plus the route course and schedule.

After winning back-to-back Olympic golds with the largest victory margin since the 1972 Munich Games, Kipchoge cemented his reputation as the greatest marathon runner in history.

But the Kenyan, who ran the first sub-two-hour marathon in October 2019, says he wants to compete at Paris 2024 and become the first athlete to win three Olympic marathon titles.

“I still have something boiling in my stomach, that’s why I am looking forward to it… I want to be the first human to run and (win) three consecutive Olympics,” the 37-year-old star said on his plan for his fifth Olympics.

Kipchoge, a 5000m bronze and silver medalist on the track at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 respectively, has previously won the Marathon Majors in Chicago, Berlin (three times) and London (four times).

Tokyo will be his fourth stop, and he plans to complete the majors by running in Boston and New York City before he rounds off his marathon career that began in 2013.

With Tokyo boasting a fairly flat course, Kipchoge could go close to his world record of 2:01:39 although Wilson Kipsang's course record of 2:03:58 may be a more realistic target.

But it certainly will not be just a race against the clock.

Up against him will be the third-fastest marathon runner in history, Ethiopia's Birhanu Legese, who is a two-time Tokyo Marathon winner. His compatriot Mosinet Geremew, fourth on the all-time list, will also be in action. Geremew’s PB of 2:02:55 was from the 2019 London Marathon where he finished behind Kipchoge.

Shura Kitata, who ended Kipchoge's seven-year unbeaten run in the marathon at London in 2020, another high-class Ethiopian in the field along with Olympic bronze medalist Tamirat Tola and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, a world bronze medalist.

Kosgei aiming for Tokyo Marathon after Olympic silver

After her silver behind Peres Jepchirchir, which earned Kenya a historic 1-2 at the Olympic marathon held in Sapporo, Kosgei returns to Japan seeking her first Marathon Major win in two years.

The 27-year-old set a world record of 2:14:04 in the 2019 Chicago Marathon.

Her four-race winning streak came to an end in the Olympic marathon and, two months later, she was only fourth in her unsuccessful bid for a third consecutive London title.

With Jepchirchir not competing, Kosgei will be expected to win although she faces significant opposition from her fellow Kenyan, Angela Tanui, who won last year's Amsterdam Marathon.

There are also two strong Ethiopians in 2021 Berlin Marathon winner Gotytom Gebreslase and Ashete Bekere who was third - one place ahead of Kosgei - in London last year.

USA's Sara Hall, who took a surprise second place behind Kosgei in the 2020 London Marathon is in the line-up, as is home favourite Niiya Hitomi who won the first Tokyo Marathon back in 2007 and was 21st at last year's Olympics.

There is plenty at stake for the home runners as the race serves as a trial for July's World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Tokyo Marathon 2021 course

The Tokyo Marathon runs on a flat course through the city’s famous tourist spots. What prevents it from being a super-fast course are at least a handful of 180-degree turns.

The runners will start outside the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office and then go downhill by about 30m in the first 5km.

They take on a winding route through the streets of the Japanese capital, crossing the Sumida River, going back through Nihombashi and then Minato City before the finish in between the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station.

Kenyans Hellen Obiri and Titus Ekiru added to star-studded RAK Half Marathon list

Kenya's two-time world 5,000m champion Helen Obiri and Titus Ekiru have been added to the 2022 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon field slated for February 19.

Obiri, who retired from the track after the Tokyo Olympics last year, has a personal best of 1:04.51 in the half marathon set in Istanbul in April last year. Obiri will have Olympic silver marathon medalist, Brigid Kosgei for company in what promises to be an entertaining race.

Kosgei is the world marathon record holder and a two-time London Marathon champion (2019 and 202). She was also runner up at the Ras Khaimah Marathon in the 2020 edition and has a personal best time of 1:04;49 in the 21km race.

Ekiru has fond memories of the UAE, having won the Abu Dhabi Marathon last year in 2:06:13. 

Joining Ekiru in a competitive field will be Abel Kipchumba, who famously secured the second-fastest time in the 2021 Half Marathon distance category, with an incredible personal best of 58:07.

However,  Jacob Kiplimo, who had a spectacular season, will be the man to beat. He completed the 2021 Lisbon Half Marathon in a record-breaking time of 57:31. 

The world half marathon record holder is expected to set a quick pace and deliver fierce competition in the men’s category. Kiplimo won the  World Half Marathon in Gdynia, Poland in 2020 and a bronze medal in  10,00om at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Kenyan Daisy Cherotich will be targeting personal best at RAK Half Marathon

Reigning Discovery Kenya cross country champion Daisy Cherotich hopes to lower her personal best when she lines up at the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon to be held on February 19.

Cherotich has personal best of 66:15 clocked at the Lisbon Half Marathon while finishing second behind champion Tsehay Gemechu of Ethiopia.

She said it will be a great achievement to win the RAK race with personal best.

“This has been in the pipeline for a long time and heading for the RAK Half Marathon, I want to make a difference in my career. I have not competed in many road races like my competitors but I believe I can pull a surprise,” said Cherotich.

The Nandi-based runner, who trains alongside Eva Cherono, was a little-known athlete until she stunned top cream athletes to win the 2021 Discovery Kenya Cross Country championships held at the Eldoret Sports Club.

She made her half marathon debut at the Nexia Aidirevi Lake Maggiore Half Marathon timing 66:44 for the win after leading compatriot Leonida Mosop in a 1-2 podium finish.

“With my top-notch preparations, I am hoping to run a good race. As I expect good results and more so an improvement on my time because everybody,” she added.

RAK will be her fourth 21km and will be facing off with world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei, Ethiopian Ababel Yeshane among others.

Abel Kipchumba, Brigid Kosgei among marquee names for the 2022 RAK Half Marathon

A stellar line-up of world-class runners will be a part of the 2022 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on February 19 (Saturday) as organisers Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) Tuesday revealed the race route and technical sponsors.

Vying for top spot in the world’s fastest half marathon is Kenya’s Abel Kipchumba and Brigid Kosgei, who will both compete against recently announced international elite athletes Jacob Kiplimo, and reigning champion of the 2020 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, Ababel Yeshaneh.

With a goal of bettering her personal best time of 1:04:49, current Marathon world record holder Kosgei is an experienced and highly sought after runner and makes an excellent addition to the impressive elite line up confirmed so far. Kosgei’s achievements include second place in Olympic Games, first place in both the 2020 and 2019 London Marathon and second place in the 2020 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon.

Joining Kosgei is male elite athlete, Abel Kipchumba, who famously secured the second fastest time in the 2021 Half Marathon distance category, with an incredible personal best of 58:07.

Looking to beat his personal best time, Kipchumba is expected to deliver an exciting competition and add to a series of world-class records which includes first place at the 2021 Valencia Half Marathon and 2021 Adizero Road to Records, and second place in the 2020 Napoli City Half Marathon.

The race will once again return to the stunning Marjan Island, set against the picturesque backdrop of the Arabian Gulf, treating all athletes to pristine views of the nature-based Emirate’s white sandy beaches and shimmering coastline.

Kenyan Hellen Obiri, great star of the Nationale-Nederlanden San Silvestre Vallecana Internacional

The Kenyan athlete Hellen Obiri, double Olympic runner-up and 5,000 meter outdoor world champion, seeks to be crowned on December 31 at the Nationale-Nederlanden San Silvestre Vallecana International, being one of the favorites in the women’s category.

In 2018, in a record race, she could only be second after her compatriot Brigid Kosgei – current world marathon record holder -. Therefore, for this 2021, the objective is twofold: to climb to the top of the podium in the Vallecas Stadium, and snatch the record of the event from Kosgei, of 29:54.

Their biggest rivals for victory will be the trio of African athletes from the NN Running Team. The Ethiopians Degitu Azimeraw and Haven Hailu, and the Israeli Lonah Salpeter, will force Obiri to show his entire class if he wants to add this triumph to his extensive international record.

THE BEST SPANISH FUNDS WILL BE IN LA VALLECANA

Among the Spanish favorites, the Cantabrian Irene Pelayo is postulated as the best positioned. He arrives at the Nationale-Nederlanden San Silvestre Vallecana with the best marathon record of the season, with 2:29:16. In addition, you already know what it is to be the best national on December 31, with a seventh place and personal best in 10K in 2019 (32:46).

Laura Méndez is second in the national marathon ranking. The Valencian debuted in that distance in style, with 2:29:28, which earned her a place for the Tokyo Olympics. His best personal record in 10K is 33:01 achieved in Valencia in January 2020.

Another classic athlete in the test is the Olympian in Rio 2016 Azucena Díaz. A three-time national half-marathon champion, once a 10K champion, the 39-year-old veteran will not miss her appointment with Vallecas, where she came fourth in the 2017 edition with a time of 33:06.

But if we talk about the fastest in the test, Clara Viñarás can boast of having destroyed the 33-minute barrier. He did it last year in the 10K in Alcobendas with 32:42. With those credentials, and a best mark of the season of 34:49, we can expect the best of the Madrilenian, current national runner-up of 3,000 meters hurdles.

Athletics Kenya joins UNEP, in fight against air pollution

Concerned by the state of changing environment that is already affecting the sport, Athletics Kenya has joined environmentalists and policy makers in addressing the problem of air pollution.

Athletics Kenya President Lieutenant General (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei says AK has already drawn a strategy to address pollution and climate change.

One of the critical issues to be addressed is how climate change and air pollution have affected the sporting environment.

The athletics umbrella body is doing it in conformity with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which has come up with the Sports for Climate Action Framework as the strategy to address sporting activities and climate effects.

“Over the last few decades, the athletics world has been experiencing side effects of global warming which in turn is affecting the weather patterns in different parts of the country as well as the world. The increasing hot temperatures affect the sport because athletes biologically perform optimally within a certain environment,” said Tuwei.

“If there is a rise in temperatures, it can only mean, either to postpone until the right temperatures recommended for a given sport is realised or to move it to another location. Any above decisions will mean re-strategising, and if that were to be done every time there was a world sporting event, then you can read where the mark is going about sports budgets in future.”

Besides rising temperatures, athletes are prone to lung infections if they happen to be racing within an area whose ambient air (open ground-air) is polluted.

This lowers their mobility (kinesis) as they are not able to breathe freely, something that affects their end performance.

To a great extent, air quality is interlinked with environmental and forestry destruction, alongside changing weather patterns within highlands where athletes have long been known to practise to optimise their stardom internationally.

“Some of you who followed the 2021 Olympics Games in Tokyo may recall that even as we celebrated the endurance and resilience of our athletes Peres Jepchirchir and Brigid Kosgei, who dominated the women’s marathon and brought glory and honour to Kenya by bagging gold and silver medals, they had to endure unusually high temperatures in Sapporo that even forced the organisers to change the start time of the race. Other adverse weather conditions were witnessed during the World Championships in 2019 and Beijing Olympics in 2008,” explains Tuwei.  

It is due to this concern that different players drawn from environmental, health and policy sectors have been meeting to deliberate on the way forward.

“Clean air is very important to a runner. As you run, you need to exhale used air and for the lungs to get in fresher air so as to facilitate the running activity. It comes as no surprise that all around us we are witnessing deteriorating air quality due to an increase in air pollution, which is made worse by the impacts of climate change,” added Tuwei.

During a meeting held in Nairobi to address air pollution and its effect on athletics, that brought together UNEP, WHO, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) – Africa Centre and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services, a concern was raised on the risk that morning joggers could be exposing themselves to during heavy traffic as people rush to work.

“The carbon emission cumulatively by heavy traffic in the morning as people rush to work gets to be concentrated within one area and particularly along the roads where people jog. This happens because, in the morning, the air is usually still with little or no breeze to whirl it,” explains Dr Njogu Mbarua, an expert on climate and environment with Joint Environment and Climate Action, a non-governmental organisation.  

“Precipitation is not enough to keep our ambient air clean and going. We must devise actionable ways, policy and regulatory, of ensuring that the air we are breathing and our children are going to be breathing is well within the international safety standards. As we get concerned with protecting children who are already born, we must bear similar concern for the unborn children as research is indicating of a possibility of mother-to-foetus air pollution transmission,” said Dr Andriannah Mbandi, an air quality researcher and UNEP Technical Coordinator, Regional Office for Africa.  

The meeting recommended more studies to be conducted to ascertain the level of pollution in various parts of cities and towns.

Sally Kipyego expects good tidings in second attempt at New York City Marathon

Kenyan-born American athlete Sally Kipyego is thrilled at the prospect of competing in a World Marathon Majors race after a long period when she lines up for New York City Marathon on Sunday.

She last competed in a World Marathon Majors race when she represented Kenya during the 2016 New York Marathon and finished second. Kipyegon has since changed her nationality when she was granted US citizenship in January 2017. 

New Marathon is being held for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The competitors will mainly be elite runners in a much reduced field.

Kipyego told Nation Sport that it feels great to compete in a major marathon once again, and she looks forward to a good performance.

Kipyego hopes to banish the demons of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games marathon in which she performed dismally, finishing a distant 17th. Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir won the race, compatriot and women’s world record holder Brigid Kosgei was second.

Kipyego said that the heat in Sapporo, Japan, where the Olympics marathon race was held, overwhelmed her and it took her a long time to recover from the race.

“I was strong when we started the race at the Olympics, but after a few kilometers, my body couldn’t react. My whole body was affected by the rising temperatures, and it was so disappointing because we had really waited for the Games to take place,” said Kipyego, adding that she had little time to prepare for the next assignment.

“The duration for training has been short, but I have done everything that an athlete is supposed to do before a race. I have been juggling my training between Eldoret in Uasin Gishu County and Iten in Elgeyo Marakwet which was really good,” she said before boarding a plane to New York at Eldoret International Airport in Uasin Gishu on Monday.

Kipyego also said that the field will be competitive since the Olympics champion, Jepchirchir, will be present. All in all, she believes that she will be among the top performers.

Competing on Sunday with fans cheering us along the streets is something good and supporters always motivate an athlete.

Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir sets sights on winning World Marathon Majors this weekend

Peres Jepchirchir is the favorite to bag the World Marathon Majors crown set to conclude this weekend with the New York race. 

Jepchirchir, who is a two time World Half Marathon champion, needs a  win to tie Olympic silver medalist Brigid Kosgei and Joyciline Jepkosgei, who are locked on 50 points .

Kosgei, who is the Olympic silver medalist, won the 2019 Chicago  and 2020  London 2020 Marathon while Jepkosgei triumphed in New York City in 2019 and London in 2021.

In the men's category, a new overall champion will be crowned with Olympic champion and world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge not taking part.

Kipchoge has won the last four editions of the World Marathon Majors but his only victory this time round was at the  Tokyo Olympics in August.

Ethiopia's Sisay Lemma currently has the advantage having amassed 34 points from his victory at the 2021 London Marathon and third place at the same venue in 2020.

Only two men can deny the Ethiopian a first AbbottWMM series crown and they are both scheduled to run the New York City Marathon.

His compatriot Kenenisa Bekele’s nine points earned at the 2021 BMW Berlin Marathon mean he can equal Lemma’s 34 points if he wins in the Big Apple.

Belgium’s Abdi Nageeye finished second in the Olympic Marathon and could overtake Lemma if he registers his first Abbott WMM victory this weekend. 

Should Bekele triumph, there is no head-to-head contest during the series between the two Ethiopians, so the six race directors of the Majors would each have a vote to decide the champion.

If neither Bekele nor Nageye make the top two, Kenyan pair Vincent Kipchumba and Lawrence Cherono will claim second and third respectively.

Kipchumba bagged the Vienna and Amsterdam marathons in 2019,  clocking 2:06:56 and 2:05:09 and finished second in the London  in 2020, where he posted 2:05:42 before registering 2:04:28 in 2021. 

Cherono clinched the Boston and Chicago marathons in 2019 ,posting 2:07:57 and 2:05:45 respectively and came home second in the Valencia marathon in 2020 in a time of 2:03:04. 

Study has found that Nike and Asics models are the top performance shoes

A recent study by researchers at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Tex., compared a number of popular carbon-plated running shoes to determine which models had the biggest effect on running economy (defined as how far and how fast you can run, given the energy available), compared to a traditional racing flat. The study found that Nike Alphafly contributed the greatest improvement to running economy (3.03 per cent). Two other models (Nike Vaporfly 2 and Asics Metaspeed Sky) showed comparable improvements of 2.72 per cent and 2.52 per cent, and these were significantly better than other competitors. The data suggest that the top performance shoes on the market have resulted in an unfair playing field, with Nike and Asics outperforming the other brands.

Over the past year, Nike has been in the driver’s seat of running shoe performance, with Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei smashing records wearing Nike shoes. Other top brands have recently produced new models to compete with Nike. The study takes a closer look at the running economy of the top seven carbon-plated shoes on the market and one traditional racing flat.

The shoes were tested by 12 male runners over a sequence of eight one-mile trials. The runners tested the eight shoes on two occasions. On each visit, they each ran in all eight models. All shoes were new at the beginning of the study and had not been run in previously.

Here are the full results:

Nike Alphafly – 3.03 per cent

Nike Vaporfly 2 – 2.72 per cent

Asics Metaspeed Sky – 2.52 per cent

Saucony Endorphin Pro – 1.48 per cent

New Balance RC Elite – 1.37 per cent

Brooks Hyperion Elite 2 – 0.53 per cent

Hoka Rocket X – 0.08 per cent

Asics Hyperspeed (racing flat) – 0.0 per cent

The study found that the New Balance RC Elite and the Saucony Endorphin Pro only improved running economy by 1.5 per cent, which is 10 to 15 seconds of improvement over 5 km compared to a traditional racing flat. The Saucony and New Balance models tested significantly worse than the Asics Metaspeed Sky and both Nike models, which all showed an improvement of greater than 2.5 per cent. 

This disadvantage can translate to 20-30 seconds for a 17 minute 5K runner and four to six minutes for a three-hour marathoner.

While all shoes in the lineup did perform statistically better than the traditional racing flat shoe, three models performed above 1.5 per cent improvement. 

The study also noted that there are only a few differences between performance shoes and traditional racing flats in terms of running mechanics. In racing flats, the ground contact time was greater and the cadence was higher, where in comparison to the Nike Alphafly and Vaporfly 2, and stride length was longer and cadence was lower, on average.