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Articles tagged #Eliud Kipchoge
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Why Benson Kipruto is Kenya’s best bet for marathon gold at Paris 2024 Olympics

Pulse Sports details the reasons that make 2024 Tokyo Marathon champion Benson Kiptruto Kenya’s best bet for marathon gold at the Paris Olympics.

Tokyo Marathon champion Benson Kipruto appears to be the early favorite to win Kenya gold at the Paris Olympics given his recent form.

Kipruto is still basking in the glory of his win in Tokyo last week when he clocked 2:02:16 to break the course record ahead of countrymen Timothy Kiplagat (2:02:55) and Vincent Ngetich (2:04:18).

That was Kipruto’s fourth win in his last seven marathons, having also won in Prague and Boston in 2021 and Chicago in 2022. During that period, the 32-year-old has also not finished outside the top three, third in Boston in 2022 and 2023, as well as a second place in Chicago last year.

Looking at the provisional Team Kenya marathon team to Paris Olympics selected last December, only Kelvin Kiptum had better numbers, but the world marathon record holder is now deceased, which leaves Kipruto with a head start.

Kenya’s provisional squad of 10 had Kipruto, Kiptum, two-time Olympics champion Eliud Kipchoge, Ngetich, Timothy Kiplagat, Bernard Koech, two-time New York Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, Cyprian Kotut, 2022 London Marathon champion Amos Kipruto and Titus Kipruto.

With Athletics Kenya (AK) making their selection based on World Athletics Road to Paris Marathon Rankings, two-time Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet and Alexander Mutiso, third in Valencia in 2:03:29 on his debut in 2022, winner in Prague last year (2:05:09), before second place in Valencia 2023 (2:03:11) did not make the team.

Mutiso had not run Valencia when the team was unveiled while Chebet has been very consistent. After his marathon debut in 2013 in Seoul (2:11:26), Chebet has managed top four placings in all 15 marathons he has finished, including six wins and six runner-up finishes.

He won in Boston and New York in 2022 before defending his Boston title and he will be back again in April in a bid to make it three straight wins.

Athletics Kenya has yet to indicate if there will be alterations to the team in light of Kiptum’s demise, which could give Chebet or Mutiso a ticket to the Olympics, if they do well in Boston and London respectively next month.

If AK sticks to the original list, then Kipruto will be seen as the hot favourite given the recent form of defending champion Kipchoge.

Kipchoge finished a disappointing 10th in Tokyo after clocking 2:06:50, having come in as favorite following his win in Berlin last year (2:02:42) and the fact that he also won in the Japanese capital in 2021 (2:02:40).

However, his sixth place in Boston last year (2:09:23), which was blamed on the lack of pacemakers and the hilly course, and the latest in Tokyo prove that he is human after all, hence the need to look beyond him for gold in Paris.

(03/11/2024) Views: 120 ⚡AMP
by Joel Omotto
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Former World Cross Country Champion Irine Cheptai runs marathon debut in Hamburg, Katharina Steinruck chases special record time

Irine Cheptai, Kenya’s World Cross Country Champion from 2017, will run her debut marathon in Hamburg on 28th April. This was announced by the organisers of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, who released some of the top women’s contenders and presented Germany’s Katharina Steinruck during a press conference.

While Steinruck will chase a special family record on the fast Hamburg course it is Winfridah Moseti who heads the current women’s start list. The Kenyan has a personal best of 2:20:55. 14,000 runners are expected to compete in Germany’s biggest spring marathon on 28th April. Online registration for the race is still possible at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de

Irine Cheptai has been very successful on the track as well before she focussed more on road running. In 2021 she was sixth in the Olympic 10,000 m final in Tokyo and a year later the Kenyan won the 10,000 m silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Then she showed very promising half marathon races, culminating in a 64:53 PB in Valencia where she was second. With this time Cheptai was the fourth fastest half marathoner in the world in 2023. 

Hamburg has seen great debut marathons in the past. In 2013 it was Eliud Kipchoge who won with a course record of 2:05:30. Two years ago Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw ran an unofficial world debut record of 2:17:23 which still stands as Hamburg’s course record. There are two more debutants on the women’s start list who could do very well on 28th April: Kenya’s Nelly Jepchumba has a half marathon PB of 67:00 while Roselida Jepketer of Bahrain has run 68:40 for the half. 

Winfridah Moseti ran a huge personal best of 2:20:55 when she was runner-up in last year’s Frankfurt Marathon. While the Kenyan will want to build on this performance Frankfurt’s third place finisher will be among her rivals in Hamburg: Sharon Chelimo improved to 2:22:07 last October. Ethiopia’s Kidusan Alema and Canada’s record holder Natasha Wodak, who have personal records of 2:22:28 and 2:23:12 respectively, will also run their spring marathon in Hamburg.

Katharina Steinruck will be very much in the national focus when she hopes to break her mother’s family record. It was exactly 25 years ago when Katrin Dörre-Heinig, the bronze medallist of the 1988 Olympic marathon in Seoul, won the Hamburg Marathon with 2:24:35. For many years this was the German marathon record. “It is my aim to break my Mum’s record and it would be great if I could do it in Hamburg,“ said 34 year-old Katharina Steinruck, who is coached by her mother and improved to 2:24:56 in Osaka at the end of January. “Katha“ Steinruck returns to the race for the first time since 10 years and has good memories.

In 2013 and in 2014 she clocked personal bests of 2:34:20 and 2:33:56 in Hamburg as a young athlete. Ten years later running around ten minutes faster will be the goal. And there could not be a more fitting race than the Haspa Marathon Hamburg to break the family record. 

(03/06/2024) Views: 127 ⚡AMP
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Haspa Marathon Hamburg

Haspa Marathon Hamburg

The HASPA MARATHON HAMBURG is Germany’s biggest spring marathon and since 1986 the first one to paint the blue line on the roads. Hamburcourse record is fast (2:05:30), the metropolitan city (1.8 million residents) lets the euphoric atmosphere spill over and carry you to the finish. Make this experience first hand and follow the Blue Line....

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Men and women course records set at Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon—the first World Marathon Major of 2024—took place Sunday morning in Japan. In near-perfect conditions, with a starting temperature of about 42 degrees, more than 37,000 runners took to the streets in Japan’s capital city. Course records fell, although several notable pre-race favorites fell short.

Benson Kipruto wins men’s race in a course record

It was a Kenyan sweep in the men’s race: Boston and Chicago Marathon champion Benson Kipruto, 32, of Kenya, won in 2:02:16, a course record by 24 seconds. Timothy Kiplagat, 30, placed second in a personal-best 2:02:55, while Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich, 25, was third in 2:04:18.

Led by a trio of pacers, a pack of seven men blazed out at world record pace, traveling the first 5K in 14:16 (4:36 pace). By 15K, the pace had slowed, but only four men (and two pacers) remained: Kipruto, Kiplagat, and Ngetich, and Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, 39, the two-time Olympic champion and former world record holder.

Unlike the men, the women started more conservatively, then picked up the pace. The lead pack covered the first 5K in 16:16, a 5:12 pace. Shankule led much of the race as competitors dropped off; the pack thinned to seven by 15K, four by 25K, and the top three by 30K as the pace ratcheted down (Shankule, Wanjiru,and Kebede covered 25K to 30K in 15:59, 5:09 pace).

Just before the 40K mark, Shankule fell back. Then, at the fluid stop just after the 40K mark, Kebede pulled ahead of Wanjiru, battling to the clock to better the 2:16:02 Brigid Kosgei ran here in 2021. 

Sifan Hassan, 31, of the Netherlands, was fourth in 2:18:05—it was her third marathon, and her first loss. However, her time was still faster than the 2:18:33 she ran in her victorious London debut.

Saina shines after disappointment at Trials

Four weeks ago, American marathoner Betsy Saina, 35, who had been a favorite to make the U.S. Olympic team, dropped out of the Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, Florida, after the 21-mile mark of the race. Even though Saina had been in contention for the third spot, she suddenly pulled off the course and flopped in the grass at the side of the road, a victim of the rising temperatures.

Saina quickly regrouped and was a late addition to the field for the Tokyo Marathon on March 3. In much cooler weather, Saina finished fifth in 2:19:17. It was a PR by 2:23, the third-fastest time by an American woman (behind Emily Sisson and Keira D’Amato), and some measure of redemption after the disappointment of the Trials. She averaged 5:18.7 per mile.

Benson Kipruto and Sutume Asefa Kebede both won in course records, and American Betsy Saina ran a big PR to take fifth.

 

(03/03/2024) Views: 151 ⚡AMP
by Runner’s World
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Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors. Sponsored by Tokyo Metro, the Tokyo Marathon is an annual event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World...

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Kipruto eyes podium, personal best at Sunday's Tokyo Marathon

The 2021 Boston Marathon champion Benson Kipruto is targeting a podium finish at Sunday’s Tokyo Marathon.

Kipruto trains in his backyard in Kapsabet, Nandi County, ahead of the much-awaited, starstudded showdown in the Japanese capital.

Other top athletes enlisted for the race are former world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge (2:01:09), Vincent Kipkemoi (2:03:13), Timothy Kiplagat (2:03:50), Hailemaryam Kiros (2:04:41) and Andualem Belay (2:04:44).

“My training and preparations for the Tokyo Marathon have been going on very well. I hope my hard training will yield great results,” said Kipruto, the 2016 Athens Classic Marathon silver medalist.

Kipruto was a surprise 2022 Chicago Marathon winner and silver medallist a year later­— behind the late Kelvin Kiptum, who set the world record of 2:00:35.

He said Tokyo was a a late destination after initially settling on a return to Boston.

“I was to compete at the Boston Marathon but I had to change to Tokyo since it gives me enough time to prepare for the Olympics Games,” said the 2017 Gongju Dong-A Marathon silver medalist.

He is unfazed by the calibre of competition.

“I have prepared well enough to run finish on the podium as well as lower my personal best,” said Kipruto.

Kipruto is also looking forward to representing the country at the Paris Olympic Games.

He was named in the provisional marathon team to Paris alongside Kipruto former world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, Vincent Kipkemoi, Timothy Kiplagat, Bernard Koech, Geoffrey Kamworor, Cyprian Kotut, Amos Kipruto, Titus Kipruto and the late Kelvin Kiptum.

“I have never represented my country in any competition and making the team to Paris would be a dream come true,” said Kipruto.

Meanwhile, Ugandan Victor Kiplang’at said he is well prepared for Tokyo.

Kiplangat, who has already hit the qualifying time for the Paris Olympic Games, told Xinhua that he has put in a lot of work during preparations as he seeks to improve on his time.

“I have trained well under coach Addy Ruiter and I can’t wait to go and prove a point in Japan,” said Kiplang’at.

The Tokyo Marathon is a good platform for his preparations for the Olympic Games in France in August.

Kiplang’at, who will follow Ugandan pace-setter Abel Boniface, said competing against Kipchoge will be a tough but great challenge.

(03/02/2024) Views: 146 ⚡AMP
by Emmanuel Sabuni
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Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors. Sponsored by Tokyo Metro, the Tokyo Marathon is an annual event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World...

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GOAT has arrived! Eliud Kipchoge lands in Tokyo ahead of Sunday’s race as he eyes more glory in Japan

Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has arrived in Tokyo ready for Sunday’s marathon where he is seeking a third victory in Japan.

Eliud Kipchoge has arrived in Tokyo ahead of Sunday’s race where he will be seeking to claim a second win in three years in the Japanese capital.

Kipchoge is hot favourite to win the Tokyo Marathon in what is part of his build up towards the Paris Olympics and will lined up against a stellar cast that includes compatriots Vincent Ngetich and Timothy Kiplagat.

The Kenyan marathon great holds the fastest time in Tokyo after clocking 2:02:40 to win the 2021 race and there are hopes that he can lower it on Sunday.

Tokyo also holds good memories for Kipchoge as he struck his second Olympics gold in Japan at the delayed 2020 Olympics, although the marathon was run in Sapporo, and he also claimed a 5000m silver medal on the track at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka.

“Japanese people love running, their culture is instilled in running, and they love marathons. It’s a good city, I can say it is a marathon city. I am looking to running fast again and enjoy,” Kipchoge said during his preparations.

Kipchoge has enjoyed a good preparation and is excited by the prospect of pursuing what will be the 12th Marathon Major of his extraordinary career that includes five wins in Berlin, four in London and victories in Chicago, Hamburg and Rotterdam.

A fast, flat course, the field of 37,500 marathon runners will start their quest at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building before heading gently downhill for the first 5km.

The course then flattens out for the remainder with no major hills to overcome as the runners make their way to the finish at Tokyo Station.

Kipchoge’s 2:02:40 is the men’s course record while the women’s mark of 2:16:02 is held by Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, recorded the same year.

(02/28/2024) Views: 161 ⚡AMP
by Joel Omotto
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Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors. Sponsored by Tokyo Metro, the Tokyo Marathon is an annual event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World...

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Mateiko and Gebreselama with bright future after dominant RAK wins

There were breakout victories for hitherto little known Daniel Mateiko of Kenya and Tsigie Gebreselama of Ethiopia in the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates early Saturday morning. And the imperious manner of their wins on a breezy, humid morning with a sea mist invading the latter stages suggests they both have a very bright future.

Yet the contrast in their race-winning tactics could hardly have been greater. Mateiko led from the gun, and only conceded the lead for brief periods, before outgunning his colleagues John Korir and Isaia Lasoi in the final kilometre, to win in a world leading 58min 45sec. Korir and Lasoi finished five and ten seconds behind respectively.

In contrast, Gebreselama contented herself to stay in the pack until she was ready to strike for home in the last five kilometres. Only former world record holder (64.31) and 2020 winner, colleague Ababel Yeshaneh could go with her, but that challenge didn’t last long. And such was Gebreselama’s attritional pace that by the time she crossed the line in 65.14, Yeshaneh was exactly half a minute in arrears. Jackline Sakilu of Tanzania was the surprise of the day, setting a national record of 66.05 in third place. What was no surprise was that the podium places were taken by athletes from three East African countries who share the same topography, the high altitude plateau of the Great Rift Valley.

Konstanze Klosterhalfen of Germany threatened to gatecrash that exclusive club up to the hallway point in a race, having come directly from her own training camp in Ethiopia. But, having headed the field up to 10k, which she passed in 31.09, which would have been a PB had she finished the race, she tailed off drastically and dropped out shortly afterwards, saying she did not feel well.

Olympic marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir had been one of the favourites to win, but in the bustle of the start, someone trod on her heel and she lost around 20sec putting her shoe back on. Surprisingly for someone with her long experience, instead of working her way gradually back to the group, she shot off and rejoined them before they had completed the first kilometre. She paid for that unnecessary effort in the closing stages, and could only finish seventh in 67.19.

Gebreselama was not entirely unknown prior to today; she finished second in the world cross country championships in Australia last year. ‘That was my best performance, but today is better than that, because I won,’ she said after the race. ‘I knew I was in good shape. I think I like cross country and road running equally, but now I must prepare for the track’. In a reversal of tradition, she is leaving here for a four-month stint in an altitude training camp in the USA, before she runs the Ethiopian trials with the intent on making the Olympic team at 10,000 metres.

Having been told that there was no pacemaker in the men’s race, we wondered why Mateiko, who led from the gun kept consulting his watch and checking over his shoulder at his pursuers. Maybe he was surprised they were still there for so long, right up to the final kilometre. But having done all work, he was rewarded with a more than worthy victory, then engagingly stated that that was his intent throughout the race. ‘After finishing second last year, I promised myself to win. But the conditions were difficult; it was windy and very humid.’

Mateiko hails from Mount Elgon on the Kenya-Uganda border, but now trains in Eldoret with twice Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge under the tutelage of former steeplechaser Patrick Sang. ‘Patrick told me I was in good shape, but to be strong-minded. And Eliud is giving me advice too. I would like to have his consistency. Now my dream is to run well in the London Marathon’. If his marathon debut is as impressive as his win here today, the London crowds in April will be in for a treat.

Results, Men:

1 Daniel Mateiko KEN 58:45

2 John Korir KEN 58:50

3 Isaia Lasoi KEN 58:55

4 Gerba Dibaba ETH 59:38

5 Benard Koech KEN 59:42

6 Birhanu Legese ETH 59:43

7 Tamirat Tola ETH 59:46

8 Amos Kibiwot KEN 59:51

9 Boki Diriba ETH 60:10

10 Alphonce Simbu TAN 60:28

Women:

1 Tsigie Gebreselama ETH 65:14

2 Ababel Yeshaneh ETH 65:44

3 Jackline Sakilu TAN 66:05

4 Margaret Chelimo KEN 66:31

5 Evaline Chirchir KEN 66:36

6 Catherine Amanang’ole KEN 66:49

7 Peres Jepchirchir KEN 67:19

8 Gete Alemayehu ETH 67:25

9 Megertu Alemu ETH 69:23

10 Ashete Bekere ETH 70:03

(02/25/2024) Views: 171 ⚡AMP
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Rak Half Marathon

Rak Half Marathon

The Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon is the 'world's fastest half marathon' because if you take the top 10 fastest times recorded in RAK for men (and the same for women) and find the average (for each) and then do the same with the top ten fastest recorded times across all races (you can reference the IAAF for this), the...

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Kelvin Kiptum: Thousands mourn marathon world record holder at funeral in Kenya

On Friday in Chepkorio, Kenya, thousands gathered for the funeral of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, who died at the age of 24 in a car accident on Feb. 11 with his coach, Gervais Hakizimana.

Kiptum will be remembered as one of the biggest rising stars in the sport for his record-breaking two-hour and 35-second run to break the world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.

Kiptum’s widow, Asenath Rotich, led the mourners at the funeral for the Kenyan marathon star. According to BBC Africa, she broke down when revealing that the couple had been planning a big wedding celebration in April. He had stunned the world in his short marathon career, and figures from sports and politics came to pay tribute to a man whose life had promised so much.

Kenyan president William Ruto was in attendance, as well as World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, who believed Kiptum would have become the first person to run a competitive marathon in under two hours. “It is a frustration to all of us that we won’t witness what I truly know he was capable of,” Coe told BBC Africa. “For sure he would have broken it. It would have been (Roger) Bannister and Edmund Hillary, both of them, wrapped into one.”

Kiptum was looking to better his world record time at the 2024 Rotterdam Marathon in April.

Also in attendance were notable Kenyan athletes Faith Kipyegon, former world record holder Paul Tergat, and 2022 London Marathon champion Amos Kipruto, who was one of Kiptum’s pallbearers at the service. Eliud Kipchoge did not attend as he continues to prepare for the Tokyo Marathon on March 3.

“Since he arrived… he has rewritten history,” said Tergat. “He has a legacy that we’ve never seen in this world. We are here to celebrate what he has achieved in a very short time.”

Before Kiptum became one of the world’s biggest marathon stars, he had worked as a livestock herder and trained as an electrician in Chepkorio. The government in Elgeyo-Marakwet County plans to honor the late marathoner by building an athletics stadium in his name.

(02/23/2024) Views: 149 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Kwemoi targets elusive Napoli Half Marathon title this weekend

Beijing Half Marathon champion Brian Kwemoi leads Kenyans in their quest for the Napoli Half Marathon title this Sunday.

The last time a Kenyan triumphed in Naples was in 2022 when Chepkirui Gladys clocked 1:08:09 to win the women's title.

Belet Kiplangat placed second (59:26) behind Italy's Crippa Yemaneberhan who clinched the title in 59:26.

In last year's edition, Edris Muktra (1:00:27) of Ethiopia and Mach Angelika (1:12:34) of Poland won the men's and women's titles.

Kwemoi, who secured the Beijing Half Marathon title in April 2023 with a course-record time of 59:37, will be joined by Vila de Santa Pola, Spain, half marathon champion Bernard Biwott.

Biwott also placed third in the Cardiff Half Marathon in October 2023, clocking 1:00:51.

Also in the mix is Moses Koech, the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics silver medalist in the 3,000m. He was also a 5,000m  silver medalist at the 2015 Barcelona Regional Championships in 13:15.56.

Koech placed second in the Loop Den Haag Half Marathon in the Netherlands in March 2023, with a time of 1:00:55. The trio will face stiff competition from Ethiopia's Mosinet Geremew who was the 2022 world marathon silver medallist.

Geremew is a silver medalist in the 2019 London Marathon, finishing behind two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge in 2:02:55.

On the women's side, 2021 Amsterdam Marathon champion Angela Tanui will lead the charge.

Tanui clocked 2:17:57 to win the title in the Netherlands. She will be joined by Nancy Jepleting, the Porto (Portugal) half marathon silver medalist.

The duo will face tough competition from Ethiopia's Anchinalu Dessie, a bronze medallist in the 2023 Milano Half Marathon, and Italy's Sofiia Yaremchuk, the 2021 Venezia Marathon champion.

(02/22/2024) Views: 125 ⚡AMP
by Teddy Mulei
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Napoli City Half Marathon

Napoli City Half Marathon

The Napoli City Half Marathon is the most growing running event in Italy. The race, certified by IAAF / AIMS/ European Athletics, is held inoptimal conditions with an average temperature of 10 ° C. From thewaterfront to the Castel dell'Ovo, the Teatro San Carlo to the Piazzadel Plebiscito, the course will lead you through the most fascinatingareas of the city,...

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Kelvin Kiptum's legacy lives on with two-hour challenge

Last Sunday, the running world lost marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum at the age of 24 after he lost control of his car in Kaptagat, Kenya. Kiptum was one of the most promising athletes in the sport, setting the marathon world record of 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, and was slated to challenge the two-hour barrier at the 2024 Rotterdam Marathon.

In memory of Kiptum, the running community has come up with an idea to honour his legacy: a virtual two-hour run on April 14, the day he was scheduled to run Rotterdam.The challenge isn’t asking runners to go out and try to break the world record, but they can use the challenge as a long run for their upcoming race or see how far they can run in the elapsed time.The two-hour challenge also does not have to be a run; it could be a ride, or even a walk. Just be sure to tag #TwoHours4Kiptum on your Strava or social media post.

Kiptum had a rapid rise to superstardom in the sport, recording the fastest-ever marathon debut at the Valencia Marathon in 2022. Five months later, he broke Eliud Kipchoge’s course record at the 2023 London Marathon, where he ran an impressive negative split of 2:01:25. Then came the one he’ll most be remembered for–setting a world record of 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon last fall.“Athletics world mourns death of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum” — Canadian Running Magazine

After his world-record run, Kiptum said he never felt he was challenged by the marathon distance, and there was a fascination around what he might run in Rotterdam–a topic that will forever be debated, and a question that the world will never know the answer to. The running community will forever remember Kiptum and his drive to show people that anything is possible.

(02/17/2024) Views: 176 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Irine Cheptai to make marathon debut at the 2024 Haspa Marathon

The 2017 World Cross-country champion Irine Cheptai will make her full marathon debut at the 38th edition of the Haspa Marathon in Hamburg.

Reigning Copenhagen Half Marathon champion Irine Cheptai will make her full marathon debut at the 38th edition of the Haspa Marathon on Sunday, April 28.

The 2017 World Cross-country champion has competed on all surfaces from the track to cross-country and she will finally make her debut in the 42km distance in April.

Cheptai finished second at the 2023 Valencia Half Marathon and third at the Annual Charity Run in Saudi Arabia.

The Commonwealth 10,000m silver medalist opened her season with an eighth-place finish at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja and she now gears up for the 42km distance where she hopes to impress. Other notable debutants at the event will be Nelly Jepchumba and Roselida Jepketer.

Meanwhile, Winfridah Moseti and Sharon Chelimo from Kenya headline the field. Moseti took second place at the 2023 Frankfurt Marathon with a time of 2:20:55, while Chelimo also put in a strong performance with a time of 2:22:07.

The Ethiopian charge will be led by Kidusan Alema while Canada’s Natasha Wodak (Canadian record holder with a personal best of 02:23:12) will also be in the mix seeking top honors. Margaret Wangari from Kenya with a time of 2:23:52 also seeks to spoil the party.

Portuguese runner Jessica Augusto (02:24:25) will also be at the start again, having won the marathon back in 2017.

“We are excited to see what awaits us at the 38th Haspa Marathon Hamburg. Hamburg has proven to be a springboard for great runners in the past, as we saw for example with Eliud Kipchoge, who once made his debut in Hamburg. So it remains exciting to see which new talents will prove themselves on the track this year,” race organizers said.

(02/16/2024) Views: 164 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Haspa Marathon Hamburg

Haspa Marathon Hamburg

The HASPA MARATHON HAMBURG is Germany’s biggest spring marathon and since 1986 the first one to paint the blue line on the roads. Hamburcourse record is fast (2:05:30), the metropolitan city (1.8 million residents) lets the euphoric atmosphere spill over and carry you to the finish. Make this experience first hand and follow the Blue Line....

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Striking similarities between Kelvin Kiptum and Samuel Wanjiru who both died in tragic fashion

Pulse Sports explains how the careers of marathon sensations Kelvin Kiptum and Samuel Wanjiru followed the same path before they met their death in tragic fashion.

The world is still coming to terms with the untimely death of world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum, who passed away alongside his coach, following a road accident on Sunday.

Kiptum and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana had big plans for the year that included an attempt at running a sub-two at the Rotterdam Marathon as well as winning Olympics gold but that is now water under the bridge.

The athlete’s death has robbed not just Kenya but the world an incredible talent who was set to dominate the marathon, bringing back memories of the late Samuel Wanjiru, who passed away similarly in tragic fashion in May 2011.

The two men’s careers and the manner in which they died have very striking similarities which will leave many surprised.

Died in tragic fashion

While Kiptum lost control of his car before hitting a tree, along the Elgeyo Marakwet-Ravine road, killing him on the spot, Wanjiru died following a mysterious fall off a balcony at his house in Nyahururu on May 15, 2021.

Just like Kiptum, the incident happened at night and his death remains a mystery that is yet to be unraveled to date.

Both died at 24

What is more heartbreaking is that the two runners died aged just 24 when they were just getting started.

Wanjiru had won the Chicago Marathon in 2009 and 2010 as well as the London Marathon (2009).

He was also the reigning Olympic marathon champion after winning gold in Beijing 2008 in an Olympic record time of 2:06:32.

For Kiptum, he held three of the six fastest times by the time he died, having broken the world marathon record in Chicago last year, clocking 2:00:35.

That came after an incredible win in London last April where he timed 2:01:25, coming close to the world record. Kiptum had run the fastest debut marathon in history when he won in Valencia in December 2022 in a time of 2:01:53.

Careers just taking off

Following their heroics in a short period of time, the two had the world at their feet by the time they died.

Wanjiru had been seen as the next big thing in marathon and was tipped to break the world record as well as retaining his Olympics gold in London the following year but he did not live to do it.

Kiptum was similarly tipped to be the man to take the mantle from legendary Eliud Kipchoge, especially after his astonishing run in London.

He was also seen as the man who would make history by running an official marathon under two hours and considered favourite to win Olympics gold in Paris, France this year.

Course records in London

In April 2009, Wanjiru won the London Marathon in a time of 2:05:10, a new personal record and also a new course record. That achievement saw him state that he was going to break Haile Gebrselassie's world record in the near future.

Fourteen years later in the English capital, Kiptum did the unthinkable, winning decisively with the second-fastest mark in history at 2:01:25, a course record which was only 16 seconds outside Kipchoge’s world record.

He would break the world record six months later in Chicago.

Sub-two-hour ambitions

Back in February 2008, Wanjiru declared he would become the first man to run a marathon under two hours.

"In five years' time, I feel capable of clocking a sub two hour-time for the marathon,” Wanjiru said at the Granollers Half Marathon which he won.

Meanwhile, since last year, the world has been waiting for Kiptum to run an official marathon under two hours.

He had already expressed his intentions of doing it at the Rotterdam Marathon in April.

“He had told me that he was feeling his body was in good shape and ready to run 1:59 or 1:58,” his heartbroken father Samson Cheruiyot told Citizen TV on Monday while recounting his last conversation with his son.

Last race in Chicago

The other striking similarity between Wanjiru and Kiptum is that Chicago Marathon was their last race before they died.

Wanjiru went to Chicago in October 2010 bidding to retain his title but a stomach problem had affected his preparations and his camp were just hoping for a podium finish.

He, however, surprised them when he defended his crown in a time of 2:06:24.

For Kiptum, Chicago was his third race in under a year and while he had set incredible times, not many expected a world record.

He delivered in style, clocking 2:00:35, to become the first man to break the 2:01 barrier, igniting hope that a sub-two-hour race was on the cards before death struck.

(02/14/2024) Views: 166 ⚡AMP
by Joel Omotto
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Zurich Marathon organizers set to honor Kelvin Kiptum and his coach on Sunday

The Zurich Marathon race organizers have announced that they will honor Kelvin Kiptum and his coach as they mark their 39th edition on Sunday.

The Zurich Marathon race organizers are set to honor world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his Rwandese coach Gervais Hakizimana as they mark their 39th edition on Sunday, February 18.

In a post on their X (Twitter) handle, it was noted that they would give their last respects to the fallen marathoner who is also the world’s fastest marathoner before starting the race.

“On Sunday before the start (8h30) of the #ZurichMaratónSevilla24 we will pay tribute to Kelvin Kiptum, world record holder, and his coach, who died yesterday in a traffic accident in Kenya. We will observe 42 seconds of silence, as many as km of the race, in his memory,” the post read.

Despite Kiptum never running there, the organizers have observed the great significance the Kenyan had brought to the world of marathon running.

The reigning Chicago Marathon champion had so much potential and he would have shown us wonders, something that will never be fully realized from him.

He just turned 24 in December and he had a bright future ahead of him considering less than a year after making his marathon debut in the streets of Valencia, he ran faster than any man in history, taking over half a minute off the world record with his astonishing winning time of 2:00:35 in the Chicago Marathon last October.

In running the first sub 2:01, Kiptum bettered by 34 seconds the 2:01:09 set by five-time Berlin Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, in September 2022, running ever closer to breaking the two-hour barrier in a legitimate race.

His sudden death now ends that teasing possibility of going head-to-head with Kipchoge at the Olympic Games in Paris, France later this year, where Kipchoge is looking to become the first athlete in history to win three successive Olympic marathon titles with Kiptum appearing to be the athlete most capable of stopping him.

(02/13/2024) Views: 155 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Zurich Marathon Sevilla

This urban, flat, fast and beautiful brand new race course will drive athletes through the most beautiful monuments of the city. Zurich Maraton de Sevilla brings the unique opportunity to brake the Best personal result over the mythical distance to all the athletes, professional or age groupers, in one of the most perfect international marathon circuits. This fast marathon takes...

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Kelvin Kiptum death: Seb Coe, Eliud Kipchoge and Mo Farah lead tributes to marathon star after horror crash

The world of athletics has come together to pay tribute to Kelvin Kiptum after he died in a horrific car crash in Kenya.

Kiptum died alongside his coach Gervais Hakizimana, 36, on Sunday after the car he was driving came off the road and hit a tree. Police said he had "lost control [of the vehicle] and veered off-road entering into a ditch on his left side" before he “drove in the ditch for about 60 metres before hitting a big tree”. A young woman was rushed to hospital after being injured in the crash.

The 24-year-old Kenyan is the men’s marathon world record holder, having run a staggering time of two hours and 35 seconds in Chicago in October. Kiptum had only run his first marathon in 2022 yet had rapidly emerged as a world-class talent to challenge the great Eliud Kipchoge.

His loss has left the sport reeling and Sir Mo Farah was among those to pay tribute to the immensely gifted runner. "Kelvin was an amazingly talented athlete and had already achieved so much," Farah said.

"He truly had a special talent and I have no doubt he would have gone on to have had an incredible career. I send all my sympathies and condolences to his and Gervais' family and friends at this tragic time."

British running great and World Athletics president Seb Coe wrote on Twitter : “We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the devastating loss of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana. On behalf of all World Athletics we send our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the Kenyan nation.

“It was only earlier this week in Chicago, the place where Kelvin set his extraordinary marathon World Record, that I was able to officially ratify his historic time. An incredible athlete leaving an incredible legacy, we will miss him dearly.”

Kipchoge is widely considered the greatest marathon runner of all time, yet Kiptum broke his world record in Chicago last year. The 39-year-old wrote: “I am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of the Marathon World record holder and rising star Kelvin Kiptum.

An athlete who had a whole life ahead of him to achieve incredible greatness. I offer my deepest condolences to his young family. May God comfort you during this trying time.”

Kiptum was a natural marathon runner and showed his talent right from the off when he ran fourth fastest time on record (2:01:53) to win the Valencia Marathon in 2022. He then set a course record of 2:01:25 at the London Marathon in April 2023 before taking a gigantic 34 seconds of Kipchoge’s world record time six months later.

London Marathon event director, Hugh Brasher, said: “Kelvin had the sport of marathon running in his feet and at his feet. He was a 'once in a generation' athlete who was set to redefine the boundaries of our sport.

“Three marathons, three wins. The fastest marathon debutant in Valencia, London's course record holder and the world record holder in Chicago, all within the space of less than 12 months. His was a flame that burned so bright and last night was tragically put out.

“As a sport we mourn for a life so tragically cut short, a talent and a work ethos that was only starting to be appreciated and a man that we had only just started to know. Our thoughts are with his family and friends and those of his coach Gervais. We hope that Sharon Chepkirui Kosgei, who was travelling with them, makes a full and speedy recovery.”

Kiptum had only recently announced his intention to run the marathon in under two hours in Rotterdam in April. Kipchoge has run a marathon in one hour 59 minutes 40 seconds, but that time does not count as an official record as it was in a specifically arranged sponsored event with pacemakers.

British marathon runner Emile Cairess said Kiptum could have become "Usain Bolt-esque" as a "figurehead of athletics". He told the BBC : "It's a massive blow because at his level, someone can really capture the attention of people outside of the sport.

"Many people thought they would never see a sub two-hour marathon in their lifetimes but since he came along, it's like it was just a given that he would do it because of his exceptional performances so far. It was almost certain that he would have done it. It's terribly sad and a real shame that we won't get to see him again or to attack that barrier."

(02/12/2024) Views: 166 ⚡AMP
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Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum dies as tragedy rocks athletics world

Marathon world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach died in a car crash in Kenya late Sunday, a fellow athlete who went to the hospital and saw Kiptum's body said.

Kiptum was 24 and on course to be a superstar of long-distance running.

Kiptum and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana were killed in the crash at around 11 p.m., said Kenyan runner Milcah Chemos, who was at the hospital where the bodies were taken.

The crash happened on a road between the towns of Eldoret and Kaptagat in western Kenya, she said, in the heart of the high-altitude region that's renowned as a training base for long distance runners.

Chemos said she was among a group of athletes who had gone to the hospital in Eldoret after hearing the news of the crash. Family members of Kiptum were also with them to identify his body, Chemos said.

Kenyan media reported that a third person, a woman, was in the car and was taken to the same hospital with serious injuries.

Kiptum was the first man to run the marathon in under 2 hours, 1 minute. He set the new world record of 2:00.35 at the Chicago Marathon in October, beating the mark of fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge.

Kiptum's record was ratified by international track federation World Athletics last week.

Kenyan athletics federation president Jackson Tuwei said he had sent a team of officials to the area after being informed of the late-night accident.

Kiptum had immediate success by running the fastest time ever by a marathon debutant at the 2022 Valencia Marathon. He won the London and Chicago races last year, two of the most prestigious marathons in the world.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe was one of the first to offer his condolences in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the devastating loss of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana," Coe wrote. "On behalf of all World Athletics we send our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the Kenyan nation."

"It was only earlier this week in Chicago, the place where Kelvin set his extraordinary marathon World Record, that I was able to officially ratify his historic time. An incredible athlete leaving an incredible legacy, we will miss him dearly," Coe wrote.

(02/11/2024) Views: 291 ⚡AMP
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Marathon debut behind him, Cheptegei turns focus back to 10,000m for Paris

Just a few miles away from the site of his world 10,000m record three years prior, Joshua Cheptegei stumbled towards the finish line of the Valencia Marathon.

On the track, the Olympic 5000m gold medallist and three-time world 10,000m champion is renowned for his unbeatable finishing strength. But in what was his debut over the marathon distance, with each foot somehow supporting a tired body on the brink, the Ugandan had to be content with 37th place in the Spanish city, clocking 2:08:59.

Cheptegei wasn’t too disappointed or surprised, though. Supported by race organiser Marc Roig, Cheptegei hobbled to the elite finishers’ tent immediately after the race, beaming from ear to ear.

A few days before, Cheptegei had prophetically warned: "The marathon has no respect for people.”

Not even Olympic champions, it would seem.

Fans have grown used to Cheptegei finding his rhythm in a leading pack, so it was no surprise to see him there at halfway. Going through 13.1 miles in 1:00:36 wasn’t part of the plan – not that there necessarily was one.

When asked in the build-up to the race what he wanted from his debut, Cheptegei simply said: “I want to learn.”

Collapsing over the line with a rueful smile, Cheptegei made it clear that his objective had been achieved.

He knew that his preparation for the event had been far from perfect. It started with pulling out of the Wanda Diamond League final due to a reaction to wearing spikes in defending his world 10,000m crown in Budapest. Once he did return, the weeks that followed saw his usual runs around the rolling hills of Kapchorwa deemed too dangerous due to constant deluges.

Cheptegei never ran more than 160km a week – which, by the standards of most current marathon specialists, was a light schedule.

Yet in Valencia, he still chose to go with the pace. Many would expect little else from a world 5000m and 10,000m record holder consistently pushing the margins of the possible.

For many fans, their first clear memory of Cheptegei at a senior level was his performance at the 2017 World Cross Country Championships on home soil in Kampala.

That day, the 2016 Olympic 10,000m sixth-place finisher ripped the senior race apart, striding away through the middle section and building a huge lead into the final kilometer.

The Ugandan fans chasing him in bursts around the course almost went as far as to hand over the red, yellow and black flag.

As the commentators proclaimed his title, Cheptegei had pushed himself to the limit, a smooth stride rolling to a wayward struggle.

Defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor – a former mentor to Cheptegei during his time in Kenya in 2015 – silenced the crowds, passing the struggling Ugandan in a fleeting second and going on to win. Cheptegei eventually finished 30th.

“Joshua had a great belief and a great determination in running,” Kamworor commented on his Ugandan rival. “Whenever you talk with him, you could see in his mind that he had great aspirations in life.

“He's even becoming one of my mentors.”

Cheptegei won the senior title at his next attempt in Aarhus in 2019, the year of the first of three consecutive world 10,000m titles. An Olympic silver in Tokyo in that event accompanied 5000m gold.

Risks taken, lessons learnt all in a bid to break new ground. It's core to Cheptegei’s philosophy as a runner and ultimately role model to those that follow him around the world but perhaps most importantly back home in Uganda.

It’s also followed him since his first days as a professional.

While training with Kamworor, Eliud Kipchoge and the rest in Kaptagat, barely aged 20, the 2014 world U20 10,000m champion made a difficult but bold decision.

“I told my management that I wanted to go back home and build a running culture, and to inspire the young generation here in Uganda.”

As a young athlete – and although it happened 24 years before Cheptegei was born – Cheptegei was made aware of the fact that John Akii-Bua earned Uganda's first Olympic athletics medal when taking 400m hurdles gold in Munich in 1972.

It’s clear that Cheptegei now feels a sense of responsibility when it comes to developing the sport in his country, in much the same way Akii-Bua did more than 50 years ago.

“It’s a privilege to have had great guys like him open the way for us, especially in a difficult time where the country was unstable,” says Cheptegei.

Akii-Bua was forced to live out a large part of his life outside Uganda, moving to Kenya towards the final days of the Idi Amin dictatorship.

Likewise, Uganda’s next Olympic gold medalist, Stephen Kiprotich, trained for much of his career in their eastern neighbor.

The then 15-year-old Cheptegei admits taking a break from kicking a football around the schoolyard to watch Kiprotich win Olympic marathon gold in 2012, that being the moment he made his own plans for global success.

“I was like, ‘right it’s in my heart. I want to become a champion, a national hero like him’.”

Cheptegei has developed those ambitions. For better or worse, he aims to deliberately show the next generation they need not leave home. No altitude camps elsewhere, high tech facilities or trips to some winter sun.

“I have always trained in Uganda, always and always," he reiterates.

Despite the world records, Olympic gold and world championship titles, Cheptegei still feels that to prove that emphatically, one achievement remains left to tick off.

It's all about the number 10.

“2024, it’ll be 10 years running internationally,” he says. “10 years at a high level.

“I'm still in love with the 10,000m, the special distance. I still want to go to Paris and win.”

Only Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie have won more world 10,000m titles than Cheptegei. Both won two Olympic golds in the event.

Cheptegei will head to the French capital hungry to find his first, motivated in the knowledge that in doing so he'll send a message to that young Ugandan watching, hoping to follow in his path.

(02/09/2024) Views: 137 ⚡AMP
by George Mallett for World Athletics
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Patrick Makau believes current generation of athletes can run under 2 hours

Former world marathon record holder Patrick Makau believes the current generation of athletes in the country will soon run under two hours in the marathon.

The 38-year-old is also notable for his half marathon performances, having won several prominent competitions in Europe in sub-1-hour performances.

Some of the races include the Berlin Half Marathon in 2007, where he clocked 58:56 hours.

Marathons had changed a lot due to technology and were far better than the marathons they ran during his time.

“As I see it, the marathons have changed a lot because it is not like the olden times. We used to view sub-two hours as something unattainable but now with the current crop of athletes like the current world record holder Kevin Kiptum and two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, this looks like a possibility,” he noted.

The signs of an athlete running a marathon in under two hours are already evident if Kipchoge and Kiptum's recent performances are anything to go by.

In an unofficial race in Vienna, Austria in 2019, Kipchoge became the first person ever to run a marathon in under two hours, clocking 1:59.40 during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.

Regarded as one of the greatest marathoners of all time, Kipchoge was the world record holder in the marathon then with a time of 2:01:09 set at the 2022 Berlin. His mark was later broken by Kiptum at the Chicago Marathon on October 8, 2023, when he clocked 2:00:35.

The 24-year-old Kiptum is currently the only person in history to run the marathon in under two hours and one minute in a record-eligible race.

Kiptum has won all three of the major marathons he has entered between December 2022 and October 2023 with three of his times among the six fastest in history. Makau revealed that hard work and endurance were the key for him to break the world record in 2011.

“I used to go to train in Iten and Machakos and to the polishing in Ngong. This is because speed work and build-up are two different programs,” Makau noted.

Makau encouraged athletes to find a training routine that would enable them to run a sub-two-hour marathon shortly.

“What Kiptum, Kipchoge and the other athletes can do now is to find the pace that will be able to help them run a sub-two-hour marathon shortly,” he added.

The duo currently occupy the top two positions in the world marathon ranking. Ethiopians Kenenisa Bekele (2:01.41), Sisay Lemma (2:01.48 hrs), Birhanu Legese (2:02.48 hrs) and Mosinet Geremew  (2:02.55 hrs) follow in that order.

The former world record holder, who currently trains the Kenya Police team and other athletes, also cited technology, especially in running shoes as a reason behind the fastest times being witnessed.

“During our time, there was not as much technology as we were accustomed to normal shoes. In today’s era,  running shoe technology plays a key role in determining the pace in a  particular race,” he said.

Innovations in Running Shoe Technology mean shoes are now lighter, more dynamic, and more resilient, thanks to advancements in foams, rubbers, construction, textiles, and other essential components.

Kipchoge's performances during the INEOS 1:59 challenge opened the world's eyes to the condensed foam, carbon-plated super shoes which Nike claimed could increase running efficiency and in particular the amount of oxygen consumed per minute by by 4 percent. 

Makau is optimistic the young athletes under his wings will also go further and make not only him but also the country proud. He said he is looking forward to the national trials in April to see if they get selected.

“We have intensified training in both Machakos and Kitui camps and I am hopeful. I am waiting for the trials in April to see if they will be able to represent Kenya at the Paris 2020 Olympic Games,” he said.

He also tipped Kenya to once again dominate the marathon at the Olympic Games slated for July 26 to August 11.

“I am sure Kipchoge, Kiptum, Peres Jepchirchir and Ruth Chepng'etich will represent the country well in the marathon at the Olympics,” he asserted. 

(02/07/2024) Views: 173 ⚡AMP
by Teddy Mulei
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Kelvin Kiplagat ready to follow Eliud Kipchoge's footsteps

Kelvin Kiplagat, an athlete from Eldama Ravine has opened up on his admiration for marathon king Eliud Kipchoge and World Half Marathon silver medallist Daniel Simiu.

Kelvin Kiplagat is keenly following in the footsteps of former world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge and World Half Marathon silver medallist Daniel Simiu.

The Eldama Ravine-based athlete has been slowly making strides to match the achievements of his role models and he is surely on the track.

He was in action during the second Athletics Kenya weekend meet held at the Ulinzi Sports Complex where he dominated the men’s 10,000m. He was also in action in the first weekend meet and competed in the 3000m race where he finished fifth.

“I look up to my coaches for advice and they inspire me a lot. I also want to be like Eliud Kipchoge and Daniel Simiu who have cemented their places in the world of athletics,” Kiplagat told Pulse Sports.

He will be keen to make his debut in the national team this season, having set eyes on the Kip Keino Classic, the World Cross-country Championships, and the Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Making his first Team Kenya berth will be a dream come true since he has been burning the midnight oil to keep his hopes alive.

“I’m targeting the Kip Keino Classic, Olympics, and the Cross-country championships. I have never represented Kenya before and achieving that will mean that my hard work has finally paid off.

“I started running back in primary, in class seven and I competed up to county level. In class eight, I got to the regional levels and then when I joined secondary school, the Covid-19 pandemic came and disrupted everything,” he said.

But after the pandemic was over, Kiplagat put on his spikes once again and represented his school, Sinonin Secondary School, at the East Africa level where he finished second in the 5000m race.

(02/03/2024) Views: 152 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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How to increase your weekly mileage with minimal effort

When trying to add to their weekly mileage totals, a lot of runners jump immediately to longer long runs and bigger workouts. But this may actually do more harm than good. For a number of reasons, lengthening your warmup and cooldown are likely the safest, and easiest, ways to add extra mileage. 

First, the warmup and cooldown are done at a slow, easy pace. If there’s anything we’ve learned from runners like Eliud Kipchoge or Molly Seidel, it’s that you have to run slow to run fast. These runners do up to 80 per cent of their mileage at a very slow pace, which helps them run more without increasing the stress on their bodies. By increasing the length of your warmup and cooldown, you’re increasing the time you spend on your feet without stressing your body with more hard running.

Second, it’ll help you better prepare your body for your workout. If you’re like a lot of runners, you probably cut your warmup and cooldown a little bit short in favour of just getting the workout done. We get it–sometimes you just want to get on with it, and when you’re tired from a hard workout, cooldowns can feel like cruel punishment. But they are both important aspects of training, since they help prepare your body for the work ahead (the warmup) and helping kick-start the recovery process (the cooldown) so you’ll be ready for your next speed session.

Finally, the warmup and cooldown are a great place to add mileage because, other than the extra time put in, you’ll hardly notice the change–it’s like free mileage! Simply start by adding five minutes more of easy jogging on either side of your workout (on workout days), and you can gradually continue to add to your warmups and cooldowns in this way until you’re satisfied with your weekly mileage total. While it sounds like a small amount, the extra kilometers add up.

You’re not doing workouts, you say? If you have race goals, at some point you should be doing speedwork. There are many ways to gradually introduce speedwork without getting injured. (But if you’re really not ready, you can still increase your weekly mileage by simply adding five minutes to the start and end of your runs.)

(02/02/2024) Views: 162 ⚡AMP
by Brittany Hambleton
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National record holder Kengo Suzuki joins Tokyo Marathon field

Japanese national record-holder Kengo Suzuki will be part of a strong Tokyo Marathon men's field, led by two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, organizers said Tuesday.

The March 3 marathon is the last of the two remaining "final challenge" races for Japan's third and last spot in the men's marathon at the Paris Olympics.

Also invited are Ichitaka Yamashita, Kenya Sonota and Kazuya Nishiyama, who represented Japan at last summer's world athletics championships in Budapest.

The Osaka Marathon, scheduled for Feb. 25, is the second of the three races, the first having taken place in Fukuoka in December.

Naoki Koyama and Akira Akasaki have already clinched their Paris Olympic berths by finishing first and second, respectively, at October's Marathon Grand Championship in Tokyo.

The Tokyo Marathon women's race will feature Hitomi Niiya, runner of Japan's third-fastest marathon, and Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, who won both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

(02/01/2024) Views: 176 ⚡AMP
by The Japan Times
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Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors. Sponsored by Tokyo Metro, the Tokyo Marathon is an annual event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World...

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Vincent Kipkemboi returns to torment Eliud Kipchoge at Tokyo Marathon

Vincent Kipkemboi, the man who gave Eliud Kipchoge a run for his money at the 2023 Berlin Marathon will be out to torment him once more at the Tokyo Marathon.

The Tokyo Marathon race organizers have announced the full elite fields and former world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge will surely not have a smooth sailing at the event.

Kipchoge’s closest challenger Vincent Kipkemboi, has been invited to compete at the event and he will surely be out to torment Kipchoge.

At the 2023 Berlin marathon, the four-time London Marathon was spotted looking back during the race and the commentators noted that it was the first time in a long time that Kipchoge was spotted looking worried.

Kipkemboi was just making his debut and with the type of race he executed for a second-place finish, he will surely be out to give Kipchoge a nightmare.

Another athlete to watch will be Timothy Kiplagat, an able marathoner who has cemented his place in the world of road running.

The 2022 Chicago Marathon champion, Benson Kipruto, will also be out to challenge Kipchoge’s charges after proving his prowess at last year’s Boston Marathon where he finished third. In that race, Kipchoge finished sixth and noted that he had a problem with his left leg.

The international challenge will come from Uganda’s Victor Kiplagat who will be keen to make a name for himself at the event. Ethiopia’s Tsehay Getachew will also be in the mix, looking to challenge Kipchoge and the Kenyan charge.

Hailemaryam Kiros has also confirmed participation in the event and he will also be looking to fly the Ethiopian flag high.

Meanwhile, Kipchoge will be building up for the Paris Olympic Games in Paris, France where he intends to be the first man to win the marathon title three times in a row.

(01/31/2024) Views: 184 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors. Sponsored by Tokyo Metro, the Tokyo Marathon is an annual event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World...

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Kandie is ready to fight off competition to make Kenya's team to Paris

With the Valencia Half Marathon title safely tucked away in the bag, Kenyan course sensation Kibiwott Kandie now has his sights firmly trained on the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In an interview on Wednesday, Kandie vowed to burn the midnight oil until he cracks a spot on the Kenyan marathon team for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Although his last race at the Valencia Marathon on December 4 saw him fizzle out to a disappointing sixth after clocking 2:04:48, Kandie said he is ready to rise from the ashes of the heart-wrenching debacle to curve a niche for himself in the Olympic Hall of Fame.

“All my focus is on the Paris Olympic Games and I’m ready to give my best shot in marathon. The marathon has never been my specialty but I believe I have gathered adequate experience from the half marathon that will help me navigate the new waters effectively,” Kandie remarked.

“I have now decided to graduate to the marathon and I hope to seal a slot in the Kenyan team that will be participating in next year’s Olympics in Paris. I will be aiming for a podium finish with clinching the gold medal as my main goal,” he added.

Indeed, Kandie is likely to face formidable competition in the race for a Kenyan ticket, including multiple Berlin Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge.

“I’m aware securing a place on the Kenyan team to Paris won’t be a walk in the park. We have some great Kenyan marathoners who are also eyeing the ticket. It’s all about competition and I’m ready to put my best foot forward,” Kandie stated.

If he manages to punch a ticket on the plane to the French capital, Kandie hopes to replicate his performance at the Valencia Half Marathon on October 22, where he obliterated a rich field of competitors to defend his title.

The 2023 Valencia Half Marathon feat was the third major decoration in his glittering career, having previously sauntered to victory in 2020 and 2022.

The Valencia race recorded the fastest half marathon of 2023, with three runners locked in a photo finish.

Kandie breezed to triumph in an impressive 57:40, ahead of Yomif Kejelcha who wrapped up second in a time of 57:41, followed closely by Hagost Gebrhiwet, also at 57:41.

Kandie’s time not only made it the fastest of 2023 but also ranked as the fourth-fastest in the history of the event.

Nevertheless, his performance, albeit sterling, was nowhere near the master class act he exhibited at the 2020 Elite Edition of the Valencia Half Marathon, where he set a new world record time of 57:32. In 2021, he set a course record at the Istanbul Half Marathon and won The Giants Geneva 10k.

(01/11/2024) Views: 174 ⚡AMP
by Tony Mballa
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Nike Alphafly 3 sells out in less than 24 hours

One of the highest-profile carbon-plated running shoes, the Nike Alphafly 3, hit Canadian stores on Jan. 4, and in 24 hours, it has already sold out online and in-store.The carbon-plated shoe Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum wore to set the marathon world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon is the lightest and fastest version of the Nike Alphafly to date, and many runners tried to get their hands on a pair, which is selling for CAD $375.The shoe first made an appearance as a prototype on the feet of Sifan Hassan at the 2023 London Marathon, which she won. Nike formally announced the public release of the shoe in late November, naming Thursday as the global release date.

Some run specialty stores across Canada were sold out of the shoe in a matter of minutes. Nigel Fick and Sarah Deas, the owners of Culture Athletics, an independent running store in Toronto’s east end, say they’ve never seen demand for any shoe this high. “Our men’s size range sold out in a minute, with sizes 9.5 to 11, going within seconds,” says Fick. “We had hundreds of customers refreshing the page, waiting for the 10 a.m. launch.”Deas told Canadian Running that they have been receiving emails about the Alphafly 3 for two months. “We have not seen this demand for a shoe launch since the first Alphafly in 2020–it’s been wild,” says Deas.The popularity of the Alphafly 3 is backed by the Nike’s marketing strategy, and defined by the performances of world-class athletes. But the hype around the shoe is also backed by science. Nike’s competitive advantage lies in the innovative system of speed embedded in the Alphafly 3. This proprietary combination features ZoomX foam, Air Zoom units and a carbon-fibre Flyplate, powering the Alphafly and giving distance runners a distinct edge.

The Nike Alphafly 3 is also built on the success of its predecessors, with Eliud Kipchoge achieving the seemingly impossible in the OG Alphafly, breaking the two-hour barrier at the INEOS-1:59 event in 2019. In 2022, wearing the Alphafly 2, Kipchoge lowered his world record to 2:01:09 at the Berlin Marathon.

Those looking to wear the Alphafly 3 for their spring marathon may have to wait a little longer. Culture Athletics and other independent retailers will not receive additional stock until the second colourway is released in April. 

‘This is the first time the prototype colourway of an Alphafly or Vaporfly has been made available for run specialty retailers in Canada,” Fick says, talking about the buzz of the new shoe. “This launch has been exciting for us and all of our run community.”

(01/06/2024) Views: 3,146 ⚡AMP
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Ten reasons to be excited for 2024

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

There’ll be six global championships in 2024, 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 10 of the many reasons to be excited by what’s to come over the next 12 months.

1. Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Athletics is the No.1 sport in what will be the biggest event on the planet this year. 100 years after Paris last hosted the Games, the Olympics will return to the French capital where 2000 athletes from about 200 countries will compete for medals in 48 disciplines from August 1-11 . Expect duels, drama and record-breaking performances as athletes compete for the highest honor in the sporting world.

2. World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24

The first global track and field championships of the year will start in just two months’ time as Glasgow hosts the World Indoor Championships on March  1-3. In Belgrade two years ago, pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis and triple jumper Yulimar Rojas set world records to claim gold; they’ll be looking to add to their medal – and record – tally in Glasgow, as will a host of other top track and field stars.

3. World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

For the first time since 2017, the World Relays will be held in the Bahamian capital as the global event returns to the venue of the first three editions. From May 4-5, athletes will be vying to secure their place in the 4x100m, 4x400m and mixed 4x400m for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Expectations of a nation rests on their shoulders – and their baton exchanges.

4. World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24

Just two years after the Serbian capital hosted the World Indoor Championships, Serbia will this year play host to the world’s best cross-country runners. Recent editions of the event, in both Aarhus and Bathurst, have put athletes to the test on grueling courses, so expect more of the same on 30 March.

5. World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24

After the latest successful edition of the World U20 Championships in Cali two years ago, the global event will return to South America as Lima becomes the first city in Peru to host a World Athletics Series event. The championships will take place from August 27-31, and will showcase the world’s most promising up-and-coming stars.

6. World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

Is there room on the calendar for one more global event? Go on, then. For the first time ever in the history of these championships – including all previous iterations – Turkiye will play host to the World Race Walking Team Championships on April 21 . The first 22 teams here will automatically qualify for the marathon race walk mixed relay – the newest Olympic discipline – at the Paris Games.

7. One-day meeting circuits

While championship action is great, the likes of the Wanda Diamond League and World Athletics Continental Tour is where athletes can be seen in action week in, week out throughout the peak of the outdoor track and field season. Before that, there’s also the World Indoor Tour, while other series such as the Cross Country Tour, Combined Events Tour, Race Walking Tour and Label road races will provide competition opportunities throughout the year.

8. Record breakers

Athletes continued to push boundaries throughout the past 12 months on the track, field and roads. Expect more of the same in 2024 as the likes of Faith Kipyegon, Mondo Duplantis, Kelvin Kiptum, Yulimar Rojas and Ryan Crouser look to run, jump and throw better than they ever have done before.

9. Big clashes

Rivalries between the sport’s biggest stars always provide a gripping narrative for any season. For 2024, expect some mouth-watering clashes to come from the likes of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol in the 400m hurdles, Kelvin Kiptum and Eliud Kipchoge in the marathon, Gudaf Tsegay and Sifan Hassan in the 10,000m or Daniel Stahl and Kristjan Ceh in the discus to name but a few.

10. New stars

Every year a new generation of talent emerges. Some of those will be athletes who started to make a bit of a breakthrough towards the end of last year, while others may be athletes who fans have barely heard of. Either way, keep your eyes peeled as the season unfolds to witness the future stars of the sport mixing it with the world’s best athletes.

(01/03/2024) Views: 176 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Kelvin Kiptum expresses desire to run historic sub-two-hour marathon in Rotterdam

Reigning Chicago Marathon champion Kelvin Kiptum will be seeking to become the first man to run a marathon in under two hours and be recognized by World Athletics.

World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum is not resting on his laurels as he looks to dethrone the marathon kings and make history this year.

Kiptum, the reigning Chicago Marathon champion will be opening his season at the Rotterdam Marathon where he hopes to break the sub-two-hour marathon barrier.

Speaking to Gulf Times, the Kenyan explained that for now, his training and thoughts are on the marathon and he will be seeking to become the first man to ever run the marathon in under two hours with the recognition of World Athletics. 

Eliud Kipchoge was the first man to run a marathon in under two hours, however, his effort did not count as a new world record under World Athletics rules due to the setup of the challenge.

“It’s already known, the Rotterdam Marathon on April 14. I would like to grow further, and so, inevitably, break the barrier," the reigning London Marathon champion said.

"I’ll go there to run fast; the course is ideal and the crowds in the streets push you to give your best. I would love to be a part of the rich history of this marathon.

“If the preparation goes in the right direction, with peaks of 270 kilometers per week, and the weather conditions permit, I will go for it [sub-two]."

Kiptum has enjoyed a remarkable 2023, breaking the men’s marathon world record where he took 34 seconds off the previous record in winning the Chicago Marathon in two hours and 35 seconds.

He also won the London Marathon in April in 2:01:25, which at the time was the second-fastest time ever.

He noted that he will be competing at the Rotterdam Marathon because the organizers of the race are linked to his management.

“In 2022 I was supposed to run it, to make my debut but a slight injury stopped me. This will be the right time,” he said, adding that one of his other goals is to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

“As a team, we will collaborate, but then everyone looks out for themselves.

“I could also aim for the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, I saw the race in Budapest which fascinated me,” he added.

(01/02/2024) Views: 247 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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NN Rotterdam Marathon

NN Rotterdam Marathon

The marathon has been the biggest one-day sporting event in the Netherlands for many years in a row with over 35000 athletes professionals inclusive. The world's top athletes will at the start on the bustling coolsingel, alongside thousands of other runners who will also triumph,each in their own way.The marathon weekend is a wonderful blend of top sport and festival. ...

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Why Sifan Hassan is highly charged to triumph in Tokyo Marathon

Chicago Marathon champion Sifan Hassan has explained why she is motivated to compete at the Tokyo Marathon.

Reigning Chicago Marathon Sifan Hassan is bubbling with excitement as she gears up for the Tokyo Marathon scheduled for Sunday, March 3, next year.

Hassan is particularly excited to be one of the top runners to be announced alongside former world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge, her mentor.

“Alhamdulillah, I’m good and my preparations have just started…maybe I celebrated too much after Chicago and I took a long break and just started training a week ago.

“But I’m physically and mentally fresh, which for me is the most important and I’m really happy to be with Eliud because he is my greatest role model in running,” Hassan said.

The reigning London Marathon champion noted that she is training in Ethiopia since African countries tend to have great altitude. She added that at the moment, the Netherlands and America usually have a lot of snow during the winter period, making it impossible for her to train.

“I’m currently training in Ethiopia because of the high altitude and the weather in Africa is good…during the winter, I can’t train in the Netherlands or America because we have snow,” Hassan said.

Meanwhile, Hassan made her full marathon debut earlier this year and has been unbeaten in all her two marathons. She started with a win at the London Marathon and later went to end her season with a win at the Chicago Marathon.

(12/28/2023) Views: 227 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors. Sponsored by Tokyo Metro, the Tokyo Marathon is an annual event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World...

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Shoe tech advances is the key reason why the winning time at the Paris Olympics marathon could be under two hours

Racing shoe tech advances is helping bring the sub-2 hour marathon ever closer, but will barrier finally be broken in France?

The winning marathon time at the 1924 Paris Olympics was more than 40 minutes slower than the 2:00:35 run by Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023

With shoe technology advancing by the day, an official marathon time of below two hours is seemingly just months away.

A century after the 1924 Paris Olympic men’s marathon was won by Finn Albin Stenroos in two hours, 41 minutes and 22 seconds, next year’s Games in the same city could feature the first official sub-two hour time for the distance after 2023 saw more barriers smashed.

Kenya’s double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, who dipped under two hours with his unofficial Ineos challenge run in 2019, had dragged the record down to 2:01.09 in 2022.

But in October this year compatriot Kelvin Kiptum stunned the sport when the 23-year-old took more than half a minute off the great man’s mark to post 2:00.35 in Chicago to kick-start talk of when, rather than if, a legal sub-two would arrive.

That came two weeks after Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa took more than two minutes off the women’s record with 2:11.53 - a time that would have been the men’s world record until 1967.

Talented and hard working though both champions are, the key component of their incredible times was unquestionably the latest developments in shoe technology that has made comparisons with earlier eras, even last decade, largely meaningless.

(First photo) Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden, holds a shoe worn by Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa when she set a new women’s world record at the Berlin Marathon.

Kipchoge’s performances opened the world’s eyes to the condensed foam, carbon-plated super shoes Nike claimed could increase running efficiency - the amount of oxygen consumed per minute - by 4 per cent.

Soon, every major race start line was awash with the trademark dayglow Nike Vaporfly and Alphafly.

Although the sport’s governing body, World Athletics, tried belatedly to rein things in with their stack height regulations in 2020, the genie was out of the bottle and it did not take long for other companies to close the gap.

Assefa ran Chicago in a new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 shoe, retailing at just under US$500. It conforms to the 4cm height rule but, at 138 grammes, weighs about 40 per cent less than any previous Adidas racing shoe.

The latest theory around the shoes is that the carbon plates have only a limited effect and it is the “barely-there” weight, combined with the energy-return cushioning and “rockers”, that prevents the fatiguing impact of previous thin-soled “racing flats” and allows athletes to maintain their optimum speed for longer.

Adidas says its newest shoes are “enhanced with unique technology that challenges the boundaries of racing” and highlight a foot rocker that it claims triggers forward momentum and further enhances running economy.

Nike is not about to hand over the baton just yet, however, as Kiptum achieved his record in yet another prototype, the Alphafly 3, also worn by women’s Chicago champion Sifan Hassan, who took almost five minutes off her personal best with the second-fastest women’s time ever of 2:13.44.

It was a similar story in several athletics events at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics where a combination of a fast track and revolutionary spikes produced some jaw-dropping records.

Such is the sport’s seeming obsession with times rather than races that the pressure to keep installing faster tracks and allowing ever more beneficial shoes shows no sign of abating.

The Paris Olympic athletics programme will undoubtedly produce magical moments, but it is photographs of athletes posing by their world record time on the finish line clock that usually claim the front pages.

(12/25/2023) Views: 316 ⚡AMP
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Eliud Kipchoge announces his next race ahead of Olympic title defense

Marathon king Eliud Kipchoge has announced where he will compete before going to the Olympic Games to defend his title.

Former world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge has been confirmed for the 2024 Tokyo Marathon scheduled for Sunday, March 3.

The two-time Olympic champion will be making his return to the streets of the Japanese capital after his dominant win in the 2020 edition of the international multi-sport event as he gears up for the Olympic Games in Paris, France.

The five-time Berlin Marathon champion has sweet memories of Tokyo since it is where he also won his second Olympic title during the delayed 2020 Olympics. 

“I have good memories in Japan. I won my Olympic gold medal there and ran the course record in the Tokyo marathon.

"Last time, I was grateful for the organization to organize the event during such a difficult time during the Covid-19 pandemic. My aim was to set the course record and it was great to achieve that. I feel good working towards my next race in Tokyo.

"For me, it is the perfect preparation towards my aim to win my third consecutive Olympic title next summer in Paris,” Kipchoge said.

Kipchoge has so far run 21 marathons over his career and he will be seeking to add another victory when he heads to the Tokyo Marathon.

He has 18 total wins under his belt and in 2019 ran 1:59:40 during the sub-2 project that was set up in Vienna. The marathon great turned 39 last month but has still been in great form recently with his fifth victory in the Berlin Marathon in September in 2:02:42. 

In a bid to win all six annual World Marathon Majors, Kipchoge chose Boston for his spring marathon this past year and placed sixth. He has yet to win the Boston Marathon and yet to race the New York City Marathon. 

Choosing Tokyo in March over the other major spring marathons (Boston and London in April) gives Kipchoge more time to prepare for his bid to become the first person to win three Olympic marathons and the oldest person to win any Olympic running event. 

Meanwhile, Dutch woman Sifan Hassan has also been confirmed for the event. Hassan, a double Olympic Champion, came to the marathon with a storm, making her debut at the London Marathon and eventually winning. 

Choosing Tokyo in March over the other major spring marathons (Boston and London in April) gives Kipchoge more time to prepare for his bid to become the first person to win three Olympic marathons and the oldest person to win any Olympic running event. 

(12/21/2023) Views: 283 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Eliud Kipchoge takes a step into coaching

Eliud Kipchoge, who has dominated running for nearly two decades, winning countless awards, medals and accolades, is stepping into a coaching and mentorship role with the U20 World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team (ART). According to World Athletics (WA), Kipchoge will take a mentorship and assistant role, using his experience in the sport to educate and inspire upcoming refugee athletes.

The World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team is comprised of athletes who have fled violence, conflict and injustice in their home country. The team was founded in 2016 and has since evolved into the world’s only year-round elite refugee team program. The Refugee Olympic Team made its first competitive appearance at the 2016 Olympic Games and has competed at most WA events since then.

Kipchoge and the team’s head coach, Janeth Jepkosgei, former world 800m champion, will mentor the U20 team through to the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, next August.

The two-time Olympic champion’s mentorship will begin in January, per WA: “Kipchoge will motivate the team members by sharing his knowledge and discipline in the sport while encouraging them to pursue their education and read books, which is one of his passions,” said the press release.

Note that Kipchoge’s new role does not mean is he stopping his running career anytime soon. The 39-year-old still has aspirations to win every Abbott World Marathon Major (he is missing only New York and Boston) and potentially a third Olympic marathon title next year in Paris. 

Having Kipchoge as a coach is an incredible opportunity for any runner. He has 11 Abbott World Marathon Major victories to his name and four Olympic medals to go along with it. We are confident he knows a thing or two about running, and can provide some inspiration with his Kelly Clarkson pump-up music.

(12/16/2023) Views: 213 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Kipchoge becomes U20 refugee team mentor as World Athletics makes Global Refugee Forum pledge

Kenya’s two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge is to mentor the U20 World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team (ART), using his great experience in the sport to educate and inspire upcoming athletes.

Kipchoge will motivate the team members by sharing his knowledge and discipline in the sport, while also encouraging them to pursue their education and read books, which is one of his own passions. Committed to helping the underprivileged, the former world record-holder will also share life skills as part of the role, which he will hold through to next year’s World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24.

Confirmation of Kipchoge’s mentorship, which will begin in January, coincides with the announcement of the Multistakeholder Pledge on Sport for Inclusion and Protection of Refugees, a commitment signed by more than 100 organisations represented at the Global Refugee Forum 2023, which gets under way today (13) in Geneva. As one of the signatories, and as part of the Sport for Refugee Coalition which it joined earlier this year, World Athletics reaffirmed its commitment to use sport to help improve the lives of stateless people around the world.

Held every four years, the Global Refugee Forum is the world’s largest international gathering on refugees. It is designed to support the practical implementation of the objectives set out in the Global Compact on Refugees: ease pressures on host countries, enhance refugee self-reliance, increase access to third-country solutions and improve conditions in countries of origin.

World Athletics’ pledge outlines the role that sport can play in improving the lives of refugees, including through sport programming, policy change, skill development, and communication and advocacy efforts.

The World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team, composed of athletes who have fled violence, conflict and injustice at home, was founded in 2016 and has since evolved into the world's only year-round full-time refugee team programme. The team made its first competitive appearance as part of the Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Olympic Games and has competed at nearly every World Athletics Series event since. 

The U20 team was formed as a pilot in 2022, with the objective of presenting a well-prepared U20 ART for the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24.

Kenya’s 2007 world 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei is head coach of the U20 ART, which is partly based at Kakuma Refugee Camp, located around 100km from the South Sudan border in east Africa, and Kapsabet, Kenya. Swiss educator Barbara Moser-Mercer leads the programme, supported by coach Arcade Arakaza, himself a refugee from Burundi, and now Kipchoge.

Earlier this month, World Athletics was part of a delegation including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Olympic Refugee Foundation (ORF), National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) and African Higher Education in Emergencies Network (AHEEN) that visited the Kakuma and Kalobeyei refugee camps in Kenya. World Athletics was invited to be part of the delegation by the ORF, recognising the work that World Athletics is doing in this domain.

Global Refugee Forum pledge: Sport for Inclusion and Protection of Refugees

“In its capacity as world governing body of athletics, World Athletics pledges to mobilise its sphere of influence to support the inclusion of refugee athletes in athletics events around the globe. We commit to providing them safe sport, promoting gender parity in our selection, educating them on safeguarding and offering academic and sport scholarships. Through our sponsor, Asics, they will benefit from our value in kind kit provision and will be eligible like any other athlete to win prize money.

“Together with our stakeholders, we will pursue and advocate for more World Athletics certified refugee coaches and support staff. We will offer media training courses for refugee athletes. In collaboration with the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), we will be diligent on the wellbeing of refugee athletes under our programme and advocate running clean in the spirit of fair play.

“During our World Athletics Series (WAS) events, refugee athletes will be treated like their fellow elite athletes, and we will maximise their presence by offering them ambassadorial opportunities to promote the sport and share its impact on their lives. All expenses to our World Athletics Series events will be covered by World Athletics.

“World Athletics will serve as the team’s member federation, and the team will compete under the Athlete Refugee Team flag.”

(12/13/2023) Views: 232 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics
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Kelvin Kiptum delivers acceptance speech in Swahili after clinching World Athlete of the Year award

Kiptum achieved his world record in Chicago back in October which boosted his chances of winning the maiden World Athlete of the Year Outside Stadia award.

World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum delivered his speech in Swahili after winning the World Athlete of the Year for out of stadia events award.

Kiptum achieved his world record in a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, running 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon in October. 

Becoming the first athlete to break the 2:01 barrier in a record-eligible marathon, the 24-year-old Kenyan won the race by almost three and a half minutes and took 34 seconds off Eliud Kipchoge’s previous world record.

Just one year on from his marathon debut, Kiptum now has three of the seven fastest times in history to his name having also won the London Marathon in April in 2:01:25.

Speaking in Swahili upon receiving the award, Kiptum thanked his fans for voting for him as the athlete of the year.

“First of all, I would like to thank my fans for voting for me,” Kiptum told World Athletics.

“I have been awarded the World Athlete of the year and I want to thank you all so much.”

At the age of 18, in October 2018, Kiptum won the Eldoret Half Marathon with a time of 1:02:01

He then debuted internationally at the Lisbon Half Marathon in March 2019, finishing fifth with a new personal best of 59:54.

 In December 2020, he set a significant consecutive best in the event at 58:42, placing sixth at the Valencia Half Marathon.

In 2021, he ran 59:35 and 59:02 half marathons in Lens, France (first), and Valencia (eighth) respectively.

Kiptum ran his debut marathon in Valencia, Spain, on December 4, 2022.

With what was then the quickest closing half ever (60:15), he finished first with the current Course Record time of 2:01:53, becoming the third man in history to break 2:02.

He beat the 2022 world marathon champion Tamirat Tola, a pre-race favorite, among others.

In his debut at a World Marathon Major on April 23, 2023, Kiptum triumphed decisively at the London Marathon. Falling 16 seconds short of the World Record.

(12/12/2023) Views: 273 ⚡AMP
by Mark Kinyanjui
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VO2 Max Just Turned 100. Here’s What It Means.

Over the past century, “maximal oxygen uptake” has turned out to be a valuable marker of both endurance and health.No tidbit of physiological jargon has achieved more popular renown than VO2 max, also known as maximal oxygen uptake. And, for the past century, none has been so consistently misunderstood. A new commentary in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, led by Grégoire Millet of the University of Lausanne, marks the 100th anniversary of the landmark paper by A. V. Hill and Hartley Lupton that first described VO2 max. It’s a big milestone, and it offers a good excuse to take a closer look at what VO2 max really means and why it (sometimes) matters.

A.V. Hill was a 4:45 miler and already had a Nobel Prize for work in muscle physiology when he and Lupton began studying VO2 max. The experiments involved subjects running around Hill’s back garden in Manchester with air bags strapped to their back to measure how much oxygen they used. The faster they ran, the more oxygen they needed—but only up to a certain point. Eventually, oxygen consumption plateaued, even as they continued to accelerate.

Beyond this plateau—what’s now known as VO2 max, indicating the maximum volume per unit time of oxygen (O2)—they had to rely on anaerobic energy pathways, going into what Hill called “oxygen debt.” This debt couldn’t be sustained for long thanks to rising lactic acid, which meant that VO2 max effectively marked the limits of sustainable effort. In other words, VO2 max was an objective measure of endurance.

The current understanding of exercise metabolism has evolved in a few respects since Hill’s time. Physiologists no longer talk about oxygen debt, and lactate (not lactic acid) is considered a marker of fatigue but not its direct cause. But the basic idea remains the same: there’s a limit to the rate at which your body can take in and use oxygen, and having a higher limit augurs well for both performance and health.

The initial understanding of VO2 max was that it was a measure of cardiovascular function, limited primarily by how rapidly your heart could pump oxygen-rich blood to your muscles. For elite endurance athletes, that’s still a pretty good approximation: aerobic monsters are distinguished primarily by a large and compliant heart that can pump huge volumes of blood with each stroke.

But over time, researchers realized that the limits of oxygen uptake are best thought of as a cascade with numerous steps. You have to inhale oxygen into your lungs, diffuse it into your bloodstream, pump it to your muscles, diffuse it into your muscles, and then your mitochondria have to use it to generate ATP. Each of those steps can become a limiting bottleneck in certain conditions, so there isn’t one single path to altering VO2 max.

There are two ways of quantifying your VO2 max. The absolute value is expressed in liters of oxygen per minute: a well-trained endurance athlete, for example, might be able to consume 5 L/min of oxygen. The relative value, which is the more commonly discussed number, is simply the absolute value divided by your weight in kilograms. If that same endurance athlete weighed 70 kilograms, their relative VO2 max would be 71 ml/min/kg.

The standard method of measuring VO2 max, originally developed as an offshoot of the infamous Minnesota Starvation Study during World War II, is a treadmill test (or the equivalent with some other form of exercise like a stationary bike), lasting six to 12 minutes and getting progressively harder in stages until you max out. But what does it mean to max out? There are various criteria: oxygen consumption reaching a plateau, heart rate reaching a plateau, lactate levels exceeding 8.0 mmol/L, perceived exertion greater than 17 on a scale of 6 to 20, respiratory exchange ratio (a comparison of much carbon dioxide you exhale compared to how much oxygen you’re consuming) of greater than 1.1.

The reason for all these criteria is that the idealized picture of a steady increase in oxygen consumption followed by a plateau often doesn’t show up in real life. And even when it does, it’s not an invariant number: your VO2 max when kayaking will be smaller than when you’re running, for example, because you’re using smaller muscles that can’t gobble up as much oxygen. (That’s why rowers tend to have some of the highest absolute VO2 max values, because they’re huge and they’re using both arm and leg muscles. Cross-country skiers have some of the highest relative values, because they’re also using arms and legs but are generally much lighter than rowers.)

There are even a few studies that have found different VO2 max values depending on the details of the treadmill protocol. How can it be the ultimate objective measure of endurance if its value depends on how you test it? Is the apparent plateau just your brain deciding that you’ve had enough and should step off the treadmill? These and other controversies persist. My take: the VO2 max plateau is real and dictated by physiology, but it’s not as clear-cut a threshold as once thought.

If you tested all the runners on the start line of an Olympic distance race, their VO2 max values wouldn’t tell you much about how they’d place. They all have high values, and the race won’t necessarily be won by the runner with the highest value. Eliud Kipchoge, for example, reportedly has a relatively unexceptional value for an elite marathoner. In that sense, VO2 max isn’t a great predictor of running performance. And the cyclist with the highest ever reported VO2 max, Oskar Svendsen, didn’t end up setting the world alight, as I recounted a few years ago.

On the other hand, if I had to predict the race finishing order of 100 people randomly picked from the street, and I was allowed one physiological test, I’d opt for VO2 max. In that diverse population, VO2 max values would be all over the map, and those with the highest values would likely finish at or near the front. So in that sense, VO2 max is a great predictor. To put it another way, a high VO2 max is a necessary but not sufficient condition for endurance success. It’s your ticket into the game.

You could argue that VO2 max has greater value as a predictor of health and longevity than of athletic success. While the relationship between exercise habits and longevity remains a little hazy, with some people arguing that too much is bad for you, the link between VO2 max and longevity is unambiguous: higher is better. In fact, the American Heart Association has argued the VO2 max should be considered a “vital sign” and be regularly measured or estimated by doctors.

Back in the 1990s, the Heritage Family Study trained about 500 people from 100 different families for 20 weeks. On average, they were able to boost their VO2 max by about 20 percent. But they saw a wide range in responses: some people saw more than twice as big an increase, while others basically didn’t increase at all. And that variation seemed to cluster within families. The researchers estimated that about half the VO2 max training response was dictated by genetics.

The idea that some people don’t improve their VO2 max at all even with regular training remains controversial. A few different studies have taken aim at this idea, and shown that if you take non-responders from a study and have them either train more or train harder, everyone will eventually respond. Still, it’s clear that some people can increase their VO2 max more easily than others.

Trained athletes eventually hit a point of diminishing returns, although long-term structural adaptations like the size of your heart and the density of capillaries distributing blood can continue to improve. A meta-analysis a decade ago found that interval training can produce substantial improvements, with the biggest bang from intervals lasting three to five minutes per rep. The highest recorded values tend to be around 90 ml/kg/min in men and 80 ml/kg/min in women, with the sex differences attributable to higher body fat and lower hemoglobin levels in women.

As important as increasing your VO2 max is, the bigger challenge for many of us is slowing its decline. After age 25, it typically drops about ten percent a decade. According to a recent analysis, athletes who keep training can slow that decline to about 5 percent a decade, but those who fall off the wagon might see even steeper declines.

Overall, Millet and his colleagues conclude that VO2 max is “a healthy and active centenarian” that remains important in both endurance sports and as a measure of cardiovascular health. It’s not the ultimate barometer of fitness, but neither is it a meaningless detail. If you get a chance to have yours tested, for example by volunteering for a study at a local university, I highly recommend it. It can be fun to learn about your own physiology—and, during the final stage of the test where you keep pushing until you’re on the verge of being thrown off the back of the treadmill, your psychology.

(12/09/2023) Views: 229 ⚡AMP
by Outside Online
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Athletics coach explains the headache he faced selecting Kenya’s marathon team for Paris Olympics

The veteran coach has explained the challenges he had to overcome to settle on the provisional marathon squad that will represent Kenya at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Veteran athletics coach Julius Kirwa has revealed how he faced a difficult time narrowing down to 20 athletes who will represent Kenya at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Athletics Kenya (AK) named a provisional squad of 20 (10 men and as many women) with marathon great Eliud Kipchoge, world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, Boston and New York Marathon champion Hellen Obiri as well as three-time world half marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir among the big names included.

While the selection was based heavily on world ranking and athletes’ performances in major marathons, Kirwa admits it was a herculean task given the many good runners in the country.

“We are selecting them based on their time and world ranking. We are allowed to field three athletes only and in Kenya, we have about 120 athletes who are capable of representing the country,” said Kirwa.

“Other countries have a few to pick from but here, it has not been easy. I have taken a lot of time monitoring and some are still coming up like Alexander Mutiso ran very well in Valencia [finished second in 2:03:11 on Sunday] but it was too late to put in someone.

“We followed the world ranking and in Kenya we have Kiptum leading then Eliud so there was no need of jumping. We follow that way unless someone withdraws and you go to the next best ranked runner.”

Besides Kipchoge and Kiptum, Vincent Ngetich, second at the Berlin Marathon this year, Rotterdam Marathon runners-up Timothy Kiplagat, former Chicago and Boston Marathon champion Benson Kipruto, Bernard Koech, two-time New York Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, Cyprian Kotut, 2022 London Marathon champion Amos Kipruto and Titus Kipruto also made the list.

The women’s team has Obiri and Jepchirchir as well as former world record holder Brigid Kosgei, Tokyo Marathon champion Rosemary Wanjiru, former world champion Marathon Ruth Chepng’etich, former world half marathon record holder Joycilline Jepkosgei, Sheila Chepkirui, Judith Jeptum Korir, Selly Chepyego and Sharon Lokedi.

However, world ranking was not the only consideration given Joshua Belet and Ronald Korir, who who are ahead of Kamworor on the rankings, missed out same as Dorcas Chepchirchir and Jackline Chelal.

AK explained that they also looked at consistency, championship mentality and the attitude of the athletes before setting on the squad.

(12/07/2023) Views: 220 ⚡AMP
by Joel Omotto
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Athletics Kenya has selected its Provisional Marathon team for the Paris Olympics

Athletics Kenya has named it’s Provisional Marathon Team towards Paris 2024 Olympic Games next year through Competitions Director Mr. Mutwii.

Although AK has released a list of 10 men and 10 Women, the team will be scaled down to 5 in January, 3 to compete and 2 Reserves.

Marathon Men

Eliud Kipchoge

Kelvin Kiptum

Vincent Ngetich

Timothy Kiplagat

Benson Kipruto

Bernard Koech

Geoffrey Kamworor

Cyprian Kotut

Amos Kipruto

Titus Kipruto

 

Marathon Women

Ruth Chepngetich 

Rosemary Wanjiru 

Joycilline Jepkosgei 

Sheila Chepkirui 

Peres Jepchirchir 

Judith Jeptum Korir 

Selly Chepyego 

Hellen Obiri 

Sharon Lokedi

 Brigid Kosgei

(12/04/2023) Views: 215 ⚡AMP
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Why Paul Tergat predicts Kenyan podium sweep at Paris Olympic Games marathon

NOC-K president Paul Tergat is bubbling with enthusiasm ahead of the Olympic Games as he predicts a marathon podium sweep in the men's race.

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya president Paul Tergat has predicted a Kenyan podium sweep at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Tergat explained that the men’s marathon will prove to be an exciting outing since five-time Berlin Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and trailblazing youngster Kelvin Kiptum might be competing on the big stage.

He added that Kenya and Ethiopia have huge talent when it comes to long-distance runners and they only have to tap into that talent and the world will see wonders.

“From Kenya…already we are very excited. We have Eliud Kipchoge and the young champion who is coming up now. Kiptum was not a surprise…there are so many Kiptums in Kenya and Ethiopia.

Given the opportunity, they can be able to do mind-blowing things that will leave us asking many questions.

We are looking forward to seeing fireworks and excitement. This Olympic Games in Paris will be one of our best Olympic Games. We are looking forward to maybe having 1-2-3 if all goes well,” Tergat said in an interview with Olympics.

Meanwhile, both Kipchoge and Kiptum have indicated their desire to feature at the Olympics, and given their success, fans are salivating at the prospect of the two runners going toe-to-toe.

They will not wait longer as Athletics Kenya intend to name Kenya’s marathon team for the Paris Olympics within the next week so that they can start early preparations.

However, some athletics experts have explained that it would not be a good idea to pair the duo for the global showpiece.

(12/04/2023) Views: 199 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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Eliud Kipchoge believes Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei can break marathon world record

On Sunday at the 2023 Valencia Marathon, Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, who holds the world record in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, will make his long-awaited marathon debut. Ahead of his debut, Cheptegei has garnered high praise from perhaps the greatest marathoner in history, Eliud Kipchoge

In an interview with BBC Sport Africa, Kipchoge said he believes Cheptegei could break the marathon world record: “He is already a record holder in other fields, and has a huge chance to break a world record in the marathon,” Kipchoge said. The double Olympic marathon champion further complimented Cheptegei’s willingness to learn and succeed, acknowledging the discipline that has led Cheptegei to Olympic gold, world records and multiple world championship titles.

According to NN Running Team, despite Cheptegei’s previous success on the track and Valencia’s course (which is known to be fast), he says he’s not specifically aiming for the marathon world record, but hopes to run a fast time under 2:04. “What would make a perfect race for me in Valencia is to learn and experience the marathon,” Cheptegei said on his debut. “I am not looking to run a fast time, because it is a new distance for me, and I want to learn. The best for me would be seeing myself on the podium.”

The 27-year-old has fond memories of Valencia, which is where he set the 10K world record of 26:38 in 2019 and the 10,000m world record of 26:11.00 the following year.

The former marathon world record holder, Kipchoge, has always been an idol for Cheptegei, inspiring him when he began his professional career in 2015. “Kipchoge’s kind words have always been able to shape me,” Cheptegei told BBC Africa. “Eliud is always keeping an eye on me—always guiding the youth in a good way.” The two distance-running titans met when Cheptegei was training with Kipchoge’s group in Kaptagat, Kenya, in 2015.

Watch the Valencia Marathon

The hype and uncertainty surrounding Cheptegei’s potential over 42.2K will be thrilling to watch on Sunday at the 2023 Valencia Marathon. Cheptegei headlines an exciting field featuring former Olympic champions and world record holders.

(12/02/2023) Views: 225 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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VALENCIA TRINIDAD ALFONSO

VALENCIA TRINIDAD ALFONSO

The Trinidad Alfonso EDP Valencia Marathon is held annually in the historic city of Valencia which, with its entirely flat circuit and perfect November temperature, averaging between 12-17 degrees, represents the ideal setting for hosting such a long-distance sporting challenge. This, coupled with the most incomparable of settings, makes the Valencia Marathon, Valencia, one of the most important events in...

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Philadelphia Marathon finisher’s Olympic dreams shattered after water bottle rule violation

A formal complaint from a race official brought attention to the water bottle infraction, disqualifying Ethan Hermann from the results.

In running, seconds can make or break dreams. The 2023 Philadelphia Marathon brought a mix of triumph and heartbreak, especially for one of the top American men’s finishers, Ethan Hermann.

The Philadelphia native finished the marathon in sixth overall, running an impressive 2:17:03 in his debut marathon, nearly a minute under the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying mark of 2:18:00. However, hours after Hermann crossed the finish line, his dreams were shattered when his result was disqualified due to his coach handing him a water bottle at a water station.

According to Citius Mag, which first reported the story, Hermann’s coach, in a well-intentioned act of support, handed him a water bottle at a water station. However, according to USATF rules, because Hermann did not personally grab the bottle, it constituted a violation due to the “inequality of resources offered to athletes.”

Hermann’s time has been removed from the official Philadelphia Marathon results, and it will not count for the 2024 Olympic Trials qualification.

Speaking to Citius Mag about the situation, Hermann said he does not fully agree with the rule, but understands it. “I just have to learn from it and move forward, and take on the next challenge in time,” he said. Despite the disqualification, Hermann remains positive about his result, stating, “I’m at peace and walking away knowing that my mission of qualifying for the Olympic Trials was accomplished–even if the start list will say otherwise.”

A formal complaint from a race official brought attention to Hermann’s infraction, leaving race organizers in a challenging position, due to the specificity of the USATF Competition Rule 144. “No competitor taking part in competition shall be allowed, without the permission of the Referee or Judges, to receive assistance or refreshment from anyone during the progress of the competition.”

“I had a special day and ran my heart and legs out, but I was not as educated as I thought about everything. Not all the right things happened the way they needed to, and I was ultimately given a disqualification from the race,” wrote Hermann.

The bottle rule only applies to USATF races and U.S. athletes. At the 2022 Berlin Marathon, the notorious Bottle Claus helped Eliud Kipchoge lower the marathon world record to 2:01:09 at the time, personally handing him bottles at every water station.

In a world where one false start results in automatic disqualification and triathletes face penalties for rule violations, the severity of Hermann’s case has been questioned on social media. What is the time value of a water bottle handed to a runner throughout a marathon? And how much time does it save a marathoner compared to picking it up from the elite table?

A hashtag #FreeEthan has been pushed by Citius Mag and the U.S. running community to permit Hermann to run at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials scheduled for Feb. 4 in Orlando, Fla.

(11/22/2023) Views: 341 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Philadelphia Marathon and Half

Philadelphia Marathon and Half

Have the time of your life in 2022 completing 13.11 miles! Runners will start along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the cultural Museum District and wind through Philadelphia’s most scenic and historic neighborhoods. From the history-steeped streets of Old City, through one of the liveliest stretches of Center City, across the Schuylkill River...

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Joshua Cheptegei defends his choice of Eliud Kipchoge as the greatest marathoner

Joshua Cheptegei has shared why he thinks Eliud Kipchoge is the greatest marathoner as he gears to emulate the Kenyan at the Valencia Marathon.

Reigning world 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei is keen to follow in the footsteps of former world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge as he eyes an Olympic return and debut at the Valencia Marathon.

Cheptegei will be keen to apply some of the tactics he has gathered from Kipchoge, who is his role model. Kipchoge also made a switch from the track to the marathon and he has since been successful in his races.

Cheptegei will also be keen to follow in the footsteps of his compatriot Stephen Kiprotich who is a gold medallist in both world and Olympic marathons.

“For me, Eliud is the greatest…he's one of the guys that inspired me a lot when I was starting up my career and up to now, his legacy still inspires me a lot.

"We normally share whenever there’s an opportunity and I'm always grateful that his words have shaped me over the years, and he is always keeping an eye on me and guiding me in a good way.

"I wanted to shift from the track after the 2020 Olympic Games, but Stephen told me to stay longer.

"Stephen has been one of the guiding pillars, of the timing for the marathon, and this year he gave me the green light.

"He (told me) you can test yourself in a race and if you have challenges, you can bounce back on the track again after maybe six or seven months,” Cheptegei said as per Olympics.com.

After making his debut at the Valencia Marathon, Cheptegei intends to make a comeback to the track at the Paris Olympics next year following his new challenge.

He made his debut at the Olympic Games in Rio, where he finished sixth in the 10,000m and eighth in the 5000m.

He then returned to the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games where he won the 5000m and finished second in the 10,000m.

“It looks like I'm almost done on the track, but not yet done. I am still in love with the 10,000m and still want to go to Paris and win the 10,000m.

"And maybe the outcome in Valencia will (determine) if I do the 10km and the marathon…It could be something to venture into,” Cheptegei said.

(11/21/2023) Views: 368 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Kiptum, 23, predicts how long his athletics career will last after experts' concerns

Kelvin Kiptum has shared his ambitions of making sure he continues running for the next 10 or 15 years and win as many races as he can.

Reigning world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum is not afraid of the longevity in his marathoning career.

Many experts have revealed that since he started his career at a young age, 23, his longevity in the sport is not guaranteed but Kiptum thinks otherwise.

The Valencia Marathon champion explained that he plans to keep running for the next 10 to 15 years and win as much as he can.

“My ambition is to run at the top of the marathon in the next ten or fifteen years and win as much as possible. But nothing guarantees that.

"My secret is training, running many kilometers a week. I'm not afraid of that, but you can always get injured. What then? Besides, I don't walk alone.

"Tamirat Tola (an Ethiopian runner) won the New York Marathon in 2 hours, 4 minutes and 58 seconds. The course there is very difficult, so that was a great time. You never know how good he will be in Paris,” Kiptum said as per De Tijd.

Just at 23, Kiptum has already made history in all the marathons he has competed in. He made his debut at the Valencia Marathon last year where he clocked the fastest time in a debut to win the race.

He then proceeded to the London Marathon earlier this year and clocked the second-fastest time in history to clinch top honours. Kiptum then shattered Eliud Kipchoge’s world record time of 2:01:09 at the Chicago Marathon after cutting the tape in 2:00:35.

In April next year, he will take part in the Rotterdam Marathon and then, most importantly, the Olympic Games in Paris.

If he wins gold there, he will have achieved most of his goals and there will most likely be no challenge for him but he promised that he will continue running despite having achieved great milestones already.

(11/21/2023) Views: 289 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele confirmed for Valencia Marathon

Kenenisa Bekele is the latest entrant into the Valencia Marathon scheduled for December 3.

Legendary marathoner Kenenisa Bekele is not hanging his spikes anytime soon as he gears up for the Valencia Marathon scheduled for December 3.

The 41-year-old has been in the game for more than 20 years and he will be hoping to maintain his legacy once he takes on the starting line of the event.

He opened his season at the London Marathon where he failed to finish the race and he will be hoping to rise from the ashes in the streets of Valencia. The 2019 Berlin Marathon champion will be facing off against a very quality field.

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei will be making his debut in the streets of Valencia with the hope of a podium finish.

The Kenyan charge will be led by former world half marathon record holder Kibiwott Kandie, Titus Kipruto, and Alexander Mutiso who triumphed at the Prague Marathon earlier this year.

Bekele will be joining his compatriots Sisay Lemma and Leul Gebresilase and the trio will seek to finish in the podium bracket.

Bekele will have his work cut out considering he is yet to win a race since reigning supreme at the Vitality Big Half Marathon in 2020. He finished third at the Berlin Marathon and sixth at the TCS New York Marathon.

In 2022, the Ethiopian legend finished third at the Great North Run and went ahead to finish fifth at the Berlin Marathon when Eliud Kipchoge broke the world record.

Kelvin Kiptum’s course record time of 2:01:53 that he set last year could be in danger with the quality field that has been assembled.

(11/17/2023) Views: 213 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge set to receive honorary doctorate degree

Marathon great Eliud Kipchoge is set to be conferred with a prestigious honorary doctorate degree from a Kenyan university for his outstanding contribution to humanity.

Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge is set to be awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT) during the institution’s 41st graduation ceremony on December 1.

In a notice issued by JKUAT, the five-time Berlin Marathon champion will receive the degree in honor of his “outstanding and commendable humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to humanity.”

“Widely regarded as the world’s greatest marathoner, Eliud Kipchoge has met the requirements by the Honorary Degree Committee, the University Senate, and Council for the award of the degree. Kipchoge will be conferred with the prestigious honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa),” JKUAT said in the notice.

This will be the second such degree for the former world marathon record holder after being conferred with an honorary doctorate degree from the Laikipia University for his contribution to sports in 2019.

That was after he had won the London Marathon before becoming the first man to run a marathon under two hours when he clocked 1:59:40 in Vienna, Austria in a race dubbed INEOS 1:59 Challenge.

Kipchoge has had a mixed 2023 season, finishing fifth at the Boston Marathon in April before winning in Berlin in September although he watched youngster Kelvin Kiptum break his world record following his 2:00:35 feat in Chicago in October.

The 39-year-old was also honored by his sponsors Nike with a running track named after him in the European headquarters in the Netherlands, coming days after his statue was unveiled by the giant American kit manufacturer in Oregon, USA.

(11/16/2023) Views: 300 ⚡AMP
by Joel Omotto
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Despite Mud, Joshua Cheptegei Continues Prep For Valencia Marathon Debut

Joshua Cheptegei is running 140 to 160 kilometers a week in preparation for his marathon debut in Valencia on December 3, through relentless mud in Uganda.

At his training camp in Kapchorwa, Uganda, about 33 kilometers west of the Kenya border, Joshua Cheptegei is running 140 to 160 kilometers a week in preparation for his marathon debut in Valencia on December 3.  A disciplined athlete with a usually sunny demeanor, the 27 year-old Ugandan is facing a challenge beyond tired legs, fatigue, and sore muscles: relentless mud.

"Normally we are used to go to the forest for these runs," Cheptegei told reporters on a conference call today which was delayed by a power outage.  Speaking on a shaky phone line he continued: "We cannot do that because it's getting muddy, not better.  It's still horrible, it's still chilly.  But, we've done most of the work.  It should be OK."

Cheptegei, who won the World Athletics 10,000m title in both 2022 and 2023 and is the world record holder for the distance (26:11.00), can expect dry and sunny conditions for the Maratón Valencia Trinidad Alfonso two weeks from Sunday.  He chose to debut there because of both his relationship with the city, where he set two world records, and because of the favorable date.  Consulting with his coach Addy Ruiter and his management team at Global Sports Communications, Valencia made the most sense, he said, because it allowed him adequate recovery time both after the 2023 track season and before his 2024 track preparations begin.  He also just feels good running there.

"Valencia is the 'City of Running,'" Cheptegei said, repeating the tagline used by the marathon's organizers.  "When I thought of the marathon I spoke to my team... and you know what?  It had to be Valencia because of the history of running there."  He continued: "When I went to Valencia in 2019 when I set the world record on the roads (for 10-K), and in 2020 during COVID I set the world record on the track.  For me, that brings up the excitement and expectations.  It can give you a good motivation, at least."

When asked about his goals for his first marathon, Cheptegei said he was trying to keep it simple.  It's a new event for him and he's got a lot to learn.

"I'm not actually looking to run fast the first time," he said.  He added: "For me, I want to learn.  The best for me is to see myself being on the podium, whether I run 2:03 or 2:04.  I don't know what will take me to the podium.  For me what is important is to enjoy the race and see what happens after 35 kilometers."

Cheptegei gets at least some of his training advice from two Olympic Marathon champions, Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge and Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich.  He said these men were two of his "pillars" in athletics.  He was only 15 years-old when Kiprotich was the upset gold medalist at the 2012 Olympic Marathon in London.  Cheptegei, who was on summer holidays from school, remembers watching the race on television.

"I remember so much," he said.  "I was actually in high school."  He continued: "It affected me positively.  One day I want to become world champion and be a national hero like him."

Kiprotich advised Cheptegei to remain on the track and not jump to the marathon too soon, he said.  The marathon in December would give Cheptegei a new and exciting goal in the near term, and help prepare him for the Paris 2024 Olympics where he hopes to upgrade his 10,000m silver medal from Tokyo to gold.  He might also try to defend his 5000m title, but he has not decided yet whether he should double.

"Stephen told me to stay longer on the track, focus on the marathon, then come back to the track again," Cheptegei said.  "Stephen has been one of the guiding pillars.  He gave me the green light."

In addition to logging long days on his feet, Cheptegei is trying to master some of the marathon's technical challenges.  For instance, he is learning as much as he can about hydration, a critical factor in marathon success.  His previous training didn't involve so many long runs, something he considered "tiresome" in the past but which is now "part of life."

"First and foremost, because of the marathon what I really lack is especially (knowledge) about hydration," he said.  "You really need to learn how to hydrate."

He is also being careful about his choice of shoes.  He plans to use one of Nike's Vaporfly models, a shoe he is comfortable with, instead of the more radical Alphafly series.

"For me about the shoe, normally I like to run in a shoe I'm comfortable with," he explained.  "For me, I'm still looking to run in the Vaporflys.  He continued: "I'm more familiar with the Vaporflys.  I still need more time to learn the Alphaflys."

Cheptegei confirmed that he is committed to the track for 2024 and the Paris Olympics are his highest priority.  As excited as he is about his marathon debut, he seemed equally excited to return to the track.

"It's a new adventure that I'm really looking forward to," he said of the marathon.  He continued: "I still want to go back in Paris and win the 10,000m."

(11/15/2023) Views: 314 ⚡AMP
by David Monti
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VALENCIA TRINIDAD ALFONSO

VALENCIA TRINIDAD ALFONSO

The Trinidad Alfonso EDP Valencia Marathon is held annually in the historic city of Valencia which, with its entirely flat circuit and perfect November temperature, averaging between 12-17 degrees, represents the ideal setting for hosting such a long-distance sporting challenge. This, coupled with the most incomparable of settings, makes the Valencia Marathon, Valencia, one of the most important events in...

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World Marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum is running the Rotterdam Marathon April 14

Kelvin Kiptum already has plans for the 2024 season as he eyes another faster course.

Newly crowned world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum has been confirmed for next year’s Rotterdam Marathon set to take place on April 14.

The race organisers noted that the 23-year-old will explain his plans for April next week. He comes as an impressive addition to the Rotterdam Marathon in 2024.

The Rotterdam course is also known to be fast and fast times will be expected from Kiptum who will also be keen to make Team Kenya for the Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Meanwhile, the Kenyan made his debut at last year’s Valencia Marathon with a lightning-fast performance that saw him set the fastest time over the debut, 2:01:53.

He extended the winning streak to this year’s London Marathon where he won in the second-fastest time in history, clocking 2:0125.

He then proceeded to the Chicago Marathon where he broke Eliud Kipchoge’s world record time. Kiptum clocked 2:00:35 to completely obliterate Kipchoge’s world record time of 2:01:09 that he set during the 2022 Berlin Marathon.

The course record in Rotterdam has been held by Bashir Abdi since 2021 with 2:03.36 and Kiptum will be eager to lower the time.

His manager, the Belgian Marc Corstjens, also puts together the field of participants in Rotterdam and has been in charge of him for five years, since 2018.

"This is an amazing marathon," says MBR publisher Bob Anderson, "but I would have thought London would have been a better choice."

(11/03/2023) Views: 384 ⚡AMP
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NN Rotterdam Marathon

NN Rotterdam Marathon

The marathon has been the biggest one-day sporting event in the Netherlands for many years in a row with over 35000 athletes professionals inclusive. The world's top athletes will at the start on the bustling coolsingel, alongside thousands of other runners who will also triumph,each in their own way.The marathon weekend is a wonderful blend of top sport and festival. ...

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2023 NYC Marathon Men’s Preview

This year’s TCS New York City Marathon fields are very different. The women’s race is absolutely stacked — the best in race history and one of the greatest assembled in the history of the sport. If you haven’t read our women’s preview yet, go ahead and do it right now. The men’s race is more of a typical NYC field — a large diversity of nationalities with some premium East African talent at the top.

Initially, the headline showdown on the men’s side was going to be the battle betweeen 2022 champ Evans Chebet and 2017/2019 champ Geoffrey Kamworor, but both withdrew last month. Instead, the field is led by Ethiopians Tamirat Tola (the 2022 world champ) and Shura Kitata, who has twice finished as runner-up in NYC but never won. Throw in a rising Cam Levins and the debut of Edward Cheserek, and there will still be some intrigue on the men’s side, but this is without a doubt the shallowest men’s major of 2023. Here are the men to watch in Sunday’s field.

The Three Guys Who Have Won Majors Before

Tamirat Tola, Ethiopia, 2:03:39 pb (2021 Amsterdam), 32 years oldSignficant wins: 2017 Dubai, 2021 Amsterdam, 2022 Worlds

Shura Kitata, Ethiopia, 2:04:49 pb (2018 London), 27 years oldSignificant wins: 2017 Frankfurt, 2020 London

Albert Korir, Kenya, 2:08:03 pb (2019 Ottawa), 29 years oldSignificant wins: 2019 Houston, 2021 New York

When looking for a winner, the first place to start is the runners who have won a major before. Seven of the last 10 NYC men’s winners had already won a major when they won New York. Tola, Kitata, and Korir all fit that criteria, with Tola and Kitata particularly worth of note (though Korir is the only one of the trio to have won NYC before).

The world champion last year, Tola ran 2:03:40 in Valencia in December, then finished 3rd in London in April. He did drop out of his most recent marathon at Worlds in August, but it’s worth noting he was in 3rd at 37k and dropped out in the final 5k once he was no longer in medal position. He quickly rebounded to win the Great North Run on September 10 by more than a minute in 59:58. Tola has some experience in NYC, but has had the least success of the trio in New York — Tolas was 4th in his two previous appearances in 2018 and 2019.  Tola has won 3 of his career 16 marathons.

Kitata was second in NYC a year ago and was also second in 2018, when he ran 2:06:01 — the third-fastest time ever in NYC. When he’s on his game, he’s one of the best in the world — he broke Eliud Kipchoge‘s long win streak by winning the 2020 London Marathon. But Kitata is coming off one of the worst marathons of his career as he was only 14th in Boston in April. Kitata has won 3 of his 18 career marathons.

Korir won NYC in 2021 — granted, against a very watered-down field that included just one man with a pb under 2:07– and was 2nd in 2019, beating both Tola and Kitata in the process. A grinder, he most recently finished a solid 4th in Boston in 2:08:01 and will be a contender again on Sunday. Korir has won 5 of his career 15 marathons.

In my mind, there’s a roughly a 65% chance one of these guys is your winner on Sunday, with the remaining 35% split between a few slightly longer shots. Let’s get to them.

The Global Medalists

Abdi Nageeye, Netherlands, 2:04:56 pb (2022 Rotterdam), 34 years old

Maru Teferi, Israel, 2:06:43 pb (2022 Fukuoka), 31 years old 

Nageeye and Teferi have a lot in common. Both moved from East Africa to Europe as children (Nageeye from Somalia to the Netherlands when he was 6, Teferi from Ethiopia to Israel when he was 14). Both have earned global medals (2021 Olympic silver for Nageeye, 2023 World silver for Teferi). Both won a famous marathon in 2022 (Rotterdam for Nageeye, Fukuoka for Teferi). One more similarity: neither has won a World Marathon Major.

But if you’ve medalled at the Olympics/Worlds and won Rotterdam/Fukuoka, you’re pretty damn close to winning a major. Both are coming off the World Championship marathon in August, where Teferi took silver and Nageeye dropped out after 25k.

It would be a pretty cool story if either man won as it took both of them a while to reach their current level: Nageeye did not break 2:10 until his sixth marathon; Teferi did not do it until marathon #10! New York will be career marathon #20 for Nageeye (and he’s only won 1 of them) and #19 for Teferi (and he’s only won 2 of them), and runners almost never win their first major that deep into their careers. But Nageeye and Teferi have also continued to improve throughout their careers. They have a shot.

The Former NCAA Stars

Cam Levins, Canada, 2:05:36 pb (2023 Tokyo)

Edward Cheserek, Kenya, debut.

Though Levins was an NCAA champion on the track at Southern Utah — he actually beat out future Olympic medalist Paul Chelimo to win the 5,000 in 2012 — his triple sessions and mega-miles (170+ per week) suggested his body was built to withstand the pounding of the marathon. It took a few years, but Levins is now world-class, running a 2+ minute pb of 2:07:09 to finish 4th at Worlds last year, and following that up with another huge pb, 2:05:36 in Tokyo in March. He’s run faster than any North American athlete in history.

No Canadian has ever won New York, and Levins will need an off day or two by the big guns if he is to break that drought. But Levins was only 14 seconds off the win in Tokyo in March, and he may not be done improving. Of the three men seeded above him in NYC, two are coming off DNFs (Tola and Nageeye) and the other is coming off a poor showing in Boston (Kitata). If Sharon Lokedi can win NY, why can’t Levins?

Speaking of Loked, her partner Edward Cheserek is making his marathon debut on Sunday — something that is suddenly much more exciting after Cheserek took down 2:04 marathoner Bernard Koech to win the Copenhagen Half on September 17 in 59:11. While Cheserek has had a few standout performances since graduating from the University of Oregon since 2017 (3:49 mile, 27:23 10k), his professional career has largely been one of frustration following 17 NCAA titles in Eugene. In six pro seasons, Cheserek has competed in just two Diamond Leagues (finishing 15th and 7th) and never run at a global championship.

Throughout that time, Cheserek’s desire had been to stay on the track, which was one of the reasons he split with coach Stephen Haas to reunite with his college coach Andy Powell. Based on what he had seen in training, Haas believed Cheserek was better suited for the marathon and told him as much. Now, after spending time training in Kenya — 2022 NYC champ Evans Chebet is a friend and occasional training partner — Cheserek has decided to make the leap.

“A lot of people have probably got in his ear and said, look you can be really good at this if you commited to it and trained for it,” said Haas, who remains Cheserek’s agent. “…He’s going really, really well. I was super impressed with him when I was over in Kenya, his long runs, his ability to up his volume…I really think this is where he’s gonna find himself as a pro runner and I think he’s got a lot of years, a lot of races to come as a marathoner.”

What is he capable of his first time out? New York is a tough course on which to debut, but Cheserek is an intriguing wild card. In the last two years, we’ve seen unheralded former NCAA stars hang around far longer than anyone expected on the women’s side, with Viola Cheptoo almost stealing the race in 2021 and Lokedi winning it last year. The men’s races have played out somewhat differently, but if this race goes slower and Cheserek is able to weather with the surges of the lead pack, he could be dangerous over the final miles.

Promising Talents that Would Need a Breakthrough to Win

Zouhair Talbi, Morocco, 2:08:35 pb (2023 Boston), 28 years old

Jemal Yimer, Ethiopia, 2:08:58 pb (2022 Boston), 27 years old

Based on what they’ve done in the marathon so far, both of these guys need to step up a level to actually win a major. But both have intriguing potential with Yimer being the much more likely winner.

Yimer formerly held the Ethiopian half marathon record at 58:33 and just finished 4th at the World Half. He’s only finished 2 of his 4 career marathons, however. But he’s in good form. Earlier in the year, he racked up good showings on the US road scene – winning Bloomsday in May,  finishing 4th at Peachtree and winning the Utica Boilermaker in July before running 58:38 in the half in August. Most recently he was fourth  (59:22) at the World half a month ago.

Talbi, the former NAIA star for Oklahoma City who has run 13:18 and 27:20 on the track, was 5th in his debut in Boston in April, running 2:08:35 in against a strong field.

The Americans

Elkanah Kibet, USA, 2:09:07 pb (2022 Boston), 40 years old

Futsum Zienasellassie, USA, 2:09:40 pb (2023 Rotterdam), 30 years old.

There are a few other US men in New York, including 2:10 guys Nathan Martin and Reed Fischer, but Kibet and Zienasellassie are the most intriguing. Kibet is 40 years old but has churned out a number of solid results recently — 4th at ’21 NYC, 2:09:07 pb at ’22 Boston, 2:10:43 at ’23 Prague. Zienasellassie, meanwhile, has run two strong races to open his marathon career: 2:11:01 to win 2022 CIM, then 2:09:40 in April to finish 11th in Rotterdam.

Ben Rosario, executive director of Zienasellassie’s NAZ Elite team, told LetsRun Zienasellassie is running New York in part because his idol, fellow Eritrean-American Meb Keflezighi, has a deep connection to the race, winning it in 2009. The other reason? To challenge himself in terms of his in-race decision making and get some reps in an unpaced race before the Olympic Trials.

(11/02/2023) Views: 306 ⚡AMP
by Jonathan Gault
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TCS  New York City Marathon

TCS New York City Marathon

The first New York City Marathon, organized in 1970 by Fred Lebow and Vince Chiappetta, was held entirely in Central Park. Of 127 entrants, only 55 men finished; the sole female entrant dropped out due to illness. Winners were given inexpensive wristwatches and recycled baseball and bowling trophies. The entry fee was $1 and the total event budget...

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Kenenisa Bekele says his best is yet to come

For the last 20 years, Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele has carved his legacy in distance running, winning three Olympic golds and 19 world championship titles on the track and in cross country. When he transitioned onto roads, his success continued, winning the Berlin Marathon twice and clocking the third-fastest time in history (2:01:41). In recent years, Bekele has acknowledged the difficulty of the marathon, but the 41-year-old believes his best is yet to come.

In an exclusive interview with Olympics.com, Bekele said he isn’t done yet, and that he is driven by the belief that he can excel in the marathon. “I never achieved my maximum effort in the marathon,” said Bekele. “I train hard, but I’ve been struggling for a long time with injury–I’ve never finished my [marathon] training in a good way.”

Bekele’s personal best of 2:01:41 from the 2019 Berlin Marathon stands as the third-fastest time in history, only trailing the Kenyan pair of Kelvin Kiptum, the new world record holder, and Eliud Kipchoge. Despite track and field fans suggesting that his best days might be behind him, Bekele remains undeterred, knowing his potential and what lies ahead in the marathon.

“My mind tells me that I can still do better in the marathon. The Olympics is in front of us…maybe [Paris] will be my last Olympics.

As Bekele gears up for the 2023 Valencia Marathon on Dec. 3 (known as one of the fastest record-legal courses in the world), he has aspirations to reach the 2024 Paris Olympics. With 43 Ethiopian men already having achieved the Olympic standard of 2:08:10, Bekele will need a time of 2:04:30 or faster to put himself in a position for Olympic selection.

“I know that Valencia is very fast. And [on the entry list] there are many strong competitors from different countries, so the expectations are very high,” said Bekele.

The Ethiopian marathon team for Paris is rumoured to be selected by January 2024. 

If Bekele can reach Paris, it will be a full-circle moment for one of the best distance runners in history. Paris was the destination where he won his first World Championship medal on the track, and the location of his first marathon, in 2014. 

After two decades with Nike, Bekele recently signed a new deal with the Chinese running brand Anta. The Valencia Marathon will be his first career marathon not wearing the Nike swoosh.

(10/31/2023) Views: 343 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Nike honor Eliud Kipchoge with a track and statue in the US

Eliud Kipchoge has been honored by his sponsor, Nike, with a track under his name and a statue at the headquarters in Beaverton.

Former World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge expressed his gratitude to his sponsors, Nike, after they honored him with a track and a statue.

Nike unveiled the Eliud Kipchoge Track at the Nike European Headquarters in the Netherlands and his statue at the Nike headquarters in Beaverton.

He took to his Instagram page to express his joy saying: “Monday was a special celebration as we unveiled the Eliud Kipchoge Track at the Nike European Headquarters in the Netherlands, while at the same time, Nike revealed a statue of me at the headquarters in Beaverton. Thank you, Nike, for the great partnership, together we run as one.”

Kipchoge also went down memory lane to the time he signed with Nike back in 2003. He expressed gratitude to the sponsors for their unwavering support throughout his career.

He added that working together has helped them be a source of inspiration to every athlete in the world.

“20 years ago, Nike and I became partners in running. Since 2003, Nike has played a crucial role in my career, providing inspiration and innovation. Together, we have brought these elements to every athlete in the world.”

Since signing with Nike, the five-time Berlin Marathon champion has marked tremendous milestones in his career from winning two Olympic titles in the marathon to becoming the first man in history to win the Berlin Marathon five times.

Kipchoge is also a four-time London Marathon champion and he became the first man in history to run a marathon under two hours. He also managed to break the marathon world record twice. 

On October 12, 2019, in Vienna's Prater Park, he clocked 1:59:40 to win the race, becoming the first person in recorded history to break the two-hour barrier over a marathon distance.

The effort did not count as a new world record under the World Athletics rules due to the setup of the challenge.

(10/26/2023) Views: 377 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Eliud Kipchoge finally comments on Kelvin Kiptum’s world record

For the past decade, Eliud Kipchoge has been a dominant force in the marathon, winning 14 out of the 17 races he’s participated in. The double Olympic champion and now former fastest man consistently set the standard for the distance, until Oct. 8. On that day, his Kenyan compatriot, Kelvin Kiptum, rewrote the history books by shattering Kipchoge’s world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.

While fans across the world marvelled at Kiptum’s new record of 2:00:35, Kipchoge remained silent. He did not publicly acknowledge it until two weeks after the race, during a press conference at the 2023 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports in Oviedo, Spain.

Kipchoge’s comments about Kiptum were in response to a reporter’s question after he received an award for his accomplishments as a runner and his remarkable contributions through his foundation, which focuses on promoting education and environmental protection.

“I was not surprised about (Kiptum) breaking the world record,” Kipchoge said. “I look forward to seeing records being broken because I have shown them the way.”

Kipchoge’s two-week silence and decision not to publicly congratulate Kiptum sparked heated discussions online, with some fans labelling the marathon legend as ‘unsportsmanlike.’ The 38-year-old also expressed his excitement about a potential showdown with Kiptum at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kipchoge aims to become the first man to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the marathon event, while Kiptum hopes to win his first.

Kiptum, on the other hand, had high praise for Kipchoge after his record-breaking run in Chicago. “Of course, Eliud is the GOAT; he has achieved a lot, and we hold him in high regard, following his footsteps,” said Kiptum.

The new marathon world record holder will face a tough decision if he wants to race for Olympic gold or chase the world record at the 2024 Berlin Marathon, which is less than six weeks after the Olympic marathon in Paris.

Even though Kipchoge may no longer hold the marathon record, he remains determined to continue making history and inspire the next generation moving forward.

(10/24/2023) Views: 353 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon: elite women’s and men’s preview

For the first time in the 34-year history of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, the race has reached over 25,000 runners. Toronto has established itself as Canada’s premier marathon and has set a precedent in the global running community, with participants coming from 78 countries around the world for the marathon on Sunday, Oct. 15.

The elite field at the 2023 edition of the marathon looks significantly different from last year, and two new champions will be crowned on the men’s and women’s sides, as Ethiopia’s Yihunilign Adane and Kenya’s Antonina Kwamboi will not be returning. The 2023 elite field features up-and-coming stars, along with several American women aiming to achieve the Olympic standard of 2:26:50 ahead of the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials in February.

The race will also determine two new Canadian marathon champions, with compelling storylines on both the men’s and women’s sides.

Women’s race

Will we see an American winner?

It has been 22 years since an American woman last won the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon (Leslie Gold in 2001) but in this year’s field, two American elites could possibly end the drought. One of them, Emily Durgin, a road racing specialist based out of Flagstaff, Ariz. came to Toronto looking for redemption after a less-than-ideal marathon debut in NYC last year.

Durgin said during Friday’s elite press conference that she felt the pressure to hit times and perform during her debut and ended up dropping out of the race before 30 km. “I learned a lot from New York and my build for Toronto has been different,” said Durgin. “As for a goal time, I want to run in the low 2:20s and be competitive.” The 29-year-old marathoner hopes to use Toronto as a stepping stone for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February 2024 in Orlando. Durgin was able to qualify for the trials from her time at the 2022 Houston Half Marathon where she finished 6th overall, clocking the seventh-fastest half-marathon in U.S. history with 67:54. “I came to Toronto to be competitive and contend for the the podium, as that’s what it will take to qualify at trials come February,” she said.

Another U.S. name in the women’s elite field to watch is Molly Grabill, who is running her sixth career marathon in Toronto on Sunday. Grabill told the media that she has similar plans to her compatriot Durgin and hopes to bounce back after, in her words, falling short of her goals in her last marathon in Hamburg earlier this year. Although Grabill ran the second-fastest marathon time of her career in Hamburg, she said she was disappointed as she took a swing and missed, struggling in the second half. “The goal in Toronto is to control the second half of the race better and gain strong momentum heading into the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials,” said Grabill. The 31-year-old from Boulder, Colo., is coming off a top-15 finish in 69:53 at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, earlier this month, which she says has given her a lot of confidence for Sunday.

Eyes on the course record?

Outside of the American duo, two other international athletes to watch are the Ethiopian duo of Afera Godfay and 2023 Ottawa Marathon champion Waganesh Mekasha. For Godfay, Toronto is her first marathon in three years after giving birth to her daughter. Her last marathon came in 2020 when she ran 2:26:43 to place third overall at the Xiamen Marathon in China. In her first two races back since becoming a mother, Godfay has run respectable half marathon times of 70 and 71 minutes but has not yet returned to her previous form. She said at Friday’s press conference that she hopes to come through the half mark in 1:11 and feels well-prepared for her marathon return. A glimpse of hope for Godfay is that she currently trains alongside the new women’s world record holder Tigist Assefa in Ethiopia. So, who knows what she is capable of?

The favourite in the women’s race is Mekasha, who is coming off a win in the scorching heat at the 2023 Ottawa Marathon in May. Mekasha is targeting the Canadian all-comers’ women’s marathon record on Sunday of 2:22:16, set four years ago by Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai at this race. Mekasha holds a personal best of 2:22:45 from the 2019 Dubai Marathon and said that she expects around a similar time on Sunday. “If the pacemaker runs a good pace, I hope to break the course record,” says Mekasha.

The Canadian contingent

Two of the top three Canadians from last year’s race have returned to the 2023 field, with Malindi Elmore, the reigning Canadian marathon champion, opting to run Berlin, where she clocked the second-fastest time in Canadian history (2:23:30). Returning are second and third place Canadian finishers Dayna Pidhoresky and Toronto’s own Sasha Gollish. Pidhoresky had an iconic moment here in 2019, when she raced just under the Olympic standard at the Canadian trials, winning in 2:29:03–qualifying her for the marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Although the Olympic marathon didn’t go as planned for Pidhoresky, she was able to bounce back at this event last year to place seventh overall (second Canadian) in 2:30:58. 

“Growing up in Windsor, Ont., I came to Toronto for so many races,” said Pidhoresky on tackling on her fourth Toronto Waterfront Marathon. “I feel I know the course very well, which is helpful in a marathon, and it’s great to have a high-quality field that’s close to home.” Pidhoresky told the media that this build has not been smooth but she is still confident she can run a personal best Sunday. “This course is advantageous, and I need to be smart and just run my race,” she said.

It is a similar story for Gollish, who is running in her second consecutive TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, less than eight weeks after her last marathon at the 2023 World Championships in August. Gollish told Canadian Running at the press conference that she wants to go into this race with a similar mindset that she had in Budapest. “It feels like a privilege to be here, and I am not putting any pressure of a personal best on myself,” says Gollish. “For the longest time, I avoided this race because I felt there would be pressure to perform, but why not run something in your backyard fuelled by a community that has done so much for me?” Last year, Gollish surprised herself with a personal best time of 2:31:40 after a short marathon build. Could she do the same on Sunday?

A few other Canadian marathoners to watch are Emily Setlack, Toronto’s Liza Howard and Kim Krezonoski of Thunder Bay, Ont. It has been four years since Setlack has last touched the marathon, but with a personal best of 2:29:48 from the 2019 edition of this race, her potential to finish as the top Canadian should not be ignored. Setlack has had a quiet 2023 season but has strung together solid performances, winning Toronto’s historic Sporting Life 10K and placing eighth overall at the Canadian 10K Championships in May.

Howard has a personal best of 2:35:29 (Chicago 2022) and was the top Canadian finisher at the 2023 Boston Marathon (37th overall) in cold, wet and windy conditions. Krezonoski moved to Toronto within the last year and has been studying the course thoroughly in the hope of crushing her marathon personal best come Sunday. She ran her personal best of 2:37 at the California International Marathon last year but has dropped her half-marathon PB by nearly four minutes since. The spots on the domestic podium are up for grabs, and each of these three women could break through. 

Men’s race

The rise of Elvis 

The absence of Adane opens the door for several East African men hoping to establish their marathon careers in Toronto. One of these men is Kenya’s Elvis Kipchoge, who may already lay claim to the title of the best running name. This Kipchoge is a little less well-known than the former world record holder but boasts a faster half marathon personal best of 59:15, which earned him third place at the 2022 Barcelona Half Marathon. However, this Kipchoge has not had much luck in the marathon. At the young age of 27, he ran 2:10:21 at the Vienna Marathon earlier this year. He hopes to turn things around on a fast and flat Toronto course. Kipchoge has ties to the race, training alongside women’s course record holder Magdalyne Masai in Iten, Kenya. 

While there is no relation between Elvis and Eliud Kipchoge, besides sharing the same last name and initials, Ethiopian athlete Adugna Bikila hopes to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, Worku Bikila. Worku was a world-class 5,000m runner who finished sixth in the 1992 Olympic 5,000m final in Barcelona and took fourth place at the World Championships the following year. Bikila enters Toronto with the fastest time in the field, holding a personal best of 2:05:52 from the 2022 Seville Marathon, where he finished fourth.

All the East African men will be aiming to break the Canadian all-comers record and course record of 2:05:00, held by Kenya’s Philemon Rono, set in 2019. The weather forecast for Sunday indicates cool and favourable conditions for both the men’s and women’s fields, which should make both course records vulnerable.

Who’s next for Canada?

A new men’s Canadian champion will be crowned Sunday, and for the first time since 2016, their last name will not be Levins or Hofbauer. The 2023 men’s field is full of up-and-coming Canadian talent on the precipice of breaking into the elite scene. Mississauga’s Sergio Raez Villanueva returns to Toronto after a stunning 2:18:04 debut last year, which earned him top-five Canadian honours. Challenging Raez Villanueva is Ottawa’s Blair Morgan, who was the second Canadian at the hot and humid Ottawa Marathon in May, running 2:19:50. Morgan ran his personal best of 2:18:29 at the 2018 Toronto Waterfront Marathon but is looking for a sub-2:18 result this time around.  

Challenging Raez Villanueva and Morgan are debutants Thomas Broatch of Vancouver and 4:01 miler Kyle Grieve. Broatch is coming off a win at the Vancouver Eastside 10K where he beat three-time Toronto champion Trevor Hofbauer. “Winning the Eastside 10K was a huge confidence booster for me,” says Broatch. “Whenever you take the start line the objective is to win and run fast.” The 24-year-old software engineer told Canadian Running that he has ambitious goals to run under 2:15 on Sunday and that his marathon build has gone near perfect.

For Grieve, who grew up and still resides in Toronto, this marathon has always been on his bucket list. “I’ve been wanting to try a marathon for a few years and have just kept putting it off,” says Grieve, who got married in the summer. “Canada Running Series is a big reason I am still competing today, so it was never a question of where I wanted to run my first marathon.” His goal is to be competitive against a strong Canadian field and let the time come along with it.

How to watch?

Marathon fans from around the world will have the opportunity to watch the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon live on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET with a pre-race introduction followed by the introduction of the elite field. The gun for the men’s and women’s elite field fires at 8:45 a.m. ET. All race action can be followed on torontowaterfrontmarathon.com or CBCsports.ca /CBC Gem or AthleticsCanada.tv.

(10/14/2023) Views: 342 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5k Run / Walk is organized by Canada Running Series Inc., organizers of the Canada Running Series, "A selection of Canada's best runs!" Canada Running Series annually organizes eight events in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver that vary in distance from the 5k to the marathon. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Half-Marathon are...

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Faith Kipyegon looks to add marathon record to her collection in future

Double World and Olympic champion, Faith Kipyegon has expressed her desire to smash the World Marathon record in the coming years.

The 29-year-old mother of one reaffirmed her ambition to enter the fierce road racing competition when she is finished with the track.

Speaking on Citizen TV, Kipyegon revealed that her masterclass act in Monaco on July 22, where she smashed the world record in the one-mile race was her initial step towards venturing into the roads.

"The mile was my first road race as I look to take up a career in the marathon. Expect to see me in the next Berlin Marathon race. I will run the marathon one day," Kipyegon said.

"I intend to run every major marathon in the Abbott series including the BerIin, London, and Amsterdam," she added.

Kipyegon lavished praise on marathon icon Eliud Kipchoge for inspiring her to take a stab at the blistering 42km race.

"I train in Kaptagat with Eliud Kipchoge and Geoffrey Kamwaror in a global training camp and they have done quite a lot to inspire me to take an interest in the 42km race," Kipyegon stated.

"On Mondays, we do easy runs, and on Tuesdays, we are on track. We allow the men to start ahead of us and we try as much as we can to catch up. We cannot compete with them because their training is more intense. So we only work alongside them in easy runs.

"If you love something and have a passion for it,  then going for training doesn't become a burden," she quipped.

Kipyegon added that she hopes to reclaim the women's 5000m world record at the 2024 Paris Olympics after surrendering it to Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay in Eugene, Oregon on September 17.

"Winning three gold medals back-to-back in the Olympics will be incredible. It will motivate the coming generations and motivate me as well. I will have left a legacy.

"I have already won four Diamond Leagues and I intend to go all out for my fifth title next year.

Kipyegon spoke even as news streamed in that she had been nominated for the World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year award.

She will vie for the accolade alongside 11 other nominees unveiled by the world governing body on Wednesday. The winner will be announced on December 13.

The Kenyan track sensation made the list of nominees following a splendid season, where she smashed three world records at the Diamond League before running away with the 1500m and 5000m world titles at the World Athletics championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

(10/13/2023) Views: 345 ⚡AMP
by Tony Mballa
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BMW Berlin Marathon

BMW Berlin Marathon

The story of the BERLIN-MARATHON is a story of the development of road running. When the first BERLIN-MARATHON was started on 13th October 1974 on a minor road next to the stadium of the organisers‘ club SC Charlottenburg Berlin 286 athletes had entered. The first winners were runners from Berlin: Günter Hallas (2:44:53), who still runs the BERLIN-MARATHON today, and...

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Kelvin Kiptum, Noah Lyles among 11 men shortlisted for World Athlete of the Year Award

World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum will battle it out for the Men’s World Athlete of the Year Award with 10 other athletes, including world 100m and 200m champion Noah Lyles

World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum has been shortlisted for the World Athletics’ Men’s World Athlete of the Year Award.

Kiptum, who ran an astonishing 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, is among 11 male athletes who had an outstanding 2023 season who have made the shortlist.

The 23-year-old has made the list after winning in Chicago and breaking Eliud Kipchoge’s world record by 34 seconds as well as claiming victory at the London Marathon in April, when he clocked 2:01:25, the second fastest time in history at the time.

Kiptum will battle it out for the prestigious award with American Noah Lyles, the world 100m and 200m champion who was undefeated in six finals at 200m.

Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the world 5,000m champion and 1,500m silver medalist, who is also the European record holder in 1,500m, mile and 3,000m, is also among those shortlisted as well as Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, the world 3,000m steeplechase champion, who was undefeated in six finals in 2023.

World javelin and Asian champion Neeraj Chopra from India, American Ryan Crouser, the world shot put champion and record holder, American-born Swede Mondo Duplantis, who is the world pole vault champion, and Decathlete Pierce LePage from Canada are also on the list.

World walking race champion Alvaro Martin from Spain, Miltiadis Tentoglou, the world long jump champion, and 400m hurdles world champion Karsten Warholm complete the 11-man shortlist.

A three-way voting process will determine the finalist wit the World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family casting their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the World Athletics social media platforms.

Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube this week; a 'like' on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or a retweet on X will count as one vote.

The World Athletics Council’s vote will count for 50 per cent of the result, while the World Athletics Family’s votes and the public votes will each count for 25 per cent of the final result.

Voting for the World Athletes of the Year will close on October 28. At the conclusion of the voting process, five women and five men finalists will be announced by World Athletics on 13-14 November. The winners will be revealed on World Athletics’ social media platforms on 11 December.

Kiptum will be seeking to join Kipchoge and David Rudisha as the Kenyan men to have won the prestigious award while multiple world champion Faith Kipyegon seeks to become the first woman from the country to be feted.

(10/12/2023) Views: 343 ⚡AMP
by Joel Omotto
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Bullish Kelvin Kiptum wants a duel with Eluid Kipchoge at Paris Olympic Games

After his exploits at the Chicago Marathon, Kelvin Kiptum is considering competing at the Olympic Games where he will face off against Eliud Kipchoge.

After his jaw-dropping performance that saw him break the world record at the Chicago Marathon, Kelvin Kiptum has now confirmed that the Olympic Games are on his mind.

The 23-year-old clocked 2:00:35 to completely destroy Eliud Kipchoge’s world record time of 2:01:09 and he is not resting on his laurels.

His focus has now shifted to the Olympic Games in Paris, France where he will lock horns with five-time Berlin Marathon champion, Kipchoge.

Speaking during a post-race interview, the reigning London Marathon champion said: “Yes, the Olympic Games are on my mind. I think this win has placed me in a better position ahead of the global showpiece.”

Kiptum added that he is not aware of the selection criteria and he will have to get back to the country and discuss it with his management first. However, he is planning on resting first before resuming training ahead of next season.

If it happens, the race will definitely be one to remembered since Kipchoge will be bidding to become the first man to win the Olympic title in the marathon three times.

He has not had a great 2023 season and will be plotting a comeback next year. The 38-year-old started off with the Boston Marathon where he finished sixth due to a problem with his left leg.

He then proceeded to the Berlin Marathon with the hope of breaking his own world record but he did not achieve the target.

Meanwhile, Kiptum has enjoyed a blissful season, winning the London Marathon earlier this year and winning the Chicago Marathon in a world record time to end his season with a bang.

He made his debut at the Valencia Marathon last year and ran the fastest debut time in history.

(10/11/2023) Views: 359 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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