Running News Daily

Linet Masai headlines Enschede Marathon

Former World 10,000m champion Linet Chepkwemoi Masai will headline the 21st edition of the Enschede Marathon slated for April 21, 2024 in Enschede, Netherlands.

The 34 year-old who is also the 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist, comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:23.46 that she got six years ago at the Amsterdam Marathon.

Masai who is born in Kapsokwony, Mount Elgon District in Bungoma County will have to get past her compatriot, the 26 year-old, Caroline Jepchirchir, who also comes to this race with a life time best of 2:26.11 that she got at this same course two years ago.

The two will also face four times Belgium National champion, Hanne Verbruggen who comes to the race with a personal best of 2:26.32 that she got last year at the Zurich Maraton de Sevilla, where she finished in seventh place.

Another title contender is Kenya’s Hildah Cheboi who comes to this race with the fourth fastest time on paper of 2:28.31 that she got at home, last year at the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon where she finished in position four.

The race organizers have assembled a strong field to try and chase the race course record of 2:21.10, set two years by Maurine Chepkemoi from Kenya.

LEADING TIME

42KM WOMEN

Linet Masai                (KEN) 2:23.46

Caroline Jepchirchir  (KEN) 2:26.11

Hanne Verbruggen    (BEL) 2:26.32

Hildah Cheboi            (KEN) 2:28.31

(04/09/2024) Views: 162 ⚡AMP
by John Vaselyne

Beatrice Chebet ready to star in Seville

The Cross Internacional de Itálica in Santiponce on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Seville – the fourth Gold standard meeting in the current World Athletics Cross Country Tour – always boasts a mouth-watering line-up, and this year’s race on Sunday (12) is no exception.

Entries for the women’s race, contested over 9.9km, are headed by Kenya’s world cross-country and 5km champion Beatrice Chebet. The 23-year-old triumphed in Atapuerca two weeks ago and will be looking for her first victory here after her runner-up place in 2020 and a third place the following year.

The world 5000m bronze medalist will be joined by her compatriot Edinah Jebitok, who was eighth at the World Cross in Bathurst and third in Atapuerca. The 1500m specialist was also a clear winner in San Sebastian last weekend.

World U20 cross-country champion Senayet Getachew and fellow Ethiopian Wede Kefale – who was 15th in the senior women’s race at this year’s World Cross – will also be in contention for a podium place.

Uganda's Anne Chelangat, 13th at the World Cross and third last week in San Sebastián, is another strong contender.

World and Olympic finalist Nadia Battocletti will be racing in Santiponce for the first time. She recently placed fifth in the 5km at the World Road Running Championships in Riga, finishing just 10 seconds shy of Chebet, so will be trying her best to stay in contention with the Kenyan on Sunday.

The line-up also includes Spanish steeplechasers Irene Sánchez-Escribano and Carolina Robles plus European U20 cross-country champion María Forero and Britain's Amelia Quirk, who was 25th in Bathurst.

The men’s 9.9km contest looks set to be a three-way battle between the Kenyan pair of Ronald Kwemoi and Ishmael Kipkurui plus Burundi's Rodrigue Kwizera.

The 28-year-old Kwemoi will compete for the third consecutive time on Spanish ground after his runner-up spot in Atapuerca two weeks ago and a narrow win over Kipkurui last Sunday in San Sebastián. On that occasion, world U20 cross-country champion Kipkurui pushed hard for most of the race but he couldn't avoid being overtaken by world U20 1500m record-holder Kwemoi in a thrilling sprint finish with the two men being separated by one second.

Their Kenyan compatriot Hillary Chepkwoni, fresh from a huge PB of 58:53 at the Valencia Half Marathon three weeks ago, will also be on the start line.

Kwizera, co-winner of the 2022-2023 World Cross Country Tour, finished eighth at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst at the start of 2023. More recently he placed third in Atapuerca where he was beaten by Kwemoi over the closing stages but grabbed an easy victory last weekend in his Spanish base of Castellón at a low-key cross country race.

Eritrea’s Aron Kifle, the 2018 world half marathon bronze medalist, will be making his 2023 cross country debut on Sunday. He’ll be joined by compatriot Merhawi Mebrahtu, the world U20 5000m silver medalist, who finished second in Amorebieta and ninth in Atapuerca the following week.

Uganda’s 2022 world 5000m bronze medalist Oscar Chelimo, who recently finished third in San Sebastian, will contend for a top-five finish on Sunday. The 21-year-old will be joined by his compatriot Martin Kiprotich, who finished 18th at the World Cross in Bathurst.

The Spanish contingent will be headed by Mohamed Katir. The world 5000m silver medalist has been training in the altitude of Sierra Nevada since mid-October and will be back there right after the race for another week. He has planned a quiet cross-country campaign with only a few appearances.

Other Spaniards in the line-up include the in-form Abdessamad Oukhelfen, who was fourth in San Sebastian behind Chelimo, 2017 European cross-country silver medalist Adel Mechaal and national silver medalist Sergio Paniagua.

Adrian Ben, who finished fourth over 800m at this year’s World Championships, could also be in contention. The 25-year-old was a 1500m specialist at the beginning of his career and there's talk of a potential move back up in distance ahead of the Paris Olympics. Ben is fresh from a cross country victory over 5km in his native Lugo last Sunday when he defeated steeplechaser Víctor Ruiz.

Other noteworthy middle-distance specialists in the line-up include European U20 1500m and 5000m champion Niels Laros of the Netherlands and Britain's newly-minted world mile silver medalist Callum Elson.

Famous previous winners in Santiponce include Kenenisa Bekele (2003, 2004 and 2007), Fernando Mamede (1984 and 1985), Paul Kipkoech (1987 and 1988), Paul Tergat (1998 and 1999), Moses Kipsiro (2008 and 2009), Leonard Komon (2010 and 2011), Linet Masai (2010 and 2012) and Paula Radcliffe (2001), among others.

Weather forecasters predict a sunny and windless day with temperatures in the 20-22C range by the time of the event.

(11/10/2023) Views: 340 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Lessons from the long run: with Kipyegon, Kipchoge and Sang

The long run, for elite and amateurs alike, forms an integral part of distance runners’ training.

In the west of Kenya, 20km to the south-east of Eldoret, that weekly ritual takes place early on a Thursday morning.

At 6am sharp the first runners make their way out of the gates of the Global Sports Communications Camp in Kaptagat to join some local runners who will try to keep them company.

In the pitch-black late June morning, the runners have already woken up half an hour or so before to get dressed, take some sips of water and go to the toilet.

The 30 or so athletes do not eat beforehand. They have determined that there are benefits to running fasted, the most prominent being training your body to get better accustomed to taking energy from your body’s fat reserves, something that may be important when carbohydrates sources are depleted towards the end of a marathon.

Of course, these are experienced athletes. For the double Olympic champion making his way to the group, he has spent 20 years building up and adapting his body to such challenges.

What is possible for Eliud Kipchoge would be simply unsustainable, and even ill-advised, for athletes new to the sport.

This particular morning, coach Patrick Sang has assigned the ‘Boston loop’ – an undulating route with far more elevation than its namesake marathon, eventually finishing high on the escarpment a few hundred meters higher than the 2200m starting elevation at Kaptagat.

For the Global Sports group, it is simply 40km straight out; the minibuses and pick-up trucks following them picking them up after to drive them home.

Most of Sang’s athletes training for an autumn marathon are expected to complete the full distance, among them three-time world cross-country champion Geoffrey Kamworor, fellow 2:04 marathon-man Kaan Kigen Özbilen, Kipchoge and a collection of five others all boasting either sub-60-minute half marathon or sub-2:07 marathon bests.

World and Olympic medalist Linet Masai and 2:20 marathon runner Selly Chepyego, setting off 15 minutes beforehand, have also been set that distance goal.

For world and Olympic champion and multiple world record-holder Faith Kipyegon, today’s task is 30km. Despite being on the longer end of what might be expected from a 1500m runner, Kipyegon is insistent that this run is her favorite type of training.

It may also be some indication of the strength shown in her 5000m world record in Paris.

Sang’s final instructions are minimal. He does not prescribe paces, simply asking that his athletes set an honest pace, go on how they feel and try if possible to pick up the pace towards the end of their run.

The early footsteps are on a dirt road, the group paying attention to where their marathon-specific shoes land and running in silence. Information about tree routes or dips in the road is often communicated via hand signals pointing to the hazard.

From the off, the going is uphill and within 10km the group is receiving the first of their carbohydrate drinks being passed from the pick-up truck following them.

After 15km the group hits the first of the tarmac roads of the C51 and the pace then starts to rise, slowly and subtly.

As they do, they gradually catch the groups ahead of them.

Geoffrey Kirui, the 2017 world marathon champion, has been told to run by himself as he is returning from an injury. Sang has intentionally encouraged Kirui not to fall into the usual pitfalls of over-exerting himself to go with a group.

Likewise Daniel Mateiko – the ninth fastest half-marathon runner in history, boasting a 58:26 best – was told to set off a few minutes before and will then join the group up to about the 35km marker. Still only 24 years of age and racing over a shorter distance, Mateiko’s training has its own minimal differences with the shorter-distance athletes generally doing shorter long runs.

Throughout the run, Sang will come alongside in the pick-up, judging his athletes’ efforts from the way they run. He later tells us he can notice minor indications from the way they land their feet on whether recent training has taken its toll.

Little advice is given; those he coaches have done this route many times before. More welcome instead are the drinks passed around every 5km or so. The group stays intact for almost 30km before it slowly fragments, Sang encouraging his athletes to sustainably push their effort over the final kilometers.

Kipyegon herself is nearing the end of her run, gradually progressing throughout the 30km but not pushing herself to the point of depletion.

Unfortunately for her, the moment her watch completes the distance, a few minutes over two hours after she began, is almost the highest point the group will reach that day.

She stops, jogs slowly for a few hundred meters before jumping in the van.

About a litre of carbohydrate drinks consumed after her run, she will not eat until an hour or so later when the whole group returns to the camp.

A long line of runners scattered along the road has yielded to a few isolated pockets completing the full distance and the leading group has whittled down to four.

Though interspersed with steady rises, the final five kilometers are slightly downhill. Kipchoge, Özbilen, Laban Korir and Hillary Kipchirchir run four abreast, completing these last kilometers in a few seconds inside 15 minutes.

Two hours 22 minutes after they started, they finish their undulating 40km with over 500m of elevation at a pace about 30 minutes slower than their best marathon times. It is an effort they might refer to as ‘steady’ and one in the midst of a typical 220km training week.

Like Kipyegon, they consume about a litre of drink as they get in the vans and make the 40-minute journey home, eating a nutritionally simple meal of beans, ugali, vegetables and some protein upon their return.

Their reward? A rare afternoon without another run, some sleep and a lighter Friday of two short easy runs.

A similar routine in a different setting to runners throughout the world, there are morsels of lessons for the everyday runner.

Progress sustainably, hydrate appropriately and perhaps trust your effort over your watch.

(10/09/2023) Views: 440 ⚡AMP
by George Mallett for World Athletics

Kenya’s Samwel Mailu smashed the course record at the Vienna City Marathon

Kenya’s Samwel Mailu smashed the nine-year-old course record of the Vienna City Marathon, running 2:05:08 at the World Athletics Elite Label road race on Sunday (23).

Despite warm conditions during the second half of the race, the 30-year-old was 33 seconds quicker than the former course record-holder GetuFeleke of Ethiopia, who clocked 2:05:41 in 2014. Mailu’s compatriots BethwelYegon and Titus Kimutai followed with 2:06:57 and 2:07:46 in second and third, respectively.

There was a Kenyan double as Magdalyne Masai won the women’s race in 2:24:12 from Agnes Keino, who ran 2:24:25. Ethiopia’s GadiseMulu was third with 2:24:50.

With temperatures climbing to around 20°C in unexpectedly sunny conditions during the second half of the jubilee race, the men’s leading group ran a consistently fast pace. After a 29:43 10km split, a group of 11 runners including three pacemakers reached halfway in 62:43.

The pace continued to be fast and the group then partly broke up between 26km and 28km in the Prater Park, where EliudKipchoge broke the two-hour barrier in 2019.

There were still six runners in contention when the leaders reached 30km in 1:29:13 and it was an all-Kenyan affair: Yegon, Mailu, Kimutai, Joshua Kogo, Bernard Chepkwony and debutant Elvis Cheboi. The latter two then lost contact, while Mailu started to pull away.

Between 32-33km he had a lead of around 10 meters over Kimutai and another 15 meters over Yegon. While these gaps grew considerably in the final five kilometers, Yegon was able to overtake Kimutai for second place.

But there was no way of catching Mailu, who ran an unexpected marathon debut in Frankfurt last year. He was a pacemaker but then continued to run and finished second with 2:07:19.

“The race in Frankfurt gave me a lot of motivation,” he said. “For me, today was kind of another marathon debut. This was my biggest career win.”

In contrast, the women never really started the planned attack on the course record. With slower split times than expected, there were initially 11 runners in the first group. Once the pace picked up a bit the group was reduced to seven at the 10km mark (33:48). Six women then reached halfway in 72:04: Kenyans ViselineJepkesho, Masai, RebeccaTanui and Keino as well as Ethiopians Mulu and NuritShimels. Tanui and Shimels were then dropped while the other four passed the 30km mark in 1:41:58.

With little over seven kilometers to go, Keino made a move in the Prater Park. The winner of last year’s Munich Marathon was around 15 meters ahead of Masai, but she could not increase her advantage. Instead, Masai responded and overtook her Kenyan rival soon afterwards.

“It was a perfect race for me,” said Masai, who is the younger sister of 2009 world 10,000m champion Linet Masai and 2009 world 10,000m bronze medalist Moses Masai. “I ran well and had some energy left for the last couple of kilometers. I have prepared for the Vienna City Marathon since January. I am very happy to have won, but I would have like to run a bit faster than 2:24.”

(04/24/2023) Views: 559 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Kiplimo, Waithaka and Chemutai are ready to run well in Seville

The Cross Internacional de Itálica in Santiponce on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Seville – the sixth Gold standard meeting in the current World Athletics Cross Country Tour – always boasts a mouth-watering line-up, and this year’s race on Sunday (20) is no exception.

The men’s 10.1km contest features world silver and bronze 10,000m medalists Stanley Waithaka of Kenya and Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda. The latter, who turned 22 earlier this week, is also the world cross-country silver medalist and already won here in 2019.

Kiplimo boasts an impressive 26:33.93 PB for 10,000m and enjoyed a fantastic summer season this year, winning double gold at the Commonwealth Games just a few weeks after his bronze medal at the World Championships. His last appearance came at the Great North Run in Newcastle a couple of months ago where he won against a strong field.

Waithaka finished seven hundredths of a second ahead of Kiplimo in Oregon to take his first senior global medal.

But they will face stiff opposition from the first four finishers at last weekend’s Cross Country Tour race in Atapuerca in the form of ThierryNdikumwenayo, Kenya's Levy Kibet, Burundi’s RodrigueKwizera and Eritrea's MerhawiMebrahtu.

After living in the country for eight years, Ndikumwenayo was granted Spanish nationality 10 days ago, but the 25-year-old from Burundi is not yet eligible to represent Spain in international events. He proved to be in stellar form in Atapuerca and will aim to maintain that momentum on Sunday while his closest opponent there, Kibet, will be eager to confirm his runner-up place ahead of Kwizera was no fluke.

Defending champion Kwizera reportedly resumed training for this cross-country season a bit later than usual after spending some weeks in his native Burundi for family matters, but the 22-year-old is rounding into form and he should be in contention for a podium place once again. Meanwhile teenager Mebrahtu, the world U20 5000m silver medalist, will also be a contender after his recent top-four finishes in Soria and Atapuerca.

Spanish hopes rest mainly on the in-form NassimHassaous, a top-10 finisher in all his appearances so far this cross country campaign.

Entries for the women’s race, also contested over 10.1km, are headed by Uganda's Olympic steeplechase champion PeruthChemutai. Illness prevented the 23-year-old from competing in Atapuerca last weekend, but she now seems fully recovered and ready for her first outing since taking bronze at the Commonwealth Games in August.

Despite the longer than usual distance, Kenya's 2021 world U20 1500m champion Purity Chepkirui should play a key role on Sunday following her overwhelming win in San Sebastián two weeks ago and her runner-up finish in Atapuerca last Sunday.

She will be joined by her fellow Kenyan Nancy Jepleting, winner in Zaragoza last month, while Ethiopia will be represented by MeseluBerhe, runner-up in San Sebastián and seventh in Atapuerca.

Turkey's four-time European cross-country champion Yasemin Can is also entered, as is Portugal's 2019 European U20 3000m silver medalist Mariana Machado, and Spain’s Isabel Barreiro, who finished just six seconds behind Can last weekend.

Previous winners in Santiponce include KenenisaBekele (2003, 2004 and 2007), Fernando Mamede (1984 and 1985), Paul Kipkoech (1987 and 1988), Paul Tergat (1998 and 1999), Moses Kipsiro (2008 and 2009), Leonard Komon (2010 and 2011), Linet Masai (2010 and 2012) and Paula Radcliffe (2001), among others.

Weather forecasters predict a sunny day and temperatures in the 16-18C range by the time of the event.

(11/18/2022) Views: 694 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Top fields gather for Cross Internacional de Italica

The Cross Internacional de Italica in Santiponce on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Seville – the fifth Gold standard meeting in the current World Athletics Cross Country Tour – always boasts a mouth-watering line-up, and this year’s race on Sunday (21) is no exception.

The men’s 10,092m contest features one of the most promising distance runners, Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku, who was the last victor here in January 2020. The 19-year-old is the current world U20 cross country and 3000m champion, has recently shown impressive form with a 26:56 clocking at a 10km road race in Herzogenaurach and should be tipped as one of the favourites. He will be joined by his fellow Ethiopian Nibret Melak, a 12:54.22 5000m performer this year.

They will face stiff opposition from the whole Atapuerca podium, as Eritrea’s Aron Kifle, Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera and Uganda’s Joel Ayeko will also be in contention. The latter’s compatriot Thomas Ayeko, Burundi’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Eritrea’s Yemane Hailesilassie should also rank in the top 10 on Sunday.

Spanish hopes rest on the European U23 cross country bronze medallist Abdessamad Oukhelfen. The 22-year-old has proven to be in fine form at this early stage of the season, with third and fifth-place finishes in San Sebastian and Atapuerca respectively. Watch out too for Carlos Mayo, who also made the top 10 in Atapuerca and will be aiming to match that feat here.

Eritrea’s Rahel Daniel Ghebreneyohannes managed an upset victory in Atapuerca last weekend, defeating a mighty Kenyan armada featuring Beatrice Chebet, Margaret Chelimo and Norah Jeruto who were second, third and fourth-place finishers respectively there following a tight and intriguing finish. The four of them will clash again over 7910m on Sunday and the battle for the win promises to be epic.

Reportedly, the unheralded Eritrean competed in Atapuerca wearing two right shoes, but despite that disadvantage she got the better of a world-class line-up and will be eager to prove her victory was no fluke.

Daniel’s top performance is a 14:55.56 5000m clocking from Hengelo last June, but she couldn’t advance to the final at the Tokyo Olympics. Meanwhile, the Kenyan triumvirate holds impressive backgrounds. While Chelimo is the reigning world 5000m silver medallist and defends her victory in Santiponce last year, Jeruto boasts the third fastest ever time in the 3000m steeplechase thanks to a 8:53.65 performance. As for Chebet, the 2018 world U20 5000m champion was runner-up behind Chelimo in 2020 and narrowly beat Chelimo and Jeruto in Atapuerca.

Another Kenyan, Eva Cherono, was eighth at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships and will make her second outing this autumn after a winning 19:17 clocking over four miles in Groningen last month.

To add more quality to Sunday’s field, organisers also announced the late addition of Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi. The 26-year-old came sixth at the Tokyo Olympics over 5000m and bettered her lifetime best for the distance to an impressive 14:15.24 this season. Teferi will be aiming to regain her 2017 win here and seems ready to do so after her 14:29 overwhelming victory and outright women's world 5km record of 14:29 in Herzogenaurach in September.

The most remarkable Europeans on show will be Turkey’s Yasemin Can and Italy’s Nadia Battocletti; the former having claimed four consecutive European cross country titles and the latter having finished just outside the top 10 in Atapuerca.

Previous winners in Santiponce include Kenenisa Bekele (2003, 2004 and 2007), Fernando Mamede (1984 and 1985), Paul Kipkoech (1987 and 1988), Paul Tergat (1998 and 1999), Moses Kipsiro (2008 and 2009), Leonard Komon (2010 and 2011), Linet Masai (2010 and 2012) and Paula Radcliffe (2001), among others.

Weather forecasters predict a rainy day and a temperature of 18ºC by the time of the event.

(11/21/2021) Views: 829 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Top fields gather for Cross Internacional de Italica

The Cross Internacional de Italica in Santiponce on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Seville – the fifth Gold standard meeting in the current World Athletics Cross Country Tour – always boasts a mouth-watering line-up, and this year’s race on Sunday (21) is no exception.

The men’s 10,092m contest features one of the most promising distance runners, Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku, who was the last victor here in January 2020. The 19-year-old is the current world U20 cross country and 3000m champion, has recently shown impressive form with a 26:56 clocking at a 10km road race in Herzogenaurach and should be tipped as one of the favorites. He will be joined by his fellow Ethiopian Nibret Melak, a 12:54.22 5000m performer this year.

They will face stiff opposition from the whole Atapuerca podium, as Eritrea’s Aron Kifle, Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera and Uganda’s Joel Ayeko will also be in contention. The latter’s compatriot Thomas Ayeko, Burundi’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Eritrea’s Yemane Hailesilassie should also rank in the top 10 on Sunday.

Spanish hopes rest on the European U23 cross country bronze medalist Abdessamad Oukhelfen. The 22-year-old has proven to be in fine form at this early stage of the season, with third and fifth-place finishes in San Sebastian and Atapuerca respectively. Watch out too for Carlos Mayo, who also made the top 10 in Atapuerca and will be aiming to match that feat here.

Eritrea’s Rahel Daniel Ghebreneyohannes managed an upset victory in Atapuerca last weekend, defeating a mighty Kenyan armada featuring Beatrice Chebet, Margaret Chelimo and Norah Jeruto who were second, third and fourth-place finishers respectively there following a tight and intriguing finish. The four of them will clash again over 7910m on Sunday and the battle for the win promises to be epic.

Reportedly, the unheralded Eritrean competed in Atapuerca wearing two right shoes, but despite that disadvantage she got the better of a world-class line-up and will be eager to prove her victory was no fluke.

Daniel’s top performance is a 14:55.56 5000m clocking from Hengelo last June, but she couldn’t advance to the final at the Tokyo Olympics. Meanwhile, the Kenyan triumvirate holds impressive backgrounds. While Chelimo is the reigning world 5000m silver medalist and defends her victory in Santiponce last year, Jeruto boasts the third fastest ever time in the 3000m steeplechase thanks to a 8:53.65 performance. As for Chebet, the 2018 world U20 5000m champion was runner-up behind Chelimo in 2020 and narrowly beat Chelimo and Jeruto in Atapuerca.

Another Kenyan, Eva Cherono, was eighth at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships and will make her second outing this autumn after a winning 19:17 clocking over four miles in Groningen last month.

To add more quality to Sunday’s field, organisers also announced the late addition of Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi. The 26-year-old came sixth at the Tokyo Olympics over 5000m and bettered her lifetime best for the distance to an impressive 14:15.24 this season. Teferi will be aiming to regain her 2017 win here and seems ready to do so after her 14:29 overwhelming victory and outright women's world 5km record of 14:29 in Herzogenaurach in September.

The most remarkable Europeans on show will be Turkey’s Yasemin Can and Italy’s Nadia Battocletti; the former having claimed four consecutive European cross country titles and the latter having finished just outside the top 10 in Atapuerca.

Previous winners in Santiponce include Kenenisa Bekele (2003, 2004 and 2007), Fernando Mamede (1984 and 1985), Paul Kipkoech (1987 and 1988), Paul Tergat (1998 and 1999), Moses Kipsiro (2008 and 2009), Leonard Komon (2010 and 2011), Linet Masai (2010 and 2012) and Paula Radcliffe (2001), among others.

Weather forecasters predict a rainy day and a temperature of 18ºC by the time of the event.

(11/19/2021) Views: 1,235 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Toronto Marathon champion Magdalyne Masai has set her eyes on running the Boston Marathon

The 26-year-old has only run three marathons and though she has little hope of making the Kenya team to the Tokyo Olympics, she will not pass the chance to have a dry run in March in the Japanese capital should organizers of the city marathon invite her.

However, it is the challenge of Boston Marathon that Magdalyne Masai, a former world cross country bronze medalist, is keen to conquer in 2020.

"My management has not got the invitation yet. But it will be a great step if I get a chance to fight against the best in Boston and gain the experience it comes with," Masai said on Monday.

The younger sister of former World 10,000m champion Linet Masai won silver at the Hamburg Marathon last year against a strong challenge from the Ethiopians and is also the winner from Hefei Marathon, in China.

"China was my first debut in marathon and I loved it because I went on to win in Hefei. It gave me the stage to showcase my talent in marathon and since then, I have been improving. Now I am ready for the big-city marathon and Boston looks a great place to run," she said.

Magdalene said out of the three marathons she has competed, Toronto remains her favorite.

"I know people will talk of London, Chicago, New York, Boston, Tokyo and Berlin but I prefer to start in Boston because of the magical experience people talk about. I want to experience it first hand," she noted.

Masai credits her elder brother Moses Masai, who is currently battling a career-threatening ankle injury, for motivating her to take up running. Though her sister Linet has played a part in her career, Magdalyne feels Moses is the cornerstone in the short marathon rise she has experienced.

"Moses always asked me to go for it. There is also former Commonwealth marathon champion Flomena Cheyech and former track star Sylvia Kibet who have helped me a lot," she added.

In 2016 she changed from the track to the road races with a debut at Ostia Half Marathon clocking 67:30. A year later she was fourth at the South Shields Great North Run in England clocking 1:10:39. She has also run in Lisbon (Portugal) and Belfort (France).

However, it was in Hefei in China that she launched her career in the marathon, and she won against a strong challenge clocking 2:28:20. And from China, Masai now targets to conquer the world.

"The Tokyo Olympics are coming a little bit earlier and I may not have the experience to be considered. But I want to represent Kenya in next Olympics," she added. Enditem

(01/07/2020) Views: 1,514 ⚡AMP

Kenya’s Linet Masai and Ethiopia’s Solomon Deksisa are running the TCS Amsterdam Marathon hoping to claim victory on Sunday

Deksisa clocked 2:04:40 to finish third in the Dutch city last year and placed third, finishing just 34 seconds behind Lawrence Cherono, who set a course record of 2:04:06. “The course is completely flat and I am really looking forward to it,” Deksisa said at the pre-race press conference.

Fellow Kenyans Elisha Rotich and Vincent Kipchumba head to Amsterdam off the back of PBs earlier this year. Rotich ran 2:06:12 in Seoul, while Kipchumba won in Vienna in 2:06:56.

Following the withdrawal of Ayele Abshero, who contracted food poisoning this week, Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands has been added to the field. This year the 30-year-old has set Dutch records of 2:06:17 for the marathon and 1:00:24 for the half marathon. Nageeye, who trains alongside Eliud Kipchoge, also clocked 59:55 at the Great North Run, a course not eligible for record purposes.

“If you can keep up with him (Kipchoge) during the training sessions, you know that you have become a better athlete,” said Nageeye, “and you can believe that you will also go faster and faster in competitions.”

The lead pack will be paced through the half-way point in 1:02:30 with the aim of finishing in about 2:05:00.

Masai, the 2009 world 10,000m champion, set her PB of 2:23:46 to finish fifth in Amsterdam last year. Following a 1:07:44 run at the Great North Run, she returns to Amsterdam this year with one eye on the course record of 2:21:09, set by Meseret Hailu Debele in 2012.

Bahrain’s Mimi Belete is another former track specialist who has turned to the marathon in recent years. Her PB of 2:22:29, set when winning in Toronto last year, makes her the fastest woman in the field.

Azmera Gebru, who finished third in Amsterdam last year and improved her PB to 2:22:52 earlier this year in Paris, leads a strong Ethiopian contingent. She’ll be joined by 2018 Amsterdam runner-up Shasho Insermu and Guteni Shone, who have respective PBs of 2:23:28 and 2:23:32

The weather forecast for Sunday morning is good: dry with temperatures between 10-12C and a light breeze from the south.

(10/18/2019) Views: 1,901 ⚡AMP
by IAAF

Can Ethiopian runner Tadelech Bekele win the TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday October 20 for the third time

The Ethiopian runner already made history in Amsterdam by convincingly winning the last two events. A third victory would be even more significant if she breaks the course record of 2.21.09. Former world-champion Linet Masai is a formidable opponent for Bekele. The Kenyan is also in the race to win the fast autumn marathon in Amsterdam.

After achieving fantastic times in the half marathon (1.08.38) and the 10 km (30.38), Tadelech Bekele made her debut in the Berlin marathon in 2014. She put in a stunning performance over the classic distance, with a time of 2.23.02.

The 28-year old athlete from The NN Running Team then gradually upped her pace in the marathon and achieved her PB in 2018. That same year, the Ethiopian was third in the London Marathon with a personal record of 2.21.40; she then went onto win in Amsterdam.

Organiser Le Champion has a former world-champion on the start line, in the shape of Linet Masai. In 2009, Masai was 10,000 m world champion. As a junior over this distance, the Kenyan was third at the Olympic Games in 2008 in Beijing (only awarded in 2017). She is also a class apart on the roads. In 2009 and 2014, she won the Dam tot Damloop and ran the half marathon in 1.08.50.

After having a baby, she decided to make her debut in the marathon last year. In a strong field in the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, she was fifth with a time of 2.23.46. In Amsterdam, we are all looking forward to the return of this fast Kenyan runner.

(10/04/2019) Views: 1,702 ⚡AMP

Brigid Kosgei breaks half marathon world best time clocking 1:04:28 at Great North Run as Mo Farah wins sixth title finishing in 59:06

Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei has broken the world half marathon record at the Great North Run, finishing in a time of 1hr 04min 28sec. Kenya’s women filled the top four places, but Kosgei finished more than three minutes ahead of the second-placed Magdalyne Masai (1:07:36), with Linet Masai third and the three-times winner Mary Keitany fourth.

Being that the course is point to point and slightly down hill the time will not qualify for an official world record.  

Britain’s Charlotte Purdue finished fifth in 1:08:10 and will be buoyed by her form as she prepares for the World Athletics Championships in Doha later this month.

Sir Mo Farah won the men’s elite race for a record sixth successive year. The four-times Olympic track gold medallist was pushed hard by Tamirat Tola but the 36-year-old proved too strong for the Ethiopian in the final mile, to finish the 13.1-mile half marathon course in 59:06.

Tola, 7sec behind Farah, crossed the line 42sec ahead of the third-placed Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands, with Britain’s Callum Hawkins coming home fourth in 1:00:39.

British men finished first and third in the men’s wheelchair race as David Weir came home first in 43:31 ahead of the Canadian Brent Lakatos (43:36) and Simon Lawson (45:58).

In the women’s wheelchair race, Jade Hall triumphed in 50:15 ahead of her fellow Briton Shelly Woods (51:41) and the third-placed Pole Martyna Snopek (1:06:38).

(09/08/2019) Views: 2,697 ⚡AMP

Kenyans Mary Keitany and Brigid Kosgei will clash on the streets of Newcastle, U.K. in the Great North Run on Sunday

The two last met in London in April, with Kosgei snatching the gold medal in dominant style heralding a changing of the guard from the aging Keitany to the new girl on the bloc.

But the veteran Keitany will seek another chance to prove she is no spent force in their big clash over the half marathon distance in Newcastle, in a race won last year by Vivian Cheruiyot with Kosgei coming in second.

Keitany is preparing for the defense of her New York Marathon title on November 3, while Kosgei will be putting her Chicago Marathon gold on the line on October 13.

"Another chance to gauge my preparations for Chicago Marathon. I will be running in Newcastle," said Kosgei on Wednesday.

Keitany has a PB of 64:55 for the half marathon, whereas Kosgei clocked a best of 65:28 for the 13.1 mile-distance earlier this year.

2009 world 10,000m champion Linet Masai, together with her younger sister Magdalyne Masai, will also bolster the Kenyan presence in Newcastle.

The leading locals in the women's race at the Great North Run are Charlotte Purdue and Steph Twell.

In the men's race, Britain's Mo Farah will face opposition from Ethiopia's world marathon silver medalist Tamirat Tola, world fourth-placer Callum Hawkins and training partner Bashir Abdi.

There is big British interest in the event, with Purdue using the race as part of her build up to this year's World Marathon Championships in Doha.

(09/05/2019) Views: 1,837 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson’s wife Magdalyne Masai wants to be in the top three at Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Magdalyne Masai’s performance at the Hamburg Marathon on 28 April earned her praise from around the world given that she had run a personal best of 2:26:04 and finished second in the highly competitive race.

Moreover, it earned her an invitation to this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on 20 October.

She will arrive in Canada’s largest city privy to useful knowledge of the city and the race as her husband, Jake Robertson of New Zealand, finished fifth here a year ago.

“I want to get a personal best and finish in the top three,” she said, speaking during a video call from her home in Iten, Kenya. “That is my aim. I want to be in top three. I think 2:23 or 2:22 is within reach.”

That would challenge the ‘family record’ held by her elder sister, Linet Masai, who ran 2:23:46 In her debut last year in Amsterdam.

‘Magz’, as she is affectionately known, comes from a family of runners. Linet was the 2009 world 10,000m champion while the eldest of the 10 Masai kids, Moses Masai, was the 10,000m bronze medalist at those same championships in Berlin. Another brother, Dennis Masai, won the 2010 World Junior Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick. A younger brother, Alex Masai, is currently running for Hofstra University in New York State.

It’s not difficult to see where her influences came from as she grew up in the Rift Valley of western Kenya where the altitude is roughly 2,500m above sea level.

“We moved a lot,” she says of her upbringing. “I was born in Mt. Elgon forest. After some point we moved to Kapsogom. Currently my parents are in Trans Nzoia district.

“I met Jake in Iten because my sister Linet was staying in Iten. I had come to start training in Iten as well and was staying with her.”

Robertson and his twin brother, Zane, had arrived in Kenya as teenagers fresh out of high school. Their intention was to live and train like the Kenyan runners they admired. He and Magdalyne fell in love and, after a six-year relationship, he famously proposed at the finish line of the 2017 Great North Run. Moments before, he had finished second to Olympic champion Mo Farah and Magdalyne finished fourth in the elite women’s race.

“So far in my training not only am I looking at time but also how I am feeling,” she explains. “Mostly I judge myself when we do long intervals on the roads. We run 4km at about 3:30 (per kilometre) pace. Then for one kilometre easier at 4:00 pace. We do that five times. If I finish that feeling like I can continue that’s when I know I am feeling good and ready to go." 

Magdalyne Masai may not have the fastest time among the elite women who will toe the line on 20 October, but she certainly will be prepared to run with the leaders. And nobody could be prouder than Jake Robertson if she achieves her goal of a top three finish.

(07/26/2019) Views: 2,854 ⚡AMP
by iaaf

Olympic silver medalist Hellen Obiri is targeting qualification times to enable her to chase double gold at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in October

Obiri confirmed on Friday that with a conducive program in Doha, she will try her luck in both 5,000m and the 10,000m races.

However, there is a small matter of qualifying in the 10,000m distance to confirm her slot in the Kenya team.

"I have shaken off the bruises from my fall in Stockholm and am back in good shape despite not running well at the Prefontaine Classic in California, USA, last Sunday," said Obiri on Friday in Nairobi.

The Africa champion in 5,000m says London leg of the Diamond League in two weeks' time will offer her a best chance to clinch the qualifying times.

"I will be running and looking for qualifying time in 5,000m at the London Diamond League on July 20-21 after the Stockholm mishap," she said.

On Thursday she won in the Kenya Defence Forces championships clocking 31:43.

On May 20, Obiri endured torrid time in Stockholm as she fell hard and eventually finished 12th in the 5,000m.

However, she will have to be wary of world half marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei who was second to her in Nairobi.

Jepkosgei said she has shelved her marathon plans to focus on making Kenya team for the World Championships. Others are Agnes Tirop, Pauline Korikwiang, former World Champion Linet Masai and Commonwealth 10,000m champion Stella Chesang.

"The focus is always on getting in the best shape and going for the gold. But I have not competed in the 10,000m for a while and that is why I want to test and see how my performance will be in London and then I will decide," said Obiri.

As the defending champion Obiri has an automatic ticket for the 5,000m race. However, she must hit the qualifying mark in the 10,000m race and be among the top two at the Kenyan trials later in July.

(07/05/2019) Views: 1,783 ⚡AMP

Reigning London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot is focusing on defending her title at 2019 London Marathon

Reigning London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot is not focusing on breaking the world record when she returns to the 2019 London course on April 28.

Cheruiyot, popularly known as ‘Pocket Rocket’, will be lining up in the streets of London for a third consecutive year but this time round she will be defending the title she clinched in 2018.

The Olympic Champion clocked 2:18:31 beating the three-time London Marathon champion and her close ally Mary Keitany en route to clinching the title and the duo are set to face off again in this year’s event.

The 35-year-old however says that focus is on retaining the crown but not setting a record and would not be focussing on her competitors.

“I will be running against anybody. I will be competing as Vivian and so I don’t know what my competitors are planning, maybe they want to break the world record but for me I hope to run good race,” Cheruiyot, known for her trade mark infectious smile told Citizen Digital.

Having beaten Keitany to the title last year, Cheruiyot said they might be rivals on the road but enjoys a warm relationship with the New York Marathon champion.

“In athletics we are also friends, only that if I win then that is my time and if Mary wins it’s her time because this is sports,” explained Cheruiyot.

This year’s race is set to be as competitive as ever with the winners of the last four Abbott World Marathon Majors set to line up in London on Sunday.

The duo is set to face off against Chicago Marathon champion Brigid Kosgei and the Berlin Marathon champion Gladys Cherono.

Also, in the mix is another Kenyan, Linet Masai, who will be making her debut.

Cherono, Kosgei and Keitany top the current Abbott World Marathon Majors Series XII rankings with 25 points apiece from their wins in Berlin, Chicago and New York.

Meanwhile, three-time Olympic champion who finished second in London and won Chicago in 2017, Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba, has pulled out of the Sunday’s race as she is expecting her second- born child thus leaving her compatriots Tadelech Bekele, who finished third in London last year and the 21-year- old Roza Dereje, second in Chicago, and winner of the Dubai Marathon in 2018 to lead the assault for Ethiopia.

(04/22/2019) Views: 1,992 ⚡AMP
by Gilbert Kiprotich

Beijing Olympics 10,000m bronze medalist Linet Masai will make her debut in London marathon on April 28

Former world 10,000m champion and Beijing Olympic bronze medalist, Linet Masai on Tuesday warned her rivals not to rule her out when she makes her debut in London marathon on April 28.

The 29-year-old, who has battled with poor form, injuries and maternity leave, will be seeking to make a statement when she runs in London with her eyes firmly on representing Kenya at the World Championships in Qatar later in the year.

It is by no chance that she chose to return to top flight marathon in London where she will be up against her nemesis including defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot, New York City marathon winner Mary Keitany, Berlin Marathon champion Gladys Cherono, Chicago Marathon gold medalist Brigid Kosgei and Berlin marathon bronze medalist Tirunesh Dibaba.

All the five have run under two hours and 20 minutes in marathon, not once but on several occasions.

"Getting an invite to compete in London is not easy. I am happy to have been considered because it is one of the biggest marathons in the world with a very fast course. Furthermore, it is special to me since I will be participating for the first time," said Masai in Nairobi.

It will be Masai's second marathon after she made her debut last year in Amsterdam where she clocked an impressive 2:23:46.

But the fast time will count for less when she faces her rivals, who have superior records and fast time over the distance.

"I lost two years of no competition between 2016 and 2018. But I have returned strong and will be out to reclaim my spot in the global ranking," said Masai.

To prepare well, Masai said that she will compete in a half marathon in March to gauge her speed and endurance. But for the time being she is happy to immerse herself in training in Kaptagat, Eldoret.

(01/23/2019) Views: 2,326 ⚡AMP

Former world champions Linet Masai and Ezekiel Kemboi of Kenya plan to break into the marathon elite runners after retiring from the track competition

Masai, a former World 10,000m champion, will reignites her rivalry with former Olympic champion Meseret Defar at the Amsterdam marathon in Netherlands in Oct. 21. Masai has not been active for the last two years since her baby was born.  "I am ready for the marathon," she said. "My management has been able to get me a race in Amsterdam and I want to see how my body will react to it. I have hopes of doing well, but am also not certain how it will go. It is my first marathon race." In Amsterdam, Masai will face twice Olympic 5,000m champion Meseret Defar, with whom they have dueled a lot on the track and at the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa. Both Masai and Defar will be making their marathon debut in Amsterdam on Oct. 21.  The Ethiopian has run several half-marathons with a best of 66:09 for second in the Great North Run in 2013. Compatriot Tadelech Bekele, who won last year in 2:21:54 and went 14 seconds quicker for third and a personal best time at the London Marathon in 2018.  Masai, the 2009 world 10,000m champion who has run 68:11 for the half is also keen to break the 42km jinx. Other athletes to watch out for include Meseret Belete, who set a world junior record of 67:51 in Copenhagen this year and was eighth at the World Championships. Former world junior cross country bronze medalist Jackline Chepngeno will also be eyeing victorious debut in marathon. Ethiopia's Guteni Shone, who has a PB of 2:23:32, could also challenge. (09/29/2018) Views: 1,754 ⚡AMP