Running News Daily

Top Israeli runner Chemtai Salpeter succumbs to extreme heat while in 5th place in competition in Qatar, hurting her chances of qualifying for 2020 Olympics

Israeli runner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, one of the country’s leading athletes, collapsed Saturday during a marathon in the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, failing to finish the race.

Chemtai Salpeter had been considered one of the frontrunners in the race, but dropped out at around 32 kilometers (20 miles) while she was in fifth place due to excessive heat.

She was receiving medical treatment and in recovery.

Out of the 68 runners who participated in the race, 23 failed to finish, according to the International Association of Athletics Federations, which presided over the event.

On Friday, the organization told entrants that the race would be held as planned despite heat of 30-32.7 °C (86-91 °F) and humidity of 73 percent. The letter to the runners said that medical personnel were preparing for the harsh conditions. The marathon and other endurance events were being held late at night to minimize exposure to heat.

Salpeter was pushing to close a gap with the leading pack around the halfway mark of the race before she collapsed, and had closed her time difference with the leading five runners from one minute to 11 seconds.

Earlier this month, Salpeter broke a European record for the women’s 10K, finishing a race in the Netherlands in 30 minutes and 4 seconds.

The top 10 finishers in Saturday’s marathon qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Those who failed to qualify in Doha will need to achieve the qualifying time of 2 hours, 29 minutes, 30 seconds in a later race.

Last year, Chemtai won the Florence Marathon, crossing the finishing line in 2 hours, 24 minutes, 17 seconds, setting an Israeli record.

Chemtai already held the Israeli records for 1,500, 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 meters, and the half marathon.

Born in Kenya, Chemtai moved to Israel in 2011 and fought for citizenship for years. She eventually received Israeli citizenship in March of 2016 after winning the Tel Aviv marathon, allowing her to compete for Israel in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, shortly after the birth of her son, Roy.

(09/28/2019) ⚡AMP
by Luke Tress

Israel's Lonah Chemtai Salpeter smashed the European 10km record with 30:05 at the Tilburg Ten Miles

European 10,000m champion Lonah Chemtai Salpeter from Israel added another accolade to her already significant list by breaking Paula Radcliffe’s European 10km record in Tilburg.

Chemtai Salpeter ran hard and fast from the gun, passing through the halfway point in 14:55 and she maintained this pace in the second half against a strong wind.

In better conditions Chemtai Salpeter might have breached the 30 minute-mark but her solo winning time of 30:05 took a sizeable chunk off Radcliffe’s previous mark of 30:21 which dates back to 2003. 

Chemtai Salpeter’s time was also the second fastest in history, bettered only by Joyciline Jepkosgei’s world record of 29:43 which was set in Prague in 2017.

“I’m pleased with today’s achievement but I’m not too surprised because training is going well. This competition today is part of my build up towards the marathon at the World Championships in Doha,” said Chemtai Salpeter.

“Unfortunately the wind disturbed me after five kilometres. I believe with pacemakers I could have run a bit faster, but this is the confirmation that with adequate training, wise competition planning, care of all those details that makes you a professional athlete I’m in the right direction,” she added.

After breaking the sub-2:20 barrier in the Prague Marathon in May, Chemtai Salpeter will begin as one of the favourites for the gold medal in the marathon in Doha. The last European to win a medal was Italy’s Valeria Straneo in 2013 and the last European to win the title was Radcliffe in 2005. 

“I know the World Championships in Doha is super challenging, but I’m getting ready for it and I’m curious to see how I will perform after such a great year and progression both mentally and physically,” said Chemtai Salpeter. 

Her teammate Selamawit Dagnachew was second in 31:20 with Bahrain’s Rose Chelimo, the reigning world marathon champion, third in 32:37.

(09/02/2019) ⚡AMP

Dazza and Salpeter were the winners at the Prague international marathon

 Almahjoub Dazza of Bahrain won the Prague international marathon on Sunday while Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel was the fastest woman in the race, clocking a record time.

Dazza pulled away from a group of four leading runners with about two kilometers to go clocking 2:05:58.  It was the second fastest time in the history of the race.

Dawit Wolde was second in 2:06:18, five seconds ahead of another Ethiopian runner Aychew Bantie.

Salpeter left behind the rest of the field 10 kilometers into the race and ran alone to finish in 2:19:46, a new race record and a PR.  

(05/05/2019) ⚡AMP

Kenyan´s Bornes Jepkirui is back in the Czech capital to defend her title at the Prague Marathon on Sunday

Twelve months on from her convincing victory at the Volkswagen Prague Marathon, Bornes Jepkirui is back in the Czech capital to defend her title at the IAAF Gold Label road race on Sunday.

Jepkirui clocked a PB of 2:24:19 in Prague last year, winning by 54 seconds. Earlier this year she finished third in Osaka in 2:26:01, the second-fastest time of her career.

But given the quality of this year’s Prague Marathon field, the Kenyan may not have it all her own way again.

Since winning the European 10,000m title last August, Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter has shown fantastic form on the roads, winning over 10 miles in Zaandam and 10km in Rome, clocking a national marathon record of 2:24:17 to win in Florence, and more recently setting another national half marathon record to finish second in Prague in 1:06:09.

Lucy Cheruiyot finished two places behind Salpeter in Prague earlier this year, running 1:08:27. Although the Kenyan is a regular in Czech half marathons, the 22-year-old will still be stepping into the unknown on Sunday as it will be the first marathon of her career.

Amane Beriso is the fastest in the field. Her PB of 2:20:48 was set three years ago and she finished second in Prague in 2017, clocking 2:22:15.

Mamitu Daska’s PB of 2:21:59 dates back to 2011. Although she hasn’t bettered 2:25 since 2013, she finished third at the 2017 New York City Marathon against a quality field.

USA’s Kellyn Taylor-Johnson, who set a big PB of 2:24:29 last year, could challenge for a podium position. Getnet Yalew, who has represented Ethiopia at various major championships, should also feature among the leaders.

(05/04/2019) ⚡AMP

Kellyn Taylor, the seventh-fastest USA marathon woman will run her next marathon at the Volkswagen Prague Marathon

Kellyn Taylor, the seventh-fastest USA marathon woman under all conditions with a 2:24:29 personal best, will run her next marathon at the Volkswagen Prague Marathon on Sunday, May 5, her HOKA Northern Arizona Elite coach Ben Rosario told Race Results Weekly.

Taylor, 32, who finished fourth at the 2016 USA Olympic Trials in the 10,000m and sixth in the marathon, sees running on Prague’s flat, fast course as an opportunity to lower her personal best and get a 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifying mark (sub-2:29:30).  She last ran the 42.195-kilometer distance at Grandma’s Marathon last June in Duluth, Minn., where she clocked her personal best.  The mark was also an event record.

“After a season off of marathoning, I think Prague is the perfect fit for my next go at 26.2,” Taylor said through a statement. “The field looks fantastic and I’m heading there to compete with the best in search of a win and a new PR.”

Under Rosario’s training, Taylor has moved solidly into the first tier of American marathon women.  She made a very good debut at the Chevron Houston Marathon in 2015 clocking 2:28:40 before finishing sixth at the 2016 Olympic Trials in Los Angeles in hot conditions (2:32:49).  In 2017 she finished 13th at London (2:28:51), 8th at New York (2:29:56) and was the ninth-ranked American marathon woman for 2017 by Track & Field News.  Nearly a year ago, Taylor was unable to finish the 2018 Boston Marathon, held in heavy rain and near-freezing temperatures, but bounced back with her fast run at Grandma’s less than two months later.  Taking last fall off, she will be running Prague on fresh legs.

“Kellyn wanted to try and build on her performance last year at Grandma’s by picking a race where she could battle for the win against a great field and have the opportunity to run a fast time as a result,” coach Rosario told Race Results Weekly in an e-mail.

In Prague, Taylor will face a quality field, including Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso (2:20:48 PB) and Mamitu Daska (2:21:59 PB), Kenya’s Bornes Jepkirui Kitur (2:24:19 PB), and Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (2:24:17 PB).

The Volkswagen Prague Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label road race.  Under the new IAAF qualification system for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a top-5 finish in a Gold Label marathon shall be counted as an Olympic Games qualifying mark regardless of the time.  Nonetheless, Taylor is hoping to run fast.

“Her training has, without a doubt, been as good as ever over the last few weeks and I am excited to see what she can do on the streets of Prague,” concluded Rosario.

(04/11/2019) ⚡AMP
by David Monti

Former World Half Marathon bronze medalist Fancy Chemutai will compete in her second half marathon in Prague

Fancy Chemutai, who injured her ankle in May 2018, announced her return to action in January, finishing second at the Houston Half Marathon in a time of 66:48, and believes she will be strong enough to challenge the course record in Prague, currently held by compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei in 64:52.

"I have been in good form for some time after the injury healed. It is a challenge for me in Prague but when I say I am back to my full potential, it means I have gauged myself. I will still fight for medals. I have sat down with my coach and I believe I have a chance to race again," said Chemutai, who currently trains in Iten.

The Kenyan, whose personal best time is 64:52, and last year's Prague runner-up Caroline Kipkirui (65:07), a Kenyan now competing for Kazakhstan, will lead Kenya's delegation to the Czech Republic capital.

However, they will also be up against strong opposition from Asian record-holder Alia Mohammed Saaeed (66:13), European 10,000m champion Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (67:55) of Israel and world marathon bronze medalist Amy Cragg from the United States (68:27).

"I have plans to run the full marathon, but the injury slowed me down," Chetumai said. "Now that I am back in action, I will discuss with the coaches and see how fast I can move to the marathon."

(03/13/2019) ⚡AMP

The Roma-Ostia Half Marathon was once again a fast race but with some surprises

The Roma-Ostia Half Marathon once again lived up to its reputation as being a fast race with a winning time of 01:00:17 by Ethiopian runner Guye Adola in the men’s race and 01:06:40 by Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, of Israel, in the highly anticipated women’s race.

Adola, winner of the 2017 edition of this competition, now in its 45th year, ran a smart race, tucking into the lead pack for most of the way until a final sprint to the finish, beating Kenian Geoffrey Yegon by 6 seconds in a race that saw 8,456 finishers run from Rome’s EUR neighbourhood to Ostia, the city’s honky tonk beach town.

In the women’s race, Salpeter, bettered her PB by 1:15, running a constant pace of 3:08/km, while the American Jordan Hasay, finished with a time of 01:11:06, well above the expected PB that everyone was hoping to see her run. At the presentation of elite runners on Saturday, Hasay seemed to want to run a fast race and, with an identical PB as Salpeter, everyone was hoping for an exciting and fast duel to the finish. But today wasn’t going to be that day for Hasay. During the race, the live tracking for Hasay did not work so there were no live split times for her at the 5km, 10km or 15 km markers and commentators never mentioned where she was during the race.

Only when she arrived at the finish line 4:26 after Salpeter (and 6th woman overall), was it obvious that she was way off a PB pace today. Hasay, part of the Nike Oregon Project and trained by Alberto Salazar, is set to run in the Boston Marathon on April 15. An Italian male runner who finished in a little over 1hr 7 minutes and who was at the start with Hasay, said she ran the first 2 kms very fast but then dropped off her PB pace and he passed her at km 3. A spokesperson for Hasay said after the race that Hasay did not have any injuries that affected her performance today, citing that after a year away from competition she was only a bit “race rusty.”

(03/10/2019) ⚡AMP
by Carla van Kampen reporting from Rome

Jordan Hassy is set the break the American Half Marathon Record Sunday in Rome

American distance star Jordan Hasay may be set to break the American record in the half marathon tomorrow at the Huwai Roma Ostia Half Marathon.

The current American record of 67:25, set in January 2018 by Molly Huddle, is only 30 seconds faster than Hasay’s PB of 67:55, set in 2017 at the Prague Half Marathon. And while this time is good, it does not correspond to her PB of 2:20:57 run at the Chicago Marathon that same year. 

During a presentation of the elite athletes today at the Roma Ostia Village, former Italian distance runner Gianni De Madonna – 2nd at the New York City Marathon in 1987 – asked the top athletes about their plans for the race. Hasay’s main competition, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, from Israel who also has a PB of 67:55, said that she hoped for a fast race as she wanted to improve her time. When De Madonna asked if she was hoping for a time of 66 to 66:30, she laughed and said that she would do her best to stay with the pacers that they will be following.

In the men’s race, 2017 winner Guye Adola is back for a repeat victory. Adola, from Ethioia, was an unknown in 2017 when he crossed the finish line in 59:48 but made a name for himself several months later when he came in 2nd to Eliud Kipchoge at the Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:03:46, only 14 seconds behind the current world record holder in the marathon.

The weather should be ideal for racing: cloudy with a high temperature of 14 C.

(03/09/2019) ⚡AMP
by Carla van Kampen reporting from Rome

Ethiopia’s Guye Adola from Ethiopia and Lonah Chemtai Salpeter from Israel lead the field at the Huawei Roma-Ostia Half Marathon

Adola made a major breakthrough at the 2017 Berlin Marathon, when he ran the fastest ever time for a debutant with an impressive 2:03:46 performance to finish just 14 seconds behind Olympic champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge.

Adola, who clocked his 59:06 half marathon career best in New Delhi in 2014, will be chasing his second win at the Roma Ostia after his 2017 victory in 59:18.

His top rivals will include Kenyan Geoffrey Yegon, who has a 59:44 PB from 2016 and more recently finished second at last year’s Prague Half Marathon in 59:56. Three other Kenyans are also expected to contend: Emmanuel Kipsang, who has clocked a lifetime best of 1:00:14 and finished fourth at this race last year; Kiprono Kipkemoi, who ran 1:00:56 in Lisbon 2018; and prolific racer Cornelius Kangogo, a three-time winner of the Corrida de Houilles and two-time champion at the Media Blenio in Dongio.

The Italian challenge is led by 2014 European marathon champion Daniele Meucci, who is returning to his best form after a tough 2018 season. He’ll be joined by Stefano La Rosa, who has a marathon PB of 2:11:08 set in Seville in 2018.

Salpeter came to the fore last summer when she won the European 10,000m title, and has continued to impress. Last November Chemtai broke the Israeli national marathon record with a 2:24:17 run in Florence. A month earlier she produced her half marathon best, clocking 1:07:55 in Lisbon.

Haftamnesh Tesfay Haylu won here last year in 1:09:02 and returns to defend her title. She’ll also face Kenya’s Antonina Kwambai, who clocked 1:08:07 at the Paris Half Marathon in 2018 and her compatriot Diana Chemtai Kipyogei, who set her lifetime best of 1:07:07 in Valencia last October. 

The field also includes established marathoner Jordan Hasay of the USA. The 27-year-old finished third at the Boston Marathon in 2017 in 2:23:00, the fastest ever performance by a US debutante. Six months later she finished third at the Chicago Marathon in 2:20:57.

(03/09/2019) ⚡AMP
Guye Adola, Lonah Chemtai

Salpeter smashes the course record in Florence and sets a new national record for Israel

Lonah Chemtai Salpeter smashed the course record at the 35th ASICS Firenze Marathon, an IAAF Bronze Label road race, on Sunday (25). The reigning European 10,000m champion clocked 2:24:17 to clip nearly four minutes from the previous record of 2:28:15 set by Slovenia’s Helena Javornik in 2002. Her performance was also a national record for Israel, shattering the 2:35:59 standard set by Elena Dolinin in Berlin two years ago. Salpeter dominated the race, winning by more than six minutes over Kenyan Caroline Chepkwony.  Salpeter took the lead in the early stages, running with Gebiyanesh Gedamu from Ethiopia and Clementine Mukandanga from Rwanda, the trio passing 10 kilometres in 34:37 and 15 in 51:42. Salpeter and Gedamu reached the halfway mark in 1:12:38, but the Israeli started pushing the pace, building a gap of eight seconds over Gedamu (1:26:04 to 1:26:12) by 25 kilometres. Salpeter continued to pull away, extending her gap over Gedamu to one minute at 30 kilometres (1:43.16) and to more than four minutes five kilometres later, propelled by a 6:30 two-kilometre split between kilometres 33 and 35. She covered the challenging second half in 1:11:39 for a negative split to smash her previous personal best by 16 minutes. Her 2:24:17 performance was the sixth fastest time ever run on Italian soil and the fastest by a European this year. Salpeter set her previous best of 2:40:16 in Berlin in 2016, but recently showed good form with a half marathon PB of 1:07:55 in Lisbon in October. This year she made her breakthrough improving all her career best times on the track running the 3000m in 8:42.88, the 5000m in 15:17.81, the 10,000m in 31:33.03 at the European 10000m Cup in London last May. She won the 10000m European title in Berlin in 31:43.29. “The crowd gave me strong support along the course,” said Salpeter, who grew up in Eldoret, Kenya, and moved to Israel in 2008. “I did not fear the rain, because I was ready with any condition. Firenze is the springboard event of my marathon career.” Chepkwony clocked 2:30:46 for second ahead of Mukandanga who clocked 2:30:59 to knock nearly five minutes from her previous lifetime best. Croatia’s Nikolina Sustic improved her PB to 2:41:51, finishing fourth.  (11/25/2018) ⚡AMP

European 10,000m champion Lonah Chemtai Salpeter will be in the spotlight at the 35th edition of the Asics Firenze Marathon on Sunday

The 29-year-old has this year set Israeli records at various distances from the 1500m to the half marathon and she will be looking to add another to her collection this weekend. Before winning the continental 10,000m title in Berlin, she set a European-leading national record of 31:33.03 to win the European Cup in London in May. At the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships Valencia 2018 earlier in the year she set a national record of 1:08:58 and reduced that mark to 1:07:55 in Lisbon last month. Salpeter is yet to fully master the marathon, though. She has completed three marathons to date – her one failure to finish came at the 2016 Olympic Games – and her finishing times have all been between 2:40:16 and 2:40:22, a surprisingly consistent series of times for someone who appears capable of going much quicker for 26.2 miles. This weekend Salpeter is aiming at improving the course record of 2:28:15 set in 2002 by Helena Javornik. She could even challenge the European-leading time of 2:25:25 set by European champion Volha Mazuronak. Salpeter will take on Kenya’s Caroline Jepchirchir Chepkwony, who set her marathon PB of 2:27:37 in Lubljana in 2013, Ethiopia’s Ayele Gebaynesh, who has a career best of 2:26:54, and Kenya’s 2:27:07 performer Sarah Jebet. Croatia’s ultramarathon specialist Nikolina Sustic will run her fourth Italian race this autumn after Venice, Turin and Verona. The world 100km champion set a marathon PB of 2:42:44 at the European Championships in Berlin, improved to 2:42:10 in Turin at the start of November and last week clocked 2:42:26 in Verona. (11/23/2018) ⚡AMP