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Kepchirchir breaks women-only world marathon record in London

Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir smashed the women-only world record by 45 seconds at the TCS London Marathon, winning the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:16:16* on Sunday (21).

In what was widely regarded as one of the deepest and highest-quality women’s fields ever assembled, the three-time world half marathon champion sprinted away from world record-holder Tigist Assefa, 2021 London winner Joyciline Jepkosgei and last year’s runner-up Megertu Alemu – all of whom finished inside 2:17 – to notch up her third victory in a World Marathon Majors race.

Jepchirchir’s compatriot Alexander Mutiso Munyao made it a Kenyan double, winning the men’s race in 2:04:01 to defeat Ethiopian distance legend Kenenisa Bekele by 14 seconds.

No secret had been made of the fact that breaking Mary Keitany’s women-only world record of 2:17:01 was the big target for the women’s race. With that at the forefront of their minds, a lead pack comprising all the big contenders soon detached themselves from the rest of the field and blazed through the first 5km in 15:44 – comfortably inside 2:13 pace.

They maintained that tempo through 10km, covered in 31:26, and at this point they were 67 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Tsige Haileslase, the closest challenger to the lead pack.

The front group – which included Assefa alongside past London winners Jepkosgei, Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Brigid Kosgei – got to 15km in 47:37. Soon after, Sheila Chepkirui – the runner-up in Berlin last year – started to drift off the pack.

Not long after passing the drinks station at the 20km point, 2019 world champion Ruth Chepngetich lost contact with the leaders. It meant that just seven women remained in the pack as they reached the half-way point in 1:07:04 – the second-fastest half-way split ever recorded in London, and putting them on schedule to smash the women-only world record by almost three minutes.

Kosgei was the next to drift back, and with the pacemakers having done their job, it left six women out in front: Jepchirchir, Assefa, training partner and Dubai marathon champion Tigist Ketema, 2022 London winner Yehualaw, 2021 London champion Jepkosgei, and 2023 London runner-up Megertu Alemu.

The sextet ran together through 25km (1:19:38) and 17 miles, but Ketema and Yehualaw were unable to hold on for much further and started to lose contact, leaving four women – Assefa, Jepchirchir, Jepkosgei and Alemu – to battle it out for the three podium places.

The difference between 25km and 30km, 16:18, was the slowest 5km section of the race. The lead quartet was either starting to feel the effects of their early efforts, or they were starting to bide their team for an anticipated surge in the closing stages.

With 1:44 on the clock, the four leading women managed to navigate their way around the two lead vehicles that had been forced to stop due to a wheelchair racer who was experiencing some technical difficulties.

Assefa and Jepchirchir both took turns testing the waters by making subtle surges to see how their opponents would respond, but their overall pace continued to drop and they reached 35km in 1:52:48, putting them on course for a 2:16 finish.They passed 40km in 2:09:13, still running side by side. It was clear that no one else other than these four would be claiming places on the podium, but predicting a winner – and, indeed, the athlete who’d miss out on the podium – was still impossible with less than two kilometres to go.

As the clock ticked to 2:15, with little more than a minute of running left, Alemu was finally dropped. Seconds later, Jepchirchir unleashed her trademark finish to leave behind Jepkosgei and Assefa.

The diminutive Kenyan charged through the finish line in 2:16:16, finishing seven seconds ahead of Assefa. Jepkosgei (2:16:24) and Alemu (2:16:34) followed soon after, making this the first marathon in which four women have finished inside 2:17.

Jepchirchir will now turn her attention to defending her Olympic title in Paris in less than four months’ time where she’ll aim to become the first ever back-to-back women’s marathon gold medallist in the history of the Games.

The men’s race played out in similar fashion with a surprisingly large group remaining together into the second half before the final few contenders were left to battle it out in the closing stages.The late Kelvin Kiptum’s world (2:00:35) and course (2:01:25) records were not being targeted by the elite men, but a lead pack of 12 nevertheless set off as a respectable pace, going through 5km in 14:35 and 10km in 29:03.

They remained together through 15km (58:20) with the likes of Munyao, Bekele, 2022 world champion Tamirat Tola and 2021 Chicago winner Seifu Tura all in the lead pack.

They reached half way in 1:01:29 with 10 men still running together, more than 80 seconds ahead of Britain’s Emile Cairess, who was running alone in 13th place. France’s Hassan Chahdi soon drifted off the lead pack, and eight men were in the pack at the 30km point (1:27:20).

With 1:30 on the clock, big changes started to happen. The lead pack was down to five men: Munyao, Bekele, Tola, Ethiopia’s Dawit Wolde and compatriot Milkesa Mengesha.  Less than 10 minutes later, Tola and Wolde had dropped back, leaving Bekele, Munyao and Mengesha as the lead trio. Mengesha lasted five more minutes before he, too, succumbed to the pace, unable to stick with Munyao and the 41-year-old Bekele.

Just before the clock ticked over to 1:55, Munyao finally dropped multiple world and Olympic gold medallist Bekele, who was visibly struggling to match the Kenyan’s pace.

Munyao maintained his lead to the finish, eventually winning in 2:04:01 to Bekele’s 2:04:15, the fastest time ever by an athlete over the age of 40.

With several of the leading contenders dropping out in the closing stages, Cairess came through to take third place in 2:06:46 ahead of fellow Briton Mahamed Mahamed, who clocked 2:07:05, both setting huge PBs.

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

Defending champion Philimon Kipchumba faces stern test at Xiamen Marathon

Defending champion Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba will be out to defend his Xiamen Marathon title as he is up against a strong field.

Defending champion Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba will be hoping to defend his title as he gears up to face tough opponents at the Xiamen Marathon on Sunday, January 7.

Kipchumba will face a stern test since 12 men, including the Kenyan, have personal best times faster than the course record of 2:06:19 set by Moses Mosop in 2015.

The 25-year-old Kenyan will arrive in Xiamen with high spirits since he remained unbeaten last year, winning all three of his marathon races and he will keenly be hoping to maintain the same momentum this season.

After a 2:10:47 victory in Hong Kong last February, he clocked 2:08:04 to win in Xiamen and continued his winning streak in Shanghai in November with a winning mark of 2:05:35, beating Mosop’s course record in Xiamen to become the Chinese all-comers’ record-holder.

Former world half marathon record-holder Kibiwott Kandie will also be pursuing his first-ever marathon title in Xiamen.

Chalu Deso of Ethiopia is also a formidable competitor after finishing seventh behind Kandie in Valencia last month in 2:05:14 and his career best of 2:04:53 was also achieved in the Spanish city in 2020.

Last year, Deso claimed the Tokyo Marathon title in 2:05:22 and he also owns marathon titles in Paris and Porto to his name. After outings in Nanjing and Dalian in 2018, the Xiamen Marathon will be Deso’s third race in China.

Philemon Kiplimo of Kenya is another sub-2:05 runner in the field and unlike Kandie and Deso, Kiplimo will arrive in the Chinese coastal city on fresh legs. His last marathon race was contested more than three months ago when he clocked a PB of 2:04:56 to finish eighth in Berlin.

Also toeing the line are several sub-2:06 runners, including Moroccan record-holder Othmane El Goumri, who set a PB of 2:05:12 to finish second in Barcelona last March and went on to win the Sydney Marathon in 2:08:20 six months later.

Meanwhile, the women’s race will see Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase also take on a tough field. The Ethiopian clocked a Personal Best time of 2:18:11 when claiming the world title in Oregon in July 2022.

She also registered another sub-2:20 mark when finishing third at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon in 2:18:18 and took a 2:20:09 victory at the Berlin Marathon in 2021.

Fellow Ethiopian Megertu Alemu is the fastest woman on paper with a career-best of 2:17:09 and will be joined by Ruti Aga, also from Ethiopia.

Other women to watch in the field include Tanzanian marathon and half marathon record-holder Magdalena Shauri, whose PB of 2:18:41 was set last September when finishing third at the Berlin Marathon, as well as Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi of Morocco, a 2:25:03 performer who claimed the marathon bronze medal at last year’s World Championships in Budapest.

Ethiopians Gebreslase, Alemu and Aga set to race in Xiamen

The Xiamen Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (7) will witness the fastest marathon pack ever assembled in China, with 2022 world champion Gotytom Gebreslase heading a stacked field in the women’s race.

The 28-year-old Gebreslase of Ethiopia clocked her personal best of 2:18:11 when claiming the world title in Oregon in July 2022. She also registered another sub-2:20 mark when finishing third at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon in 2:18:18 and took a 2:20:09 victory at the Berlin Marathon in 2021.

Last year, Gebreslase clocked 2:24:34 to grab a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, which remains her last outing over the classic distance.

It will be the first time for Gebreslase to compete in Xiamen, a southeastern Chinese city, and she will be targeting not only the title, but also the course record of 2:19:52 set by her compatriot Mare Dibaba back in 2015.

Fellow Ethiopian Megertu Alemu is the fastest woman on paper with a career best of 2:17:09 achieved last October when finishing third at the Chicago Marathon.

Aside from having the fastest PB of the field, the 26-year-old has shown great consistency in the past two years, registering sub-2:19 marks in all her four races including notching a 2:18:51 victory at the 2022 Seville Marathon and finishing second and third respectively in the 2022 and 2023 London Marathon races.

Ruti Aga, also from Ethiopia, is another serious title contender. The 29-year-old clocked a PB of 2:18:09 to win the Yellow River Estuary Marathon in Dongying, China, last October, improving the Chinese all-comers’ record.

Aga also won the Tokyo Marathon in 2:20:40 in 2019 and has earned three runner-up finishes in major marathon races, including a 2:18:34 second place in the 2018 Berlin Marathon.

Other women to watch in the field include Tanzanian marathon and half marathon record-holder Magdalena Shauri, whose PB of 2:18:41 was set last September when finishing third at the Berlin Marathon, as well as Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi of Morocco, a 2:25:03 performer who claimed the marathon bronze medal at last year’s World Championships in Budapest.

Kipchumba defends title

Defending champion Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba will face a tough contest in the men’s race, as a total of 12 runners in the field own a career best time faster than the course record of 2:06:19 set by Moses Mosop of Kenya in 2015.

The 25-year-old Kipchumba will arrive in Xiamen with high spirits. He remained unbeaten last year, winning all three of his marathon races. After a 2:10:47 victory in Hong Kong last February, he clocked 2:08:04 to win in Xiamen and continued his winning streak in Shanghai in November with a winning mark of 2:05:35, beating Mosop’s course record in Xiamen to become the Chinese all-comers’ record-holder.

Kenyan half marathon record-holder Kibiwott Kandie is also on the rise. The 27-year-old registered a PB of 2:04:48 to finish sixth in Valencia one month ago and will be pursuing his first ever marathon title in Xiamen.

Ethiopia’s Chalu Deso, 26, is also a formidable competitor. He finished seventh behind Kandie in Valencia last month in 2:05:14 and his career best of 2:04:53 was also achieved in the Spanish city in 2020.

Last year, Deso claimed the Tokyo Marathon title in 2:05:22. He also has marathon titles in Paris and Porto to his name. After outings in Nanjing and Dalian in 2018, the Xiamen Marathon will be Deso’s third race in China.

Philemon Kiplimo of Kenya is another sub-2:05 runner in the field and unlike Kandie and Deso, Kiplimo will arrive in the Chinese coastal city on fresh legs. His last marathon race was contested more than three months ago when he clocked a PB of 2:04:56 to finish eighth in Berlin.

Also toeing the line are several sub-2:06 runners, including Moroccan record-holder Othmane El Goumri, who set a PB of 2:05:12 to finish second in Barcelona last March and went on to win the Sydney Marathon in 2:08:20 six months later.

Kiptum smashes world marathon record with 2:00:35, Hassan runs 2:13:44 in Chicago

Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum became the first athlete to break 2:01 in a record-eligible marathon, clocking a tremendous 2:00:35* to take 34 seconds off the world record at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday (8).

On a remarkable day of racing, Dutch star Sifan Hassan moved to No.2 on the women’s all-time list, running 2:13:44 to triumph in the World Athletics Platinum Label road race. The only woman to have ever gone faster is Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa, who set a world record of 2:11:53 to win the BMW Berlin Marathon last month.

Less than six months on from his 2:01:25 London Marathon win, which saw him become the second-fastest marathon runner of all time, Kiptum improved by another 50 seconds to surpass the world record mark of 2:01:09 set by his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge in Berlin last year.

In the third marathon of his career, which began with a 2:01:53 debut in Valencia last December, Kiptum even had enough energy to celebrate his historic performance on the way to the finish line – pointing to the crowds and the tape on his approach.

The 23-year-old broke that tape in 2:00:35, winning the race by almost three and a half minutes. Defending champion Benson Kipruto was second in 2:04:02 and Bashir Abdi was third in 2:04:32.

Kiptum pushed the pace throughout the 26.2-mile race. He broke away from a seven-strong lead group after reaching 5km in 14:26, joined only by his compatriot Daniel Mateiko, who was making his marathon debut. They were on world record pace at 10km, passed in 28:42, but the tempo dropped a little from that point and they reached half way in 1:00:48.

Kiptum had been running in a hat but that came off as they entered the second half of the race. After 30km was passed in 1:26:31, Kiptum kicked and dropped Mateiko. He was glancing over his shoulder but running like he still had the world record – not only the win – in his sights.

A blistering 5km split of 13:51 took him to the 35km checkpoint in 1:40:22 and he was on sub-2:01 pace, 49 seconds ahead of Mateiko.

Continuing to run with urgency, he passed 40km in 1:54:23 – after a 27:52 10km split – and sped up further, storming over the finish line with the incredible figures of 2:00:35 on the clock.

"I knew I was coming for a course record, but a world record – I am so happy,” he said. “A world record was not on my mind today, but I knew one day I would be a world record-holder.”

Despite only having made his marathon debut 10 months ago, Kiptum now has three of the six fastest times in history to his name. Only Kipchoge (with 2:01:09 and 2:01:39) and Kenenisa Bekele (with 2:01:41) have ever gone faster than the slowest of Kiptum’s times.

Mateiko had helped to pace Kiptum to his 2:01:25 win in London, running to the 30km mark. The pair stayed together until that point in Chicago, too, but Mateiko couldn’t maintain the pace and dropped out after reaching 35km in 1:41:11.

Kenya’s Kipruto used his experience of the course to leave the chase group behind after 35km and was a comfortable runner-up in 2:04:02, finishing half a minute ahead of Belgium’s world and Olympic bronze medallist Abdi.

Kenya’s John Korir was fourth in 2:05:09, Ethiopia’s Seifu Tura fifth in 2:05:29 and USA’s Conner Mantz sixth in 2:07:47.

In the women’s race, Hassan returned to marathon action just six weeks on from a World Championships track medal double that saw her claim 1500m bronze and 5000m silver in Budapest.

She was up against a field including the defending champion Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya, who was on the hunt for a record third win in Chicago following her 2:14:18 victory last year.

It soon became apparent that it would be those two athletes challenging for the title. After going through 5km in 15:42 as part of a pack that also featured Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei and Ethiopia’s Megertu Alemu and Ababel Yeshaneh, Chepngetich and Hassan broke away with a next 5km split of 15:23 and reached 10km in 31:05 – on pace to break the recently-set world record.

They ran a 10km split of 30:54 between 5km and 15km, that point passed in 46:36, and they maintained that world record pace to 20km, reached in 1:02:14.

Chepngetich had opened up a six-second gap by half way, clocking 1:05:42 to Hassan’s 1:05:48, but Hassan would have surely felt no concern. On her debut in London in April, after all, she closed a 25-second gap on the leaders despite stopping to stretch twice, and went on to win in 2:18:33.

In a race of superb depth, Alemu, Jepkosgei and Yeshaneh were still on 2:14:52 pace at that point as they hit half way together in 1:07:26.

Hassan soon rejoined Chepngetich at the front and they ran side by side through 25km in 1:18:06. Then it was Hassan’s turn to make a move. Unable to maintain the pace, Chepngetich had dropped 10 seconds behind by 30km, reached by Hassan in 1:34:00, and from there the win never looked in doubt. The Dutch athlete was half a minute ahead at 35km (1:50:17) and she had more than doubled that lead by 40km (2:06:36).

Hassan was on track to obliterate her PB and also the course record of 2:14:04 set by Brigid Kosgei in 2019, which had been the world record until Assefa’s 2:11:53 performance last month.

She held on to cross the finish line in 2:13:44, a European record by almost two minutes. With her latest performance, the versatile Hassan is now the second-fastest woman in history for the track mile, 10,000m and marathon.

"The first group took off at a crazy pace, but I wanted to join that group,” said Hassan. “The last five kilometres, I suffered. Wow ­– I won again in my second marathon in a fantastic time. I couldn't be happier.”

Behind her, Chepngetich held on for second place in 2:15:37 as the top four all finished under 2:18 – Alemu placing third in 2:17:09 and Jepkosgei finishing fourth in 2:17:23. Ethiopia’s Tadu Teshome was fifth in 2:20:04, her compatriot Genzebe Dibaba sixth in 2:21.47 and USA’s Emily Sisson seventh in 2:22:09.

Leading results

Women1 Sifan Hassan (NED) 2:13:44 2. Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:15:37 3. Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:17:09 4. Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:17:235 Tadu Teshome (ETH) 2:20:046 Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 2:21:477 Emily Sisson (USA) 2:22:098 Molly Seidel (USA) 2:23:079 Rose Harvey (GBR) 2:23:2110 Sara Vaughn (USA) 2:23:24

Men1 Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) 2:00:352 Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:023 Bashir Abdi (BEL) 2:04:324 John Korir (KEN) 2:05:095 Seifu Tura (ETH) 2:05:296 Conner Mantz (USA) 2:07:477 Clayton Young (USA) 2:08:008 Galen Rupp (USA) 2:08:489 Samuel Chelanga (USA) 2:08:5010 Takashi Ichida (JPN) 2:08:57

Ethiopia selects marathon squad for the marathon event at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest

The Ethiopian Athletics Federation has selected 12 athletes to compete in the marathon events at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, from August 19–27.

Leading the Ethiopian marathon squad are defending champions Tamirat Tola and Gotytom Gebreslase, who won the men’s marathon gold at the 2022 World Championships.

Following their world rankings and personal best times last year, the EAF selected 12 marathon competitors (six men and six women) to compete in the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Reigning world champions Tamirat Tola and Gotytom Gebreslase, who won the gold medal in the marathon at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, are among them.

Tsegaye Getachew, Chalu Deso, Leul Gebresillassie, Seifu Tura, and Amhed Essa will represent the Ethiopian men’s squad, while Worknish Edessa, Megertu Alemu, Yalemzerf Yehualaw, Tsehaye Gemechu, and Amane Beriso will represent the women’s team.

The EAF has announced that all selected athletes will attend a training camp starting June 14, 2023, to begin their usual two-month preparation. The EAF has also appointed two national team coaches to oversee the athletes as they prepare for the competition.

The EAF stated that after the two months of training camps, three athletes will be chosen to join the two defending champions to represent Ethiopia at the World Championships.

EAF Technical Director Asfaw Dagne told The Reporter, “The two months of training will be followed by the selection of the top three athletes. Their health condition and performance after their training in those two months will determine the final selections.”

World Athletics published the qualification standards for the championships, including lists of courses and competitions that comply with the standards. According to the qualification standards, athletes must achieve qualifying performances on a course measured by World Athletics and graded by the Association of International Marathon and Distance Races (AIMS).

Athletes must meet a minimum time of 2:09:40 for men and 2:28:00 for women.

Ethiopian record-holder Worknesh Degefa will target a second victory at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

Worknesh Degefa will start as red-hot favorite thanks to her enviable record on the flat and fast streets of Dubai. In 2017, the diminutive 29-year-old stunned an experienced field by winning in Dubai on what was her marathon debut, clocking 2:22:36. A year later, she finished fourth and improved her PB to 2:19:53.

Last year she finished second in Dubai in 2:17:41, taking 15 seconds off the Ethiopian record with what is now the fifth fastest time in history.

Aside from her three appearances in Dubai, the only other marathon she has contested is the 2019 Boston Marathon, which she won in 2:23:31.

Fellow Ethiopian Bezunesh Deba will be racing in Dubai for the first time. The 32-year-old set her PB of 2:19:59 when winning the 2014 Boston Marathon, but didn't race at all in 2019 so will be treating this as a comeback race.

Kebede Megertu Alemu made a big step up in the second half of 2018. She chopped eight minutes from her half marathon PB with 1:06:43 in Copenhagen and reduced her marathon best to 2:21:10 to finish second in Frankfurt.

Bedatu Hirpa will be one of the youngest in the field. The 2015 world U18 1500m champion has switched to the roads in recent years and clocked a marathon PB of 2:21:32 in Frankfurt in 2018.

Two years after making her marathon debut in Dubai, world cross-country silver medalist Dera Dida is back and aims to improve on the PB of 2:21:45 she set on her previous visit.

Dubai has often been a happy hunting ground for marathon debutantes, so 20-year-old Hawi Feysa will be hoping for a strong run in her first race at 42.195km. The 2017 world U20 cross-country silver medalist finished eighth in the 5000m at last year's World Championships.

Ethiopians Abayneh Ayele and Muluhabt Tsega lead strong and competitive fields for the Rome Marathon On Sunday

Ayele is the fastest man in the field, having clocked 2:06:45 in Dubai in 2016, just a few months before finishing fourth in a memorable race at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.

He will be joined on the start line by 2015 African Games 10,000m champion Tebalu Zawude, 2:08:17 performer Dereje Tesfaye, 2015 Marrakech Marathon winner Workneh Tiruneh and 2014 World U20 Championships 10,000m finalist Yihunilign Adane.

Italy’s 2014 European marathon champion Daniele Meucci will be returning to the race for the first time since making his marathon debut in 2010. He will be joined by compatriot Ahmed Nasef.

Kenya’s Bernard Kipkorir Talam, Burundi’s Onesphore Nzikinkunda and Rwanda’s Felicien Muhitira are also in the field.

Tsega’s 2:25:48 clocking from the 2018 Shanghai Marathon makes her the fastest in the women’s field. The 22-year-old, who clocked 2:27:36 in Dubai earlier this year, will face compatriots Asnakech Mengistu, Megertu Alemu and Mestawot Tadesse.

Layla Soufyane, who has a career best of 2:32:10, is the fastest Italian woman in the field and will be contesting her first marathon since her maternity leave.

About 10,000 runners have registered for the marathon, which starts and finishes in the Via dei Fori Imperiali.