Running News Daily

Ketema and Takele head entries for 50th Berlin Marathon

Ethiopia’s Tigist Ketema and Tadese Takele start as the fastest in the fields and will be hoping to lead the way when they line up for the BMW Berlin Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (29).

Ketema, previously better known as an 800m and 1500m specialist, made her mark in the marathon in Dubai in January as she ran 2:16:07, a time that places her ninth on the women’s world marathon all-time list. She then ran 2:23:21 to place seventh in London in April and Berlin will be her first race since then.

“I have prepared for a personal best and plan to run the first half on Sunday in around 68 minutes,” she said. “I hope it won't be too cold because I prefer to run in slightly warmer weather.”

Ketema is one of three women with sub-2:20 PBs on the entry list, as her competition includes her compatriots Genzebe Dibaba and Yebrugal Melese, who have respective PBs of 2:18:05 and 2:19:36.

Dibaba ran that PB on her debut in Amsterdam in 2022 and she clocked 2:21:47 in Chicago a year later. “I saw Haile Gebrselassie run two world records in Berlin on TV and since then I've always wanted to run in Berlin,” she said. “Now the time has come. It would be a success for me if I ran a personal best.”

Another eight women on the entry list have dipped under 2:22 for the marathon in their careers so far, including Mestawot Fikir (2:20:45), Azmera Gebru (2:20:48), Sisay Gola (2:20:50), Fikrte Wereta (2:21:32) and Aberu Ayana (2:21:54), as well as Japan’s Mizuki Matsuda (2:20:52) and Ai Hosoda (2:21:42). 

Germany’s Melat Kejeta is also part of that group, having clocked 2:21:47 in Dubai in January. She placed sixth at the Tokyo Olympics but was unable to finish the Olympic marathon in Paris due to stomach problems. 

A total of 13 world records have so far been set in the Berlin Marathon, the most recent being the 2:11:53 by Tigist Assefa – a training partner of Ketema – in last year’s women’s race.

The men’s title on that occasion was won by Eliud Kipchoge, as he claimed a record fifth victory.

Kipchoge does not return this year but Takele does, following his third-place finish in last year’s race in a PB of 2:03:24. That was his most recent race due to injury, but he says he is now fit and ready to run. “I’ve trained very well,” he said, “and expect to run a strong race.”

Another four men to have dipped under 2:05 feature on the entry list, including Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut, who ran his PB of 2:04:34 when finishing second in Amsterdam last year, and Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros and Bazezew Asmare, who respectively clocked 2:04:41 in Paris in 2021 and 2:04:57 in Amsterdam in 2022.

Kenya’s former world half marathon record-holder Kibiwott Kandie races the marathon for the third time and will be looking to build on the PB of 2:04:48 he set in Valencia last year as he hunts for a first win over the distance.

They will be joined by athletes including Kenya’s Samwel Mailu, the world half marathon bronze medallist who set a course record of 2:05:08 to win the Vienna City Marathon last year and continues his comeback after injury, and Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha, who finished sixth at the World Championships last year and has a best of 2:05:29.

Elite fields

Women

Tigist Ketema (ETH) 2:16:07

Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 2:18:05

Yebrugal Melese (ETH) 2:19:36

Mestawot Fikir (ETH) 2:20:45

Azmera Gebru (ETH) 2:20:48

Sisay Gola (ETH) 2:20:50

Mizuki Matsuda (JPN) 2:20:52

Fikrte Wereta (ETH) 2:21:32

Ai Hosoda (JPN) 2:21:42

Melat Kejeta (GER) 2:21:47

Aberu Ayana (ETH) 2:21:54

Calli Hauger-Thackery (GBR) 2:22:17

Bekelech Gudeta (ETH) 2:22:54

Lisa Weightman (AUS) 2:23:15

Betelihem Afenigus (ETH) 2:23:20

Veronica Maina (KEN) 2:24:46

Bosena Mulatie (ETH) 2:26:59

Alisa Vainio (FIN) 2:27:26

Sonia Samuels (GBR) 2:28:04

Nora Szabo (HUN) 2:28:25

Philippa Bowden (USA) 2:29:14

Pauline Esikon (KEN) debut

Men

Tadese Takele (ETH) 2:03:24

Cybrian Kotut (KEN) 2:04:34

Hailemaryam Kiros (ETH) 2:04:41

Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) 2:04:48

Bazezew Asmare (ETH) 2:04:57

Samwel Mailu (KEN) 2:05:08

Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 2:05:29

Haymanot Alew (ETH) 2:05:30

Philimon Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:35

Josphat Boit (KEN) 2:05:42 

Dejene Megersa (ETH) 2:05:42

Enock Onchari (KEN) 2:05:47 

Oqbe Ruesom (ERI) 2:05:51

Justus Kangogo (KEN) 2:05:57

Haimro Alame (ISR) 2:06:04

Ashenafi Moges (ETH) 2:06:12

Asbel Rutto (KEN) 2:07:04

Samuel Tsegay (SWE) 2:06:53

Yohei Ikeda (JPN) 2:06:53

Stephen Kiprop (KEN) 2:07:04

Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:07:14

Kento Kikutani (JPN) 2:07:26

Melaku Belachew (ETH) 2:07:28

Godadaw Belachew (ISR) 2:07:45Y

uhei Urano (JPN) 2:07:52

Guojian Dong (CHN) 2:08:12

Filimon Abraham (GER) 2:08:22

Haftom Welday (GER) 2:08:24

Sebastian Hendel (GER) 2:08:51

Olonbayar Jamsran (MGL) 2:08:58

Haftamu Gebresilase (ETH) debut

(09/27/2024) Views: 197 ⚡AMP
by World athletics

50th BMW Berlin-Marathon Sunday: Deep fields promise fast and exciting races in Berlin’s jubilee marathon

The 50th edition of the BMW Berlin Marathon promises fast and exciting elite races. Deep fields will be assembled with 14 men who have already run sub 2:06:00. While there is no strong favourite among them it is different with the women: Ethiopia’s Tigist Ketema heads the list with her stunning 2:16:07 debut time, which makes her the ninth-fastest marathon runner ever.

Ten more women have personal bests of sub 2:22:00. Thirteen world records were broken in the history of the BMW Berlin Marathon, many more than in any other marathon. The jubilee edition of Germany’s most spectacular road race will have a record number of around 50,000 participants. 

Men’s field

Without Kenya’s superstar Eliud Kipchoge, the winner of the past two editions, the fastest on paper is Tadese Takele. The Ethiopian was third in Berlin a year ago when he improved to 2:03:24. Since another fast race is expected Takele will probably have to run quicker to be in contention for the prestigious marathon victory at the Brandenburg Gate.

Fellow Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie could well challenge for his first triumph over the classic distance. The Kenyan is the former world half marathon record holder (57:32) with great potential. Germany’s Hendrik Pfeiffer leads a group of strong domestic runners. He improved to 2:07:14 early this year in Houston.

Women’s field

Tigist Ketema stormed to a sensational victory in Dubai at the beginning of the year, clocking an unofficial world debut record of 2:16:07. Coming to another very fast course now the training partner of Tigst Assefa, who smashed the world record here with 2:11:53 a year ago, might look to improve her personal best.

The women’s field includes a former world record holder as well, but at a much shorter distance: Genzebe Dibaba ran 3:50.07 in the 1,500m in 2015. When she switched to the marathon she ran a fast debut with 2:18:05 in Amsterdam two years ago.

Unfortunately, Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru had to cancel her start due to injury. But Germany’s Melat Kejeta is a late addition to the field. She dropped out of the Olympic Marathon early because of stomach problems and now hopes to bounce back in Berlin with a personal best. Kejeta might well try to become the second German woman after Irina Mikitenko (2:19:19 in Berlin in 2008) to break 2:20:00.

MEN

Tadese Takele ETH 2:03:24

Cybrian Kotut KEN 2:04:34

Hailemaryam Kiros ETH 2:04:41

Kibiwott Kandie  KEN 2:04:48

Bazezew Asmare ETH 2:04:57

Samwel Mailu KEN 2:05:08

Milkesa Mengesha ETH 2:05:29

Haymanot Alew ETH 2:05:30

Philimon Kipchumba KEN 2:05:35

Josphat Boit  KEN  2:05:42 

Dejene Megersa  ETH  2:05:42

Enock Onchari  KEN  2:05:47 

Oqbe Ruesom  ERI  2:05:51

Justus Kangogo  KEN  2:05:57

Haimro Alame  ISR  2:06:04

Ashenafi Moges  ETH  2:06:12

Asbel Rutto  KEN  2:07:04

Samuel Tsegay  SWE  2:06:53

Yohei Ikeda  JPN  2:06:53

Stephen Kiprop KEN  2:07:04

Hendrik Pfeiffer  GER 2:07:14

Kento Kikutani JPN 2:07:26

Melaku Belachew ETH 2:07:28

Godadaw Belachew  ISR 2:07:45

Yuhei Urano  JPN 2:07:52

Guojian Dong CHN 2:08:12

Filimon Abraham GER 2:08:22

Haftom Welday GER 2:08:24

Sebastian Hendel GER 2:08:51

Olonbayar Jamsran  MGL 2:08:58

Haftamu Gebresilase ETH Debut

WOMEN

Tigist Ketema ETH 2:16:07

Genzebe Dibaba ETH 2:18:05

Yebrugal Melese ETH 2:19:36

Mestawot Fikir ETH 2:20:45

Azmera Gebru ETH 2:20:48

Sisay Gola ETH 2:20:50

Mizuki Matsuda JPN 2:20:52

Fikrte Wereta  ETH 2:21:32

Ai Hosoda  JPN  2:21:42

Melat Kejeta GER 2:21:47

Aberu Ayana  ETH  2:21:54

Calli Hauger-Thackery GBR 2:22:17

Bekelech Gudeta  ETH  2:22:54

Lisa Weightman  AUS  2:23:15

Betelihem Afenigus  ETH  2:23:20

Veronica Maina   KEN  2:24:46

Bosena Mulatie ETH 2:26:59

Alisa Vainio FIN 2:27:26

Sonia Samuels  GBR 2:28:04

Nora Szabo  HUN 2:28:25

Philippa Bowden USA 2:29:14

Pauline Esikon KEN Debut

(09/24/2024) Views: 251 ⚡AMP
by Christopher Kelsall

Ethiopians Ashenafi Moges and Sifan Melaku runs away with titles at 2023 Stockholm Marathon

Ethiopia’s dominated the 2023 Stockholm Marathon, a World Athletics Label Road Race event, took place on Saturday, June 3. The following are top 20 results from 2023 Stockholm Marathon with Ashenafi Moges and Sifan Melaku running away with the tiles.

On the men’s, Moges away late to win with a time of 2:10:32 pulling away from his countryman Derara Hurisa (Ethiopia) who finished second in a time 2:11:01 ahead of Tsegaye Mekonnen (Ethiopia) who ran 2:12:32 for third place.

The Sweden National Senior Marathon Championships went to Samuel Tsegay after finishing fifth overall with a time of 2:14:28.

On the women’s side, Ethiopian athletes swept the competition with Sifan Melaku running 2:30:39 for the victory. Her compatriot Sorome Negash (Ethiopia) clocked 02:33:26 for second place with Yenenesh Dinkesa (Ethiopia) getting third in 2:36:39.

The Sweden national title went to Carolina Wikström (Sweden), who finished fourth overall with a time of 2:36:52.

(06/03/2023) Views: 1,052 ⚡AMP
by Glen Andrews

Frenchmen Florian Carvalho and Hassan Chahdi and Felicien Muhitira of Rwanda look to be the favorites at the Paris 20 km race

Frenchmen Florian Carvalho and Hassan Chahdi and Felicien Muhitira of Rwanda look to be the favorites at the Paris 20 km, an IAAF Silver Label road race, whose 41st edition will be held on Sunday.

With no previous winner on the start line, the 2019 edition will crown new champions in both races.

Carvalho and Chahdi, both in the build-up for their upcoming appearances at the Valencia Marathon on 1 December, should be at the front. Their goal will be to succeed Morhad Amdouni, the last French winner of the race who took the title in 2016.

Chadhi finished third in 59:51 last year, 1:38 behind winner Samuel Tsegay of Eritrea. Chahdi’s best 2019 performance was a marathon personal best of 2:09:55 set in Seville in February.

Carvalho also set a new marathon best this year, clocking 2:12:53 in Paris. He also clocked 29:00 over 10km in June, finishing 1:42 ahead of Chadhi, who is expected to be in better shape on Sunday.

Muhitira should have a role to play. The Rwandan was runner-up at last year’s edition, finishing 12 seconds adrift of Tsegay. He should have been the favorite but he finished a distant 22nd in the marathon at the World Championships one week ago (2:16:21). The speed of his recovery will be a key factor in Sunday’s race.

Nicolas Navarro, who improved his marathon PB this year to 2:11:53 will also be in the running for the podium, as well as Haile Ibrahimov of Azerbaijan.

Other French runners expected to contend include marathoner Benjamin Malaty and Michael Gras. Evans Kiprop Cheruiyot set the men’s course record of 57:19 back to 2005.

On the women’s side, the defending champion Ophélie Claude-Boxberger, who competed in the 3000m steeplechase in Doha, won’t defend her title. 

In her absence Susan Kipsang Jeptoo appears to be one the main favorite. She has a 32:14 10km season’s best in 2019. Liv Westphal, third last year, should be her main rival.  

Chaltu Negasa, who knows the race well, Kenyan Joyline Koima as well as French runners Samira Mezeghrane Saad and Alice Finot, who finished fourth and fifth respectively, last year, should be in the running for the podium. Not to be discounted is Mekdes Woldu from Eritrea. 

The women’s course record is held by Kenya’s Rose Chelimo, who ran 1:05:01 in 2014. 

About 30,000 runners are expected to enter the race on Sunday.

 

(10/11/2019) Views: 1,985 ⚡AMP
by IAAF

Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba are ready to compete at the Bogota Half Marathon

The favorite in the Bogota Half Marathon women’s race is Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya, who started the year with a win in the Dubai Marathon, setting a course record with the No. 3 performance of all-time, 2:17:08. And just three months before that she shattered the course record at the Istanbul Marathon with a 2:18:35 performance.

Those performances elevated the Kenyan to No.1 in the IAAF’s world rankings in the marathon. Also an accomplished half marathoner, Chepngetich won the Istanbul Half Marathon this April in another course record, 1:05:30, making her the 11th fastest woman of all-time to rank her No.3 currently over that distance.

The main challenge to Chepngetich is likely to come from Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba, the marathon bronze medalist at the Rio Olympic Games and world champion over the distance in 2015. Also expected to feature at the front of the race are 2:21:37 marathoner Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya, recently announced as a member of the Kenyan squad for the Worlds Championships (along with Chepngetich), and Helalia Johannes of Namibia, who is undefeated in six major international competitions, all of which have seen her lower her own national records at 10km, the half marathon and full marathon distances.

Unlike the women’s race, the men’s competition doesn’t have one overwhelming favorite, and instead should see a tight battle between several evenly-matched competitors. The Ethiopian delegation is led by 20-year-old Betesfa Getahun of Ethiopia, the defending men’s champion, who last year became the youngest champion in the race history.

Next to him will be Feyisa Lilesa, the silver medalist at the Rio Olympic Games marathon and a former winner of this race and Tamirat Tola, a silver medalist in the 2017 World Championships marathon and a bronze medalist in the 10,000m in Rio.

The Kenyan challenge to this Ethiopian trio will be led by Lawrence Cherono, a 2:04:06 marathoner and the No. 5 athlete in the world presently at that distance. He is joined by two strong half marathon specialists, Wilfred Kimitei (59:40) and John Lotiang (1:00:09).

And rounding out the likely lead pack are Eritrean Samuel Tsegay, a past silver medalist at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, and Ugandan Abdallah Mande with a 1:00:14 lifetime best whose strong current form was illustrated by a 27:22 10,000m run just eight days ago.

(07/26/2019) Views: 2,470 ⚡AMP
by iaaf

Bedan Karoki and Eunice Kirwa, both past winners of the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, will return to defend their titles this weekend

Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon, Also known as the ‘Naoko Takahashi Cup’ as it is held in the home town of the 2000 Olympic marathon champion, the men’s course record of 1:00:02 was set by Karoki when he won in 2014, while the women’s course record of 1:07:44 was set by world record-holder Joyciline Jepkosgei in 2017.

Karoki, world ranked No.13 in road running, will be aiming to become just the second two-time men’s champion in Gifu. Since his last run in Gifu, Karoki earned world silver medals at cross-country in 2015 and at the half marathon in 2016.

He also improved his half marathon PB to 58:42 in 2018 and earlier this year clocked a marathon best of 2:06:48 to finish second in Tokyo.

His main challengers are Eritrea’s Samuel Tsegay, who has a best of 59:21, Abraham Kipyatich, world ranked No.79, and Uganda’s Abdallah Mande, world ranked No.30. Tsegay’s best was recorded back in 2014, but Kipyatich and Mande both set PBs at various distances in 2018 so will likely be bigger threats to Karoki.

Yuki Kawauchi, the 2018 Boston Marathon champion, is the most famous Japanese runner in the field, but national half marathon record-holder Yuta Shitara is the fastest of the domestic entrants. Shitara’s half marathon best is 60:17 recorded in 2017.

Two time Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon champion Eunice Kirwa Jepkirui leads the loaded women’s field. The Olympic marathon silver medallist set an Asian half marathon record of 1:06:46 in Istanbul in 2017 in what was her last race over the distance.

The 2015 world bronze medallist didn’t race at all in 2018, though, and she may need to be at her best if she hopes to win her third title in Gifu.

Joan Melly Chelimo, world ranked No.3 in road running, has the fastest PB of the field. The Kenyan clocked 1:05:04 in Prague last year, making her the fourth-fastest woman in history for the distance.

Ruth Chepngetich, world ranked No.1 in the marathon, heads to Gifu in the form of her life. She won this year’s Dubai Marathon in 2:17:08, the third-fastest time in history, and followed it with half marathon performances of 1:06:09 and 1:05:29.

World marathon champion Rose Chelimo will be aiming to improve on her PB of 1:08:08, while Ana Dulce Felix, Mimi Belete and Gotytom Gebreslase are also in the field.

(04/26/2019) Views: 2,527 ⚡AMP
by Ken Nakamura

Justus Kipkogei Kangogo and Rhonzas Kilimo will headline the 33rd Electrolit Guadalajara Half Marathon

Veronica Wanjiru and Agnes Barsosio will aim to break 1:10 for the  first time in the event’s history at the 33rd Electrolit Guadalajara Half Marathon.

The women’s race will crown a new champion, a title left vacant by Diana Chemtai, who lowered the previous course record by almost a minute and a half to 1:10:00, the fifth fastest half marathon ever run by a woman on Mexican soil.

Veronica Wanjiru, the fastest in the field with a 1:07:58 personal best, will try to keep the Kenyans on top, as will her countrywomen Agnes Barsosio (1:08:21), Joyce Chempkemoi (1:09:21) and Milliam Ebongon (1:10:34).

Four former champions are back in Guadalajara: Kenya’s three-time winner Risper Gesabwa (2015-2017) and Ethiopia’s Shewarge Alene Amare (2010-2011), as well as Mexico’s Marisol Romero (2013) and Mayra Vidal (2013).

Colombian record holder Kellys Yesenia Arias (1:11:21) could also be in the mix for the leading positions.

For the men´s race, Justus Kipkogei Kangogo, 23, is the fastest in the Kenyan squad, thanks to his 59:31 run in Ostia, Italy, in 2017. Rhonzas Kilimo brings the experience from his runner-up performance in Gualajara in 2018, were only one second separated him from the win.

Six-time winner and course record holder Julius Kipyego Keter is also back to help maintain Kenyan supremacy in the men’s race, which they've won in all but three editions since 2013.

John Langat, Moses Kibet and John Kipsang Loitang, all boasting personal bests under 1:01, should secure close battle for the top prize, which may bring down the course record of 1:02:31 set by Kipyego in 2011.

However, two sub-60 minute runners may have other plans to spoil the Kenyan party. Eritrea’s Samuel Tsegay is the fastest in the field with his 59:21 performance in Copenhagen five years ago. Ethiopia’s Ayele Abshero, who ran 59:42 in 2011, may also feature well for the top positions.

After a successful career on the track, two-time Olympic finalist Juan Luis Barrios returns to Guadalajara, a race he won in 2015 and 2016 to break the Kenyan hegemony.

Leading the Mexican charge, Barrios will be joined by other top local athletes, including 62-minute runner Jose Antonio Uribe, Jose Luis Santana, Juan Joel Pacheco and Juan Carlos Carrera.

(02/22/2019) Views: 2,798 ⚡AMP

Samuel Tsegay wins the 40th annual 20km de Paris on Sunday

Samuel Tsegay and Ophélie Claude-Boxberger were the winners of the 40th edition of the IAAF Silver Label road race in 58:23 and 1:09:48 respectively. From the gun, a large group detached itself from the field. The leading pack then splintered into two parts. Tsegay, Gojjam Belayinem of Ethiopia, Felicien Muhitira of Burundi and Morhad Amdouni of France reached five in 14:40. They were followed five seconds later by a group of six men, including the 2015 winner Stephen Ogari and France’s Hassan Chahdi. Amdouni, the 2016 champion, was forced to drop out due to calf pain, leaving Tsegay, Belayinem and Muhitira in contention for victory. The trio passed through the halfway point in 28:56, meaning the second five-kilometre section was covered in 14:16. Alfred Cherop and Chahdi detached themselves from the chasing group and were 19 seconds behind the leaders at 10km. Belayinem couldn’t maintain the pace and was dropped by Tsegay and Muhitira, who passed through 15 in 43:26, 38 seconds ahead of Belayinem. Chahdi remained in fourth place in 44:20, three seconds ahead of Cherop. Tsegay, who was a last-minute entrant, made his move soon after 15 . He built a small lead over the Burundian, who wasn’t able to answer to the attack but maintained a good rhythm. Tsegay, the 2014 world half marathon silver medalist, maintained his advantage to cross the line in 58:23. It was only his second race in 2018 following a 1:02:08 half marathon clocking in March. Muhitira held on to take second place in 58:35, 12 seconds after the winner. Samuel Targaryen  (10/15/2018) Views: 1,916 ⚡AMP