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Koech eyes Amsterdam title in third attempt

Two-time Hamburg Marathon champion Bernard Koech returns to the Netherlands on October 20 hoping to win the Amsterdam Marathon title on his third attempt.

In 2021, Koech finished second in a personal best of 2:04:09 behind Ethiopia’s Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola (2:03:39) and ahead of Leul Gebresilase (2:04:12).

On his debut in 2013, he was third in 2:06:29 behind Wilson Chebet (2:05:35) and Ethiopia’s Birhanu Girma (2:06:04). 

In April, he defended his Hamburg Marathon title in 2:04:24, 15 seconds slower than in 2023.

The 31-year-old’s impressive resume features runners-up finishes from the 2014 Rotterdam Marathon (2:06:08) and the 2012 Lille Half Marathon (59:10).

He finished second at the 2023 Copenhagen Half Marathon clocking 59:13 behind Edward Cheserek (59:11).

He placed fourth at the 2022 Chicago Marathon (2:07:15) in a race won by Olympic bronze medalist Benson Kipruto (2:04:24) with Ethiopia’s Seifu Tura (2:04:49) and John Korir (2:05:01) completing the podium.

Koech placed fourth at the 2014 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in 59:46.

He recorded a Did Not Finish at the 2013 World Championships.

Koech's main competition will come from the Ethiopians led by the 2023 Frankfurt Marathon third-place finisher Guye Adola.

Adola boasts a personal best of 2:03:46 set during the 2017 Berlin Marathon when he placed second behind two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge (2:03:32).

The Ethiopian holds victories from the 2021 Berlin marathon (2:05:45), the 2014 New Delhi Half Marathon (59:06) and the 2017 Ostia Half Marathon (59:18).

He will be joined by Tsegaye Getachew, who claimed the Amsterdam title in 2022 in 2:04:49.

The 2024 Hamburg Marathon runner-up Winfridah Moraa and 2014 World Half Marathon bronze medalist Selly Chepyego lead the Kenyan charge in the women's race.

Moraa has a personal best of 2:18:25 from Hamburg and has notable wins from the 2022 Madrid (1:07:22) and Arezzo (1:07:58) half marathons.

Chepyego, with a PB of 2:20:03 from her second-place finish at last year’s Barcelona Marathon, is no stranger to the podium.

She claimed gold at the 2001 World Youth Championships in the 3,000m (9:09.95) and bronze at the 2014 World Half Marathon Championships (1:07:52).

Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw top contender for New Women’s Course Record

All eyes will be on Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw during the TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday, October 20. Her personal best of 2:17:23 is just three seconds shy of the current women’s course record (2:17:26, set by Almaz Ayana in 2022). In 2022, the former 10 km world record holder won the TCS London Marathon. Among the men, Guye Adola, Bernard Koech, Tsegaye Getachew, and Philemon Kiplimo will be battling for the top spot.

At just 25 years old, Yalemzerf Yehualaw is still at the beginning of her career. However, she has already recorded the second fastest half-marathon time ever (1:03:61, Valencia 2021) and the third fastest 10 km time ever, which was also a former world record (29:14, Castellón 2022). She won the 2022 Hamburg Marathon in one of the fastest debut times ever (2:17:23) and later that year claimed victory at the TCS London Marathon (2:17:26). Last year, the NN Running Team athlete finished fifth in London and also placed fifth at the World Championships marathon.

In Amsterdam, Yehualaw will face a strong challenge from Kenyan athlete Winfridah Moseti. Moseti has only run five marathons so far, but her progress has been remarkable. After her debut in Milan in 2021 (2:27:44), she finished fifth in Paris last year (2:23:38) and second in Frankfurt (2:20:55). This spring, she again finished second in Hamburg, setting a strong personal best of 2:18:25.

Behind these two world-class athletes, a competitive group of women will aim to break the 2:20 barrier: Selly Chepyego (PR of 2:20:03), Haven Hailu (PR of 2:20:19, set in Amsterdam), Desi Jisa (PR of 2:20:47), and Enatnesh Tirusew (PR of 2:20:48).

Tight Competition in Men’s Race

In the men’s race, the outcome is far from certain. The fastest man in the field is Ethiopian Guye Adola with a personal best of 2:03:46. However, both Koech and Getachew have previously made it to the podium in Amsterdam, and Kiplimo is also a strong contender with his impressive half-marathon personal best of 58:11, highlighting his speed.

Guye Adola’s track record is certainly impressive. He won the 2021 Berlin Marathon (2:04:45) and finished second in Berlin in 2017, where he set his personal best of 2:03:46. He has also stood on the podium in Valencia (third in 2019) and Paris (second in 2023). Adola trains in Ethiopia alongside Tamirat Tola, who holds the TCS Amsterdam Marathon course record (2:03:39, set in 2021).

Bernard Koech finished second behind Tola in that same year, with a time of 2:04:08. Koech is a two-time winner of the Hamburg Marathon, most recently this year with a time of 2:04:24, which ranks as the eighth fastest marathon time of 2024.

Tsegaye Getachew made his international breakthrough in Amsterdam, winning the race in 2022 with a time of 2:04:49. Since then, he has focused on the Abbott World Marathon Majors, with mixed success. His best results include a fifth-place finish in Tokyo in 2024 and a third-place finish in 2023. At last year’s World Championships marathon in Budapest, he finished 16th.

Philemon Kiplimo, with a half-marathon personal best of 58:11, has room for improvement over the full marathon. He set a strong personal best of 2:04:56 in Berlin last year and finished third in Hamburg this spring.

Hellen Obiri reveals her main motivation towards Paris 2024 Olympics

Boston and New York Marathon champion Hellen Obiri has revealed the main reason she is determined to represent Team Kenya at next year’s Olympics in Paris

Boston and New York Marathon champion Hellen Obiri is determined to represent Kenya at the Paris 2024 Olympics as it will give her the chance to win the only gold medal still missing in her collection.

Obiri, who has successfully transitioned from track to road, has gold medals in indoor and outdoor, having won at World Indoor Championships, two at World Championships as well as Cross-Country but she had never won at the Olympics, only managing silver twice in 2016 and 2020, both in 5,000m.

She, however, has a chance to do that in Paris next year, having been named in a formidable provisional Team Kenya and she cannot wait even if the final team of three has not been unveiled.

“I’ve won gold medals in World Championships, so I’m looking for Olympic gold,” Obiri told World Athletics. “It’s the only medal missing in my career.”

Obiri made the list alongside defending champion Peres Jepchirchir, former world record holder Brigid Kosgei, winner in London in 2020, Tokyo Marathon champion Rosemary Wanjiru, former world champion Ruth Chepng’etich, former world half marathon record holder Joycilline Jepkosgei, Sheila Chepkirui, Judith Jeptum Korir, Selly Chepyego and Sharon Lokedi.

The two-time world 5,000m champion says she has now mustered the road after winning this year’s Boston and New York marathons having received a rude awakening on her marathon debut in New York last year.

“My debut here last year was terrible,” she added. “I didn’t want to come back. But sometimes you learn from your mistakes. I made a lot of mistakes last year.”

One of those mistakes, she confessed, had been running out of fuel – accustomed, as she was at the time, to doing 20-mile training runs in Kenya without any water, gels or electrolytes. “Now I take four sips every 5km,” said Obiri.

The other thing Obiri has mustered is how to execute a tactical marathon race as witnessed in New York this year when she timed her kick to perfection, sprinting away from Letesenbet Gidey and defending champion Lokedi in the final 400m.

She crossed the finish line six seconds clear of Gidey in 2:27:23, with Lokedi a further four seconds back in third place.

“I learned from my mistake in New York,” she confessed. “I used to run from the front in track races and I thought I could do the same in the marathon.”

“That cost me a lot because in the marathon, you can’t do all the work for 42km. What I learned from New York is patience – to wait for the right time to make your move.”

Athletics coach explains the headache he faced selecting Kenya’s marathon team for Paris Olympics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marathon Men

Eliud Kipchoge

Kelvin Kiptum

Vincent Ngetich

Timothy Kiplagat

Benson Kipruto

Bernard Koech

Geoffrey Kamworor

Cyprian Kotut

Amos Kipruto

Titus Kipruto

Marathon Women

Ruth Chepngetich 

Rosemary Wanjiru 

Joycilline Jepkosgei 

Sheila Chepkirui 

Peres Jepchirchir 

Judith Jeptum Korir 

Selly Chepyego 

Hellen Obiri 

Sharon Lokedi

 Brigid Kosgei

Selly Chepyego highlights Shanghai marathon

Selly Chepyego highlights the Kenyan contingent at Sunday's Shanghai marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race.

The trio of Betty Chepkwony, Emily Arusio and debutant Sandrafelis Chebet are also in the mix as Kenya's quest for glory takes them to the Asian continent.

The quintet of sub-2:21 runners will be gunning for the course record of 2:20:36 set by Ethiopian Yebrgual Melese in 2018.

The 22-year-old Tadu Teshome of Ethiopia, owning a PB of 2:17:36, is the favourite in Shanghai.

The 2022 Copenhagen Half Marathon champion, who is also a former winner of marathons in Barcelona and Riyadh, achieved her career-best mark last year in Valencia. She clocked 2:20:04 to finish fifth last month in Chicago.

Bahrain’s national record-holder Eunice Chumba and Chepyego could be the biggest threats to Teshome.

The 30-year-old Chumba, a 2:20:02 performer, has remained unbeaten after two races in 2023, clocking 2:20:31 to win in Rotterdam in April and winning the gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou early last month.

Apart from her victory in Hangzhou, Chumba has gained vast experience of winning in China, claiming titles in Dongying and Liupanshui, and at the 2019 Military Games in Wuhan.

Now aged 38, Chepyego is still making progress. The 2014 World Half Marathon bronze medallist set a PB of 2:20:03 to finish second in Barcelona in March and clocked 2:27:09 to place seventh at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Other title contenders include Ethiopian Etagegne Woldu, who set her PB of 2:20:03 last year in Valencia, and Eritrea’s Nazret Weldu, who finished eighth, one place behind Chepyego, in 2:27:23 in Budapest. Before that she improved the national record to 2:20:29 to finish fourth at the World Championships in Oregon in July 2022.

Defending champion Zhang Deshun of China is also toeing the line. Last year Zhang produced a 2:28:17 victory in Shanghai. In March, she improved her PB to 2:24:05 to finish fourth in Nagoya before finishing second behind Chumba at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2:27:55.

Course records under threat at Shanghai Marathon

Assaults on both the men's and women's course records are expected at the Shanghai Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (26).

A total of 12 runners in the men’s field have personal bests inside the 2:07:14 course record set by Kenya’s Paul Lonyangata back in 2015.

Kinde Atanaw of Ethiopia is the fastest entrant courtesy of his 2:03:51 PB set four years ago in Valencia, where he staged a convincing victory in his debut over the classic distance.

The 30-year-old went on to register two sub-2:06 marks in 2021 and 2022 respectively, including a fourth-place finish at the London Marathon last year, but he failed to finish the race in London this year in what has been his only outing of 2023 so far.

Elisha Rotich will lead the Kenyan charge. The 33-year-old won the Paris Marathon two years ago with a career best of 2:04:21 and he also has five other marathon victories to his name, but he has yet to prove his shape so far in 2023.

Ethiopia’s Abayneh Degu, a 2:04:53 performer, will chase his first career marathon title in Shanghai. He clocked 2:08:28 in Osaka in February and finished fifth in China’s Lanzhou in 2:12:57 five months ago.

Fellow Ethiopian Tadu Abate is one of the most in-form runners in the men’s field. He has achieved sub-2:06 results in both of his two races of the year so far, including improving his PB to 2:05:38 to finish sixth in Tokyo.

Like Abate, Kenya’s Enock Onchari will also arrive in Shanghai with high spirits. The 24-year-old achieved his PB of 2:05:47  in Seville in February and celebrated his first-ever marathon victory in 2:07:52 one month later in Wuxi.

The field also includes three other sub-2:06 runners, all from Kenya: Nicholas Kirwa (2:05:01), Moses Kibet (2:05:20) and Eric Kiptanui (2:05:47). The field of local athletes is headed by Jia Erenjia, third-place finisher in Shanghai last year and winner of the 2020 race. He improved his PB to 2:09:54 in Berlin two months ago.

Teshome heads women’s field

In the women’s race, a quintet of sub-2:21 runners will be gunning for the course record of 2:20:36 set by Ethiopian Yebrgual Melese in 2018.

The 22-year-old Tadu Teshome of Ethiopia, owning a PB of 2:17:36, is the favourite in Shanghai. The 2022 Copenhagen Half Marathon champion, who is also a former winner of marathons in Barcelona and Riyadh, achieved her career best mark last year in Valencia. She clocked 2:20:04 to finish fifth last month in Chicago.

Bahrain’s national record-holder Eunice Chumba and Selly Chepyego of Kenya could be the biggest threats to Teshome. The 30-year-old Chumba, a 2:20:02 performer, has remained unbeaten after two races in 2023, clocking 2:20:31 to win in Rotterdam in April and winning the gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou early last month.

Apart from her victory in Hangzhou, Chumba has gained vast experience of winning in China, claiming titles in Dongying and Liupanshui, and at the 2019 Military Games in Wuhan.

Now aged 38, Chepyego is still making progress. The 2014 world half marathon bronze medallist set a PB of 2:20:03 to finish second in Barcelona in March and clocked 2:27:09 to place seventh at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Other title contenders include Ethiopian Etagegne Woldu, who set her PB of 2:20:03 last year in Valencia, and Eritrea’s Nazret Weldu, who finished eighth, one place behind Chepyego, in 2:27:23 in Budapest. Before that she improved the national record to 2:20:29 to finish fourth at the World Championships in Oregon in July 2022.

Defending champion Zhang Deshun of China is also toeing the line. Last year Zhang produced a 2:28:17 victory in Shanghai. In March, she improved her PB to 2:24:05 to finish fourth in Nagoya before finishing second behind Chumba at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2:27:55.

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.

Top Kenya names bow out of world athletics marathon team

Kenya has been forced to make changes to its marathon squad for the World Athletics championships in Budapest in August after the biggest names bowed out of the team.

Last Friday Athletics Kenya (AK) picked Kelvin Kiptum, the world's second fastest marathon runner, and the women's world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei for the August 19 to 27 championships.

But the pair, along with 2023 London marathon silver medalist Geoffrey Kamworor, withdrew in quick succession, forcing Athletics Kenya to name new replacements on Wednesday.

"We selected the best runners we have for the marathon, but we cannot force them to compete in Budapest," Paul Mutwii, the AK director of competitions, told AFP on Thursday.

However Kiptum, who was expected to make his international debut for Kenya, told AFP he had not reached a conclusive agreement with AK over his availability for Budapest.

Titus Kipruto, the 2022 Milan marathon champion, will lead the men's team, alongside Timothy Rono and Joshua Belet.

Reigning Tokyo marathon champion Rosemary Wanjiru is retained in the women's team that also includes former world half marathon bronze medalist Selly Chepyego Kaptich and Shyline Jepkorir Toroitich.

Kiptum, Kosgei to lead Kenya Marathon team in Budapest

The second fastest man in marathon history, Kelvin Kiptum and women's world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei will lead the Kenyan marathon team at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary, scheduled for August 19-27.

Kiptum, the 2023 London Marathon champion will team up with Geoffrey Kamworor and Titus Kipruto.

The 2023 Rotterdam Marathon silver medalist Timothy Kiplagat and the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Michael Githae are the reserve runners.

Double Chicago and London Marathon champion Kosgei will have company from the 2023 Tokyo Marathon winner Rosemary Wanjiru and the 2016 5,000m African champion Sheila Chepkirui.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist Margaret Wangari and the 2014 World Half Marathon bronze medalist Selly Chepyego will be the reserve runners for the women's cadre.

The men's team will be targeting reclaiming the world title that Kenya last won in 2017 through Geoffrey Kirui.

Kenya was last victorious in the women's category in 2019 when Ruth Chepngetich was crowned in Doha. Kosgei and Co will be on a mission to recapture Kenya's lost glory.

The team was named after Athletics Kenya held a meeting with a panel of coaches in Eldoret on June 1.

The panel consisted of Patrick Sang, Richard Metto, David Leting, Julius Kirwa, Joseph Cheromei and Peter Bii.

Athletics Kenya director for competitions, Paul Mutwii disclosed that the line-up was based on the willingness and availability of the athletes.

Kimutai and Yimer win the Barcelona Marathon and break the race records

Marius Kimutai, winner with 2.05.06, and Zeineba Yimer, winner with 2.19.44, managed this Sunday to improve the limits of the Barcelona circuit, placing the Zurich Marató de Barcelona among the fastest 42-kilometre races in Europe. Especially commendable is the Ethiopian's timer, below 2 hours and 20 minutes.

The race launched by the hares consolidated a pace, in the leading group of men, of less than three minutes per kilometer from the start on Avenida María Cristina, which guaranteed the breaking of the Ethiopian Yihuniligne Adane's record with 2.05.53, made in the last edition 2022.

The compact group of a dozen runners that led the test passed kilometer 30 (in 1.29.18) still grouped. From here the peloton stretched following the trail of the only hare still in the race and changes of pace followed, with the favourite, the Kenyan-born Turk Kaan Kigen Özbilen, trying to control the race when the last hare abandoned in the 31.

In 35, only a couple of athletes have been able to hold the pace imposed by Özbilen, the Moroccan Othmane El Goumri and the Bahraini of Kenyan origin Marius Kimutai. The podium seemed determined, but the order on the drawer was still to be determined.

The Turk gave in at minute 39 and El Goumri, second a couple of editions ago on this same circuit with 2.06.18, took advantage of his knowledge of the route to pick up the pace, seconded by Kimutai, sixth classified in the 2021 Barcelona Marathon and therefore as well as the Moroccan, who is also familiar with the blue-painted marathon track in the Catalan capital.

Kimutai waited for a definitive change of pace, just before facing Sepúlveda street and ended up winning alone with a new circuit record, 2.05.06, although he could not go below 2.05, which was the objective of the organization. El Goumri held on to second place and finished with a new Moroccan national record (2.05.12). Özbilen was the third on the podium, finishing in 2.05.37.

Very similar script in the women's race, passing the half marathon in 1.09, and with three Africans fighting for podium places in the final kilometers. The starting pace was already setting a new circuit record, this time by a much wider margin than that of the men.

Zeineba Yeimer finally managed to run under 2.20 and set a new women's record on the circuit, which lowers the previous record by more than three minutes and places it at an enviable 2.19. Second entered Selly Chepyego (2.20.03), and third and first European the Romanian Delvine Meringor (2.20.49).

The Zurich Marató Barcelona returns for its 44 edition this weekend

More than 15,000 participants register for Barcelona, numbers grow by 50% compared to 2022 and international runners make up more than half.

The Zurich Marató Barcelona’s 44th edition will take place with 15,127 registered participants, recovering pre-pandemic numbers and growing by 5,000 runners compared to the previous edition.

This Sunday 19th of March, the Marató also returns to its large number of participants coming from all over the world. Runners of 119 different nationalities have chosen Barcelona to live the best possible experience in the 42.195 km distance, in a renovated circuit in 2018, monumental and fast at the same time, with the ideal climate to run with thousands of participants and a powerful civic atmosphere.

In this sense, the Councillor for Sports of the Barcelona City Council, David Escudé, has highlighted that “this is the Barcelona’s Marathon of the recovery of numbers. We are very happy because this year the overall participation of the Zurich Marató Barcelona has grown by 50% compared to 2022, exceeding 15,000 registrations. We have also doubled the international participation compared to last year’s edition and more than half of the runners (55%, 8,319 in total) come to our city from other countries. The female participation is again 25%, equalling the highest percentage in our history (3,781 women participants). Without a doubt, this will be the great running festival that we are all looking forward to, with the streets full of people cheering and enjoying this sporting event”.

On the other hand, the director of the race, Mauro Llorens, explains that “we have everything ready and we are looking forward to starting a great edition of the Zurich Marató Barcelona where, for the first time, we will be a Gold Label Marathon awarded by World Athletics. In Spain only Barcelona has this label and, in Europe, only three more marathons has it. This means having a great line-up of elite athletes and first class services for runners. We will be looking for the two circuit records to position ourselves as one of the fastest marathons in Europe”.

The new feature of this year’s edition is that World Athletics has awarded the Zurich Marató Barcelona with the Gold Label for 2023. This is a distinctive label awarded to an event when it guarantees a high competitive level, as well as quality and comfort for the popular runners (official refreshment points, physiotherapy and recovery services, etc.). This distinction, which represents a qualitative leap for the Marató, reinforces the city of Barcelona’s capacity to organise large-scale, international sporting events, making it the only marathon in Spain and one of only three in Europe (along with the Rotterdam Marathon and the Istanbul Marathon) to have this label.

In addition, the slogan of this edition is Run In The World’s Best City because Barcelona has been considered the best city in the world according to the Telegraph Travel 2022 ranking. The course of the Zurich Marató Barcelona is ideal to enjoy: it runs through the heart of a cosmopolitan city, which has the great modernist legacy of Antonio Gaudí or the Pla Cerdà and the Camp Nou, Plaza España, the Arc de Triomf, the Sagrada Familia, the Forum or the Seafront as some of its main tourist attractions to enjoy the Catalan capital uniquely, running on a fast and magical route.

A competitive group of athletes from East Africa, with up to seven athletes with a Gold label, will take the start 19th of March to try to run under 02:04h. In terms of personal bests, the Turkish athlete Kaan Kigen Özbilen, Kenya’s 5000m champion at the age of 20, with a record that already predicted a promising athletics career, stands out in the first place to win the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2023.

As is usual for most long-distance runners, Kigen moved up the distance to concentrate on the marathon. In 2015 he became a naturalised Turkish citizen and in 2016 he won the European Half Marathon runner-up medal and his first international medal with his new country. From this point on, Özbilen concentrated on marathon, running 02:06h in the Dubai Marathon and improving his personal best in Valencia, where he has participated in the last three editions: 02:04:16h in 2019, 02:08:50h in 2020 and 02:04:36h in 2022. In this 44th edition of the Zurich Marató Barcelona, he will be, a priori, the athlete to follow, as he will start the race as the theoretical favourite as he will start with the best time of all the participants.

Five athletes with records in 02:05h are, on paper, Kigen’s strongest rivals and the most qualified ones, as they are lower or very close to the current race record (02:05:53h), achieved by the Ethiopian Yihunilign Adane last year, starting with Joel Kemboi Kimurer (Gold athlete) with 02:05:19h at the Milan Marathon 2021. Likewise, with the experience of his 35 years and having run 11 marathons, Kenyan Kemboi Kimurer and his 02:05:19h in the Milan Marathon two years ago, is also among the favourites to win in Barcelona. Another Kenyan, Marius Kimutai, is also among the favourites. He has been competing for Bahrain for the past two years and knows the Catalan capital’s circuit well, where he finished sixth in 2021 (02:06:54h).

On the other hand, Ethiopia’s athlete Takele Bikila achieved his best time at the Seville Marathon (02:05:52h) last season in his tenth 42km race, and Eritrea’s Kibrom Ruesom at the Valencia Marathon 2020 (02:05:53h) in his second marathon attempt. Closing the list is Ethiopia’s runner Kelkile Woldaregay time of 02:05:56h at the Rotterdam Marathon, which dates back to 2018.

Kaan Kigen Özbilen: “I want to thank the organisation for inviting me to run in the best city in the world. Eliud Kipchogue is my mentor and teammate and he has wished me luck for Sunday. I am coming to Barcelona to set the course record”.

Marius Kimutai: “Sunday I will return to a circuit I already know with the aim of improving my personal best and setting a new record”.

Two-time finalist at the World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia 2018 and Gdynia 2020, Zeineba Yimer Worku (Gold Label) is the only female participant with a personal best under 2 hours and 20 minutes and is the favourite to break the women’s record set last year by Ethiopian Meseret Gebre Dekebo (02:23:11h). A time achieved twice, both times at the Valencia Marathon, finishing in 02:19:28h in 2019 and 02:19:54h the year after.

As a personal best and among the five Gold Label female athletes who will run on 19th of March in Barcelona, Yimer is the favourite among a group that also includes her compatriot, Ethiopia’s athlete Azmera Gebru Hagos, a cross-country runner who won bronze at the World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria in 2011, more than a decade ago. At the age of 23, Hagos made her debut at the 2018 Amsterdam Marathon, finishing in 02:23h and the following year, on the same circuit, she achieved what is, for the moment, her personal best (02:20:48h).

Zenebu Fikadu Jebesa (Gold Label) also repeats in Barcelona. The Ethiopian runner, third on the podium in the last edition of the Zurich Marató Barcelona (02:25:11h), will enjoy a new opportunity in a circuit she already knows. A fourth Ethiopian runner, Tsegaye Melesech, also returns to Barcelona after finishing second in 2017 (02:26:44h).

In terms of international experience, Kenya’s Selly Chepyego Kaptich (Gold Label) is a strong contender to face the Ethiopian trio of favourites. Kaptich is the U18 World 3000m champion and bronze medalist at the World Half Marathon in Copenhagen in 2014, as well as having finished third in another major event, the Berlin Marathon 2019, which she finished setting her personal best of 02:21:06h.

Among the European athletes, the participation of Delvine Relin Meringor, Kenyan until 2021 and Romanian since then, after her naturalisation by the European country, stands out. Meringor was a solid cross-country runner in her early days as an athlete. She made her debut at the 2021 Siena Marathon in 02:24:32h and won the Los Angeles Marathon a year ago (02:25:04h).

Selly Chepyego Kaptich: “I’m prepared for the weather conditions in Barcelona and I’m confident to beat the women’s record.”

Misoi and Kaptich take Frankfurt Marathon titles

Brimin Kipkorir Misoi and Selly Chepyego Kaptich achieved a Kenyan double at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, on Sunday (30).

Both athletes made a break around 25km into their races on a warm and sunny morning, Misoi going on to win the men’s event in a PB of 2:06:11 and 2014 World Half Marathon Championships bronze medallist Kaptich holding on to take the women’s title – her first marathon win – in 2:23:11.

Misoi wasn’t considered one of the pre-race favourites but he ran a well-judged race to triumph by more than a minute ahead of pacemaker Samwel Nyamai Mailu, who carried on to complete the full 26.2 miles in 2:07:19 on his debut at the distance.

Kaptich, meanwhile, had been the fastest athlete on the women’s start list and while she struggled in the latter stages and ultimately missed her goal of breaking the 2:19:10 course record, she managed to maintain her advantage and won by almost a minute and a half ahead of Helah Kiprop (2:24:40).

Misoi formed part of the leading men’s group that followed pacemakers through 10km in 29:52 and 15km in 44:40, with half way reached in 1:02:58. Misoi then put in a surge and a series of sub-2:55 kilometres saw him break away from his rivals. He was on sub-2:05 pace as he reached 30km in 1:28:44 behind Mailu and clearly felt he had more to give as he moved past the pacemaker a short while later.

Misoi went through 35km in 1:43:33 and although he wasn’t able to maintain that pace, he clocked 1:59:12 for 40km and then reached the finish in 2:06:11 for a PB and the fifth fastest winning time in Frankfurt.

Although his pace also slowed as the temperatures rose, Misoi’s compatriot Mailu felt good enough to finish the race after doing his pacemaking duties to 30km and ran 2:07:19 for the runner up spot, while Ethiopia’s Derese Geleta was third in 2:07:30.Hendrik Pfeiffer was the top German finisher, running 2:11:28 for seventh place.

In the women’s race, Kaptich followed the male pacemakers through 10km in 33:14 and 15km in 49:38, joined by Ethiopian duo Atalel Anmut and Yeshi Kalayu Chekole. The trio were still together as the halfway mark was passed in 1:09:40.

Around 5km later, Kaptich was ready to make her move. Having dropped Anmut, Kaptich and Chekole went through 25km in 1:22:27, 19 seconds ahead and on course record pace. Kaptich then kicked again and left Chekole behind, picking up the pace to pass the 30km mark in 1:38:45, more than a minute ahead. At this point, a chase group led by Kenya’s 2015 world silver medallist Kiprop was working hard to close the gap (1:40:56).

By 35km it was Kiprop in second place, as she passed that mark in 1:58:15, two minutes behind Kaptich (1:56:12), their compatriot Jackline Chepngeno a further 10 seconds back.

The podium places seemed decided and while Kiprop began to reel Kaptich in, passing 40km in 2:16:28 behind Kaptich’s 2:14:42, she couldn’t catch her.

Kaptich went on to win in 2:23:11 to Kiprop’s 2:24:40 and Chepngeno’s 2:25:14.

Italy’s Sofiia Yaremchuk was fourth in a PB of 2:25:36 and Corinna Coenning was the top German athlete, finishing 10th in 2:40:48.

Highly competitive fields ready to clash in Seoul this weekend

Organizers of the Seoul Marathon have assembled what is arguably their strongest ever line-up for the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race on Sunday (17).

Eight men with sub-2:06 PBs and five women with sub-2:21 lifetime bests are among the highly competitive fields.

World silver medalist Mosinet Geremew heads the men’s line-up. The former Ethiopian record-holder, who has a PB of 2:02:55, has finished in top three in eight of his nine completed marathons. He was unable to finish the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year, but he’ll return to action on Sunday in a bid to become just the second Ethiopian man in history to win the Seoul Marathon.

If he falls short of that target, compatriot Herpasa Negasa stands a good chance. Runner-up in Dubai in 2019, he is a 2:03:40 performer at his best.

Elisha Kipchirchir Rotich leads the Kenyan charge. A formidable opponent, he won the Paris Marathon last year in a PB of 2:04:21. He also has five other career marathon victories to his name, and he finished second in Seoul in 2019.

Three-time Toronto Marathon winner Philemon Rono is also entered, as is Kenyan compatriot Mark Korir. The 2015 Paris Marathon winner has a 2:05:49 PB and will be making his fifth appearance in Seoul; he has made the podium three times in the Korean city but is yet to win.

Korea’s Joohan Oh – formerly known as Wilson Loyanae of Kenya – is also familiar with the streets of Seoul, having won the race four times. He also holds the course record at 2:05:13, but his last completed marathon was back in 2019 when he finished second in Gyeongju in 2:08:42.

Ugandan duo Filex Chemonges and Moses Kibet are also worth keeping an eye on. Chemonges, who represented Uganda at the Olympics last year, holds the national record at 2:05:12. Kibet, meanwhile, has only contested two marathons to date but already has a PB of 2:05:20.

Other entered athletes include 2017 Seoul runner-up Felix Kandie of Kenya, Kenneth Keter, Brazilian Olympian Daniel do Nascimento, two-time Amsterdam winner Benard Kipyego, Solomon Kirwa Yego and Martin Kosgey.

The women’s race looks just as competitive and similarly tough to call.

Guteni Shone returns to Seoul, seven years after her victory there. Since then, she has also won in Ottawa and Seville, while in more recent years she has finished second in Prague in 2021 and second in Dubai in 2020 – the latter with a PB of 2:20:11, making her the fastest in the field for Sunday. In fact, she has finished in the top two in her past four marathons and she won’t want to relinquish that streak this weekend.

She’ll be joined on the start line by two fellow Ethiopians who also have a strong marathon record. Sutume Asefa, winner of the Beijing Marathon in 2019, set a PB of 2:20:30 when finishing third in Tokyo two years ago. Shure Demise, meanwhile, set her PB of 2:20:59 on her debut at the distance in Dubai back in 2015, but has gone on to win in Toronto twice. She also placed third in Tokyo in 2019 and in Chicago in 2018.

Netsanet Gudeta may not have the fastest PB of the elite field – partly because she has only completed two marathons to date – but she is a proven contender at the half marathon distance, having won the 2018 world title. Her half marathon PB of 1:05:45 suggests she’s capable of improving on her 2:26:09 marathon PB.

Joan Chelimo Melly has an even quicker half marathon PB, 1:05:04, making her one of the fastest women of all time for the distance. The Kenyan has started to move up to the marathon in recent years and has a PB of 2:20:57.

Other Kenyans in the line-up include Agnes Jeruto Barsosio, who was third in Seoul in 2016, Selly Chepyego Kaptich, and Celestine Chepchirchir, who was third in Seoul in 2019. Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba, seventh at the Olympics last year, is another one to watch.

Elite field

Women

Guteni Shone (ETH) 2:20:11

Sutume Asefa (ETH) 2:20:30

Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN) 2:20:57

Agnes Jeruto Barsosio (KEN) 2:20:59

Shure Demise (ETH) 2:20:59

Selly Chepyego Kaptich (KEN) 2:21:06

Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:23:10

Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN) 2:23:38

Netsanet Gudeta  (ETH) 2:26:09

Men

Mosinet Geremew (ETH) 2:02:55

Herpasa Negasa (ETH) 2:03:40

Elisha Kipchirchir Rotich (KEN) 2:04:21

Philemon Rono (KEN) 2:05:00

Filex Chemonges (UGA) 2:05:12

Joohan Oh (KOR) 2:05:13

Moses Kibet (UGA) 2:05:20

Mark Korir (KEN) 2:05:49

Felix Kandie (KEN) 2:06:03

Kenneth Keter (KEN) 2:06:05

Daniel do Nascimento (BRA) 2:06:11

Benard Kipyego (KEN) 2:06:19

Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 2:06:24

Martin Kosgey (KEN) 2:06:41

Vincent Kipsang Rono (KEN) 2:07:10

Lucas Kimeli Rotich (KEN) 2:07:17

Belachew Alemayehu (ETH) 2:07:55

Brian Kipsang (KEN) 2:09:07.

NN Running Team releases a short documentary followed several training groups in Africa called The long run, an inside view

The NN Running Team has possibly the most stacked lineup of long distance runners in the world. With world, European and national record-holders, and names like Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenise Bekele, the team uniform can often be seen in the lead at the world’s biggest races. NN Running recently released a min-documentary called The long run, an inside view, which takes viewers into several training camps and focuses on the importance of the long run, which is an integral part of every marathon training plan.

It’s a brief look at what training is like for the world’s best marathoners, and it has great lessons for runners of all levels.

The NN Running Team doesn’t have one set training location, so the film looks at groups in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. In the doc, Kipchoge and Bekele are interviewed in their home countries of Kenya and Ethiopia, respectively, along with Kenyan half-marathon world record-holder, Geoffrey Kamworor, and Joshua Cheptegei, the 5K and 10K world record-holder from Uganda.

Switzerland’s Julien Wanders, the European half-marathon record-holder, is also a member of the NN team, and shots of his training in Iten, Kenya, are included in the film. Selly Chepyego is the only woman from the team featured in the documentary. In 2019, Chepyego, who is from Kenya, came in third at the Berlin Marathon, and earlier this year she was fourth at the Tokyo Marathon.

When we see videos of elite athletes in training, a lot of the time they’re shots from hard workouts on the track. Sometimes there are clips from long runs, but that training session is never the focus. This mini-documentary shows just how important the long run is, especially for marathoners.

“[Marathon training] is basically 90 to 95 per cent mileage,” Victor Chumo says in the film. “If you don’t do it, the chances that you are going to perform [are] less likely. That’s where you find some athletes who are less prepared. When he reaches around 35 to 40K, that’s when he faces some kind of problems or challenges.”

Kipchoge says his group rarely talks during their long runs, because it is a time to “concentrate on yourself.” Just like any other session, the long run requires your focus and attention. Wanders emphasizes that the long run is not a race, and although it can be tempting to run fast and push your training partners, it’s absolutely necessary to hold back and save your speed for another day. They also mention that, rain or shine, the long run always gets done. This is one of the most important parts of marathon training, so you can’t skip it.

Even if you don’t run marathons, there are lessons to be learned from this film, but besides the lessons, it’s just a fun look into the lives (or at least one part of the lives) of some of the world’s best runners.

Defending champ Ruti Aga and last year's winner Birhanu Legese will be back for 2020 Tokyo Marathon

Ethiopia is pretty far down the road to overtaking Kenya as the world's leading marathon nation, and its presence is heavy in both the women's and men's fields for the Olympic year 2020 Tokyo Marathon. Lacking London's star power the Tokyo fields won't win many nominations for best of 2020, but with loads of World Marathon Majors top three finishers and winners of next-tier gold label marathons they're still fields at a level most other races would love to be able to pull off.

On the women's side, with PBs of 2:18:34 and 2:18:46 defending champ Ruti Aga and past winner Birhane Dibaba lead a main of twelve top-tier invited elites, of which nine were born in Ethiopia. The other three, Valary Jemeli Aiyabei, nationality transfer Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, and Selly Chepyego Kaptich, were all born in Kenya.

With Tokyo not counting in last-chance Olympic qualification for Japanese women the top entrant from outside those two countries is Japan's Haruka Yamaguchi, an amateur who took 7th in this past weekend's Osaka International Women's Marathon in 2:26:35. Former Canadian national record holder Rachel Cliff and locals Kaori Yoshida, Risa Noguchi, Shiho Kaneshige and Yurie Doi fill out the rest of the sub-2:30 set.

On the men's side Ethiopians make up five of the eleven invited internationals including the top four, with last year's winner Birhanu Legese leading the way in 2:02:48. Things are heavily stacked in the 2:04 to low-2:05 range, perfectly designed to set it up for the Japanese men. Their task and its payoff are simple: be the top Japanese guy in 2:05:49 or better and replace national record holder Suguru Osako (Nike) on the Sapporo 2020 Olympic marathon team.

Osako's there to stop them, fresh off a 25 km tempo in Dubai. His main competition is previous national record holder Yuta Shitara (Honda), who said last week that 2:05 isn't good enough and that if he doesn't run 2:04 in what he's calling his final marathon in Japan then he'll turn down the Olympic team spot.

Shitara's got that crazy edge working, which can count for a lot, but the biggest danger to Osako is probably going to be the ultra-disciplined Hiroto Inoue (MHPS), who ran 2:06:54 in Asics behind Shitara's NR two years ago, then made the switch to the Next% this season and promptly crushed the course record on the New Year Ekiden's longest stage. Put him in the same shoes as Osako and Shitara and they'd better watch out.

Kenta Murayama has the goods to be the other three's equal, but with his sponsor team Asahi Kasei having lost the plot when it comes to marathoning it would be a surprise to see him go much below 2:08. With twelve current sub-2:10 Japanese men in the field it's one of the best domestic races ever assembled, but apart from Murayama and possibly his talented teammate Shuho Dairokuno it's hard to see any darkhorses breaking through to the level of Osako, Shitara and Inoue. 

Mizuki Matsuda's 2:21:47 win in Osaka last weekend bumped her up into the 3rd Olympic women's spot but left her vulnerable to others in Nagoya, but with all the main men in Tokyo it's even harder to see anyone in Lake Biwa a week later going better than what they might do here.

Geoffrey Kamworor, Augustine Choge and Selly Chepyego will support Eliud Kipchoge at the 1:59 Ineos Challenge in October

Three-time World Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor says their mentor and leader fully believes in the project dubbed INEOS 1:59 Challenge, which will be staged in Austria's capital Vienna on Oct. 12.

"The challenge is a golden opportunity and we really believe in him. There are many elements that make Eliud special. Firstly, he is very disciplined and secondly he is very humble and he values everyone the same," said Kamworor on Tuesday from Eldoret.

Kamworor, the bronze medalist at New York Marathon, says Kipchoge is hard working and focused in training and nothing will distract him.

"As we train with him and know him well I believe he can run a sub-two-hour marathon. Since the Breaking2 Project in 2017 he has run faster and faster and with the support and passion of others around him and because of his own self-belief I believe he will do it," added Kamworor.

In 2017 in a mission dubbed Breaking2 Project, Kipchoge ran 2:00:25 in Monza, Italy.

Last September, he lowered the world record by an astonishing 78 seconds when posting 2:01:39 in Berlin and underlined his pedigree by clocking the second-fastest time in history when winning the London Marathon in 2:02:37 in April this year.

Augustine Choge, former Commonwealth 5,000m champion and World Indoor 3,000m silver medalist, has trained with Kipchoge for over 15 years and has been selected as a pacemaker for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.

"Anything is possible. I am extremely confident because I have seen the focus in his training and his form is better than ever. If Eliud is successful it will be a success for all of us. Should he achieve a sub-two-hour marathon, it will show us nothing is impossible," he said.

Selly Chepyego, who will be competing in marathon at the World Championship says Kipchoge's discipline will be the key in Vienna challenge.

"Can he do it? It is possible. When we look at him in training we are in the best position to judge. Surely, it is possible," she said.