Running News Daily

Elite winners make their mark at AJC Peachtree Road Race

Sebastian Sawe won The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race’s men’s elite division Thursday with an unofficial time of 28:03. He currently is the No. 1-ranked road racer in the world.

This is Sawe’s first season of competition in the U.S., according to the Atlanta Track Club. The 29-year-old Kenyan brings a personal best of 26:49, the second-fastest 10K time in the world last year, and the reigning World Half Marathon Champion sits on top of the 2024 leaderboard for the fastest half marathon in the world so far this year, the track club said.

Stacy Ndiwa won the women’s elite division with a time of 31:12. Ndiwa, who is from Kenya, finished the race limping across the finish line.

(07/04/2024) Views: 255 ⚡AMP
by Kendall Wright

Sawe targets next year's Boston Marathon after ruling 10k

Prague Half Marathon champion Sabastian Sawe is setting his sights on the 42km race as he sets his target on next year's Boston Marathon on April 21.

This comes after the 29-year-old's impressive victory at the Boston 10K Road Race on Sunday, where he clocked 27:42.

Wesley Kiptoo (27:53) and World Half Marathon silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo (27:55) claimed second and third respectively.

In the women's elite race, Ethiopians swept the podium as Melknat Wudu (31:15), Bosena Mulatie (31:16) and Senayet Getachew (31:17) took the top three slots.

Kenya’s Irene Cheptai (31:19), Stacy Ndiwa (31:20), Sarah Chelagat (31:27), and Daisy Jepkemei (31:39) followed in that order. 

After stamping authority in his first race in the United States, Sawe stated he harbours ambitions of taking part in the Boston Marathon.

“My dream now is to take part in the Boston Marathon,” Sawe stated.

Sawe, primarily a half marathon and road race specialist, boasts an impressive resume including the Prague Half Marathon title which he won on April 6 in a time of 58:24.

He also holds a title from last year’s Berlin Half Marathon (59:00) as well as the 2022 Bahrain Half Marathon (58:58). 

Sawe also won the World Road Running Championships half marathon title in Riga, Latvia, where he clocked 59:10. Ebenyo (59:14) and Samwel Nyamai (59:19) finished second and third.

He secured gold at the Adizero Road to Records 10K last April with a time of 26:49 and has a silver medal from the 2022 edition, clocking 27:06 behind Nicholas Kipkorir (27:05).

His other accolades include victories at the 2022 Roma (58:02) and Seville Half Marathons (59:02), and gold at the Gold Gala Fernanda in the 10,000m (27:09.46).

Reflecting on his Boston performance, Sawe said the course was fair despite too much rain.

“The course was not tough. The weather, however, made it difficult but I was able to do my best and come out with the victory,” he stated.

After hitting the halfway mark in 13:52, Sawe broke away from the leading pack of five which included Ebenyo, Kiptoo, Ethiopia’s Yemane Haileselassie and Abel Kipchumba.

“This was my first time running the Boston 10km Road race. The race was amazing and I had prepared adequately for it,” Sawe commented.

In addition to the winner’s trophy, Sawe also took home Sh1.3 million in cash prize money.

(07/01/2024) Views: 314 ⚡AMP
by Teddy Mulei

Boston Athletic Association names field of professional athletes for 2024 Boston 10K

The Boston Athletic Association announced Wednesday the professional fields for the 2024 Boston 10K, which will be held on Sunday, June 23.

American Olympic marathoners Emily Sisson and Clayton Young will race the new and enhanced course that features scenic views of the Charles River and finishes at Boston Common.

Making his American road racing debut is world-number one ranked road racer Sabastian Sawe, of Kenya, and returning is defending Boston Half champion Abel Kipchumba. 2024 Boston Marathon runner-up Sharon Lokedi and two-time Boston Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat headline the women’s field, while Para Athletics Division winners Marko Cheseto Lemtukei, Atsbha Gebremeskel and Kelly Bruno will compete two months after finishing April’s marathon.

“The Boston 10K presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital kicks off the summer running season,” said Jack Fleming, the president and CEO of the B.A.A. “We’re eager for participants to take on the new course, which will run along the Charles River, over two historic bridges, and across the Boston Marathon finish line before finishing at Boston Common. Leading the way are some of the fastest and most accomplished athletes to race 6.2 miles, some doing so as a tune-up for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Sisson and Young locked up their spots on Team USA’s Marathon roster in February, both finishing second in their respective women’s and men’s races. Sisson returns to the Boston 10K after placing second in 2022 and fourth in 2023, while this will be Young’s first B.A.A. event.

From Kenya are Lokedi and Kiplagat, racing in Boston two months after placing on the podium at the 128th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. Lokedi is currently the alternate for Kenya’s Olympic Marathon team, and Kiplagat has twice finished runner-up at the Boston 10K. Joining them among international competitors are last year’s Boston 10K second-place finisher Stacy Ndiwa (Kenya), Cherry Blossom 10 Mile champion Sarah Chelangat (Uganda), 2022 Beach to Beacon 10K winner Fantaye Belayneh (Ethiopia), and 2021 Olympic 10,000m sixth place finisher Irine Cheptai (Kenya). Mercy Chelangat, an NCAA Cross Country and 10,000m champion from Kenya, and 2022 Boston Half third-place finisher Hiwot Gebremaryam (Ethiopia) are entered as well.

From the USA is 2015 Boston Marathon champion Caroline Rotich, B.A.A. High-performance team member Abbey Wheeler, 2024 USA 15K third-place finisher Emily Durgin and former American 10,000m record holder and U.S. Olympian Molly Huddle.

The men’s international field is headlined by Sabastian Sawe, the top-ranked road racer in the world and the 2023 World Athletics Half Marathon champion. Sawe, of Kenya, has run 26:49 — fastest in the field — and will be making his American road racing debut.

From Kenya are Boston Half reigning champion Abel Kipchumba, 2023 Falmouth Road Race winner Wesley Kiptoo, and 17-time NCAA champion Edward Cheserek. Also from Kenya is Alex Masai, third in 2023.

Beyond Clayton Young, American men on the starting line will include recent USA 25K national champion Diego Estrada, 1:00:02 half marathoner Teshome Mekonen, and B.A.A. High Performance Team member Josh Kalapos. Kalapos finished 17th at February’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon.

Hermin Garic returns in the men’s wheelchair division as a two-time defending champion, timing 22:44 last year. He’s joined by Michelle Wheeler, a top entrant in the women’s wheelchair division, who was runner-up last year.

In the Para Athletics Divisions, Brian Reynolds — who set a world record 41:09 at last year’s event for T61-64 Classification (lower-limb impairment) is back with sights on the podium again. Marko Cheseto Lemtukei and Kelly Bruno — each of whom won the T62-T64/T42-T44 Division at the 128th Boston Marathon — will compete, as well as Atsbha Gebremeskel, the two-time Boston Marathon T46 (upper limb impairment) Para Athletics Division champion. More than 25 athletes will participate in the Para Athletics Divisions and Adaptive Programs at this year’s Boston 10K. Nearly $20,000 — an event record — in prize awards are available to top-three finishers across Vision Impairment (T11-T13), Upper Limb Impairment (T45-T46), Lower Limb Impairment (T61-T64), Coordination Impairment (T35-T38) classifications.

The Boston 10K presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital will be the second event of the 2024 B.A.A. Distance Medley, a year-long series featuring the Boston 5K (April), Boston 10K (June), and Boston Half (November). While open registration is sold out, limited spots are still available through Brigham and Women’s fundraising team.

(05/23/2024) Views: 603 ⚡AMP
by Jamy Pombo Sesselman

Dominic Ngeno, Stacy Ndiwa celebrate after winning 2024 L.A. Marathon

Upon breaking the tape on a pristine St. Patrick’s Day morning in the City of Angels, Dominic Ngeno dropped to his knees and kissed the ground in celebration of winning the 39th Los Angeles Marathon.

The 26-year-old Kenyan separated from countryman Cosmas Kiplimo with a little more than three miles to go on the 26.2-mile route that started at Dodger Stadium and ended on the Avenue of the Stars in Century City. Ngeno prevailed by five seconds in 2:10:20 — almost three minutes faster than last year’s winner, Jemal Yimer of Ethiopia.

“I watched the race the last couple of years and my coach gave me a plan in training,” Ngeno said. “I wanted to go 2:08 but it was a little humid the last three kilometers and that reduced our speed. In my mind it was about setting the right pace.”

Ngeno clocked a personal-best 2:07:26 to place third at the Eindhoven Marathon in the Netherlands in October and was ninth in 2:11:23 at the Milan Marathon in Italy in April. Ethiopian Markos Geneti set the L.A. Marathon men’s record of 2:06:35 in 2011, but Sunday was about the Kenyans — Ngeno, Kiplimo and Stacy Ndiwa, who repeated as the women’s winner in a personal-best 2:25:28.

“Last year I didn’t know the course but this year I prepared well for the hills and the weather was better,” said the 31-year-old Ndiwa, who pulled away from runner-up Volha “Olga” Mazuronak in the last mile to win by 20 seconds and shave 5:32 off last year’s effort. Ndiwa received an additional $10,000 for winning the Marathon Chase.

“People cheered us from the start until the last minute,” she said. “At 40 kilometers I increased my pace. I was worried [Mazuronak] would catch me.”

Askale Merachi of Ethiopia set the women’s record of 2:24:11 in 2019.

The elite women started on time at 6:43 a.m. and were supposed to have a 17-minute head start in the Marathon Chase, a feature unique to the L.A. Marathon in which the first runner to reach the finish line, either male or female, is awarded a $10,000 bonus. Due to a miscommunication, however, the men were sent off at 6:55, only 12 minutes behind the women, lessening the drama of the “battle of the sexes.”

In 13 previous Chase competitions the women won the race-within-a-race nine times, but their “early” start enabled Ngeno and Kiplimo to overtake the top three women in Mile 22. However, Ndiwa was still declared the winner because the men would not have caught her had they started on schedule.

“When the men passed us and I saw who they were I thought ’no problem!’ ” Ndiwa said.

“She trains not far away and we see each other on the track a lot,” Ngeno said of his fellow winner. “Last week, we wished each other the best. We’re proud to have won.”

The L.A. Marathon debuted in 1986 and a Kenyan has won the men’s race eight times and the women’s race six times since 2015.

Mazuronak, who finished fifth in the Olympics twice, was running her first marathon in three years. In September, the 34-year-old from Belarus relocated to Irvine with her son and gained membership in USA Track & Field after not being able compete as a result of her protesting election fraud in her native country.

(03/17/2024) Views: 567 ⚡AMP
by Los Angeles Times

Pamela Rotich headlines Los Angeles Marathon

Kenya’s Pamela Rotich will be the lady to watch at the 39th edition of the Los Angeles Marathon slated for Sunday (17) in Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Rotich who is the oldest and fastest athlete on the entry list, comes to this race with a life time best of 2:22.43 that she got two years ago at Daegu International Marathon, where she took the silver medal.

The 40 year-old will not have an easy time as she will face-off with Olga Mazuronak of Belarus who is the second fastest athlete on paper with a time of 2:23.54 that she got at the 2016 London Marathon where she finished in fourth place and the former Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medallist, Stacy Ndiwa of Kenya who holds a personal best of 2:31.00 that she got last year at the Chicago Marathon.

Another title contender is Olympian Silvia Paredes from Ecuador of personal best 2:40.58 and the 2015 Pan American Games marathon bronze medalist, Rachel Hannah from Canada who holds a personal best of 2:32.09 that she got at the 2016 Houston Marathon, where she finished in sixth place.

LEADING TIME

42KM WOMEN

Pamela Rotich       (KEN) 2:22.43

Olga Mazuronak   (BEL) 2:23.54

Stacy Ndiwa          (KEN) 2:31.00

Rachel Hannah      (CAN) 2:32.09

Silvia Paredes        (CAN) 2:40.58

(03/13/2024) Views: 474 ⚡AMP
by John Vaselyne

Kiptum eyes world record at next week's Chicago Marathon

London Marathon champion Kelvin Kiptum has his eyes set on breaking Eliud Kipchoge’s world marathon record when he steps up to compete at the 2023 Chicago Marathon on October 8.

Kiptum won the London Marathon on April 23 in a time of 2:01:25, in what was his second-ever marathon race—nearly obliterating the world record of 2:01:09 set by Kipchoge at the Berlin marathon in 2022.

He ran the fastest-ever marathon debut at the 2022 Valencia Marathon, becoming the third man in history to break two hours and two minutes after he wrapped up the race in 2:01:53.

Only three men in history have run under 2:02, and Kiptum is the only marathoner to do it under the age of 35.

The 23-year-old announced his attendance in the Chicago Marathon on his Facebook page with an exciting message informing his fans to prepare for an incredible showdown.

“I’m heading for the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Get ready for the show,” the post from Kiptum read.

The elite athlete reportedly opted out of the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships and the Berlin Marathon to focus on Chicago.

A lot of fans had expected to witness the duel between Kiptum and Kipchoge at the Berlin Marathon track to gauge his speed against the two-time Olympic champion.

He will be joined by 2022 Chicago Marathon winner Benson Kipruto who set a personal best time of 2:04:24 when he won the race.

Kipruto also finished third in the 2022 and 2023 Boston Marathon with times of 2:07:27 and 2:06:06. He will be eying to defend his title against a youthful and promising Kiptum.

The two will be joined by fellow Kenyans John Korir who has a marathon best of 2:05:01 and debutants Daniel Mateiko and Wesley Kiptoo.

The Kenyan contingent will face a hard time from Somali-based Belgian Bashir Abdi who won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

USA’s Galen Rupp, silver medalist in the men’s 10,000m at the London Olympics and bronze medalist in the men’s marathon in the 2016 Rio  Olympics, will represent the hosts in the race.

They will also face stiff competition from Seifu Tura who won the 2021 Chicago Marathon and placed second at the 2022 edition.

Defending champion Ruth Chepngetich will lead the women’s pack seeking to break Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa’s record of 2:11:53 set just recently at the Berlin marathon.

Chepng’etich, who won the Chicago Marathon in October last year, was only 14 seconds away from breaking the previous world record by Brigid Kosgei of 2:14:04.

She will be joined by Joyciline Jepkosgei, who finished second in the 2022 edition of the London Marathon, and Stacy Ndiwa who has a  PB of 2:31:53.

Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba will be a tough opponent for the Kenyan ladies. Dibaba is the current world record holder in indoor mile, 3,000m and 5,000m. She is also a gold medalist in the 1,500m at the 2015 World Championships.

USA’s Emily Sisson, who currently holds the American record in the marathon, will be seeking to upset the African girls. Sisson set the record on October 9 during the Chicago Marathon when she finished second in a time of 2:18:29.

The event has attracted  47,000 participants, the biggest field ever with the 2019 edition having featured 45,932 participants.

(09/29/2023) Views: 642 ⚡AMP
by Teddy Mulei

Stacy Ndiwa debuts World Marathon Majors in Chicago

Seven months after winning the Los Angeles Marathon, Stacy Ndiwa will be returning to American soil in search of her first World Marathon Majors title at the Chicago Marathon on October 8.

The former Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medalist, will be up against top marathon runners across the world led by the defending champion Ruth Chepngetich.

Chepngetich has a personal best of 2:14:18. Another Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:17:43) will also be competing. 

Ndiwa, who is now training in Iten, said her preparations are in top gear and she is hoping to return good results.

“This will be my first time to compete in World Marathon Majors and I am ready for the world,” she said.

The former Africa 10,000m champion made her debut in the 42km race last year, placing fourth at the Istanbul Marathon in 2:31.53 and went ahead to win the Los Angeles Marathon in 2:31.00 in March last year.

 

In May, Ndiwa won the second edition of the Iten 15km Road race and went ahead to finish second at the Boston 10km in 31:25 behind champion Hellen Obiri (32:21) with Sheila Chepkirui (31:27) third in an all-podium Kenyan sweep.

“This time, I have had a very busy schedule and I need to crown it all by posting better results in Chicago,” said the athlete who compete for the National Police Service.

“This will be an avenue for me to enter into the big marathon big league. Competing at the World Majors Marathon is not a walk in the park and  I really need to work hard,” she said.

 

Others in the race will be the Ethiopian quartet of Genzebe Dibaba (2:18:05), Tigist Girma (2:18:52), Sutume Kebede (2:18:12) and Ababel Yesheneh (2:20:51).

Emily Sisson (2:18:29) will lead the home team consisting of Des Linden (2:22:38), Emma Bates (2:23:18), Aliphine Tuliamuk (2:24:37), Nell Rojas (2:24:51), Molly Seidel (2:24:42), Dakotah Lindwurm (2:25:01), Sara Vaughn (2:26:23), Gabriella Rooker ( 2:27:38), Diane Nukuri (2:27:50) and Maggie Montoya (2:28:07).

Reigning London Marathon champion Sifan Hassan (2:18:33) from the Netherlands will also be in the contest.

 

(08/03/2023) Views: 841 ⚡AMP
by Emmanuel Sabuni

ATHLETES FROM 49 STATES AND 102 COUNTRIES PARTICIPATED IN THE BAA 10k RACE THROUGH BACK BAY

The summer road racing season kicked off with sunshine and spectacular finishes, as 7,867 athletes took part in today’s 2023 B.A.A. 10K presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, returning to the city two months after winning the 127th Boston Marathon, took home the win in the women’s open division, while Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay earned his second B.A.A. 10K win in five years. Obiri’s finish time for the out-and-back course was 31:21, with Geay clocking in a new personal best 27:49. 

In the wheelchair division, Hermin Garic of New York successfully retained his men’s title – crossing in 22:44 just inches ahead of James Senbeta—while Yen Hoang of Illinois took home top honors in the women’s wheelchair division in 25:25. 

From the outset Obiri asserted her frontrunning prowess, building a 13-second lead by 5K. It was then that the hot and humid conditions began to impact the double Olympic medalist. 

“At 8K my body was so tired. Maybe I went out too hard from the start,” admitted Obiri. “The ladies coming from behind were so strong. But I say, I’m also the best. I can try to win.” 

That she did, crossing in 31:21. Stacy Ndiwa of Kenya was second in 31:25, followed by compatriot Sheila Chepkirui (31:27), American Emily Sisson (31:35), and Kenyan Mary Ngugi (31:45). 

“I’m so happy about the result,” said Obiri between smiles. “I wanted to run in the 30s [minutes] but unfortunately the weather was too hot, it was humid. But I am so happy for the win today.” The energetic support from the Boston running community also spurred Obiri on: “The crowd was so friendly, all the way they say Go Hellen! You get that energy; you want to race hard so that don’t let your fans down.”

A pack of nine men hit the halfway mark in 14:11, though Geay soon began pressing the accelerator. He’d hit 8K with a five second lead (22:16) before extending the margin of victory to 11 seconds at the finish. Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat (28:01) was second, with Kenyan Alex Masai rounding out the podium in third (28:09). American Diego Estrada was fifth in 28:19.  

“I tried to push at the beginning, and from 6K or 5K I tried again to push it. There were three guys at my back but in a few meters they dropped off. I was intending to win,” said Geay, who is coming off a runner-up finish at the Boston Marathon in April. “The time was fast. I was hoping to run 27; I’m happy because of the weather.”

(06/25/2023) Views: 935 ⚡AMP

Robert Kipkemboi takes honors at N Kolay Istanbul Marathon

Robert Kipkemboi obliterated a strong field to win the men’s N Kolay Istanbul Marathon in 2:10:18, missing out on the course record by 34 seconds.

In the highly contested race, Kipkemboi and Bahrain’s Marius Kimutai managed to break away from the pack of seven athletes at the 37km mark.

The two athletes seemed comfortable until the 40km mark when Kipkemboi increased the pace and never looked back.

Kimutai settled for second in 2:10:27 as another Kenyan, Sila Kiptoo placed third in 2:11:42.

Other Kenyans in the race were Moses Kemei (fourth in 2:11:55), Hillary Kipchumba (sixth in 2:12:02), Benard Sang (seventh in 2:12:10), Samuel Kiplimo (ninth in 2:12:16) and Francis Cheruiyot (13th in 2:16:57).

In the women’s race, Kenyans faltered as Ethiopian trio of Sechale Dalasa, Melesech Tsegaye and Ethlemahu Sintayehu took the first three positions in respective times of 2:25:54, 2:29:01 and 2:31:38.

The best-placed Kenyan was Stacy Ndiwa, who finished fourth in 2:31:53 ahead of compatriot Judith Jerubet (2:32:29).

Mercy Kwambai settled for seventh in 2:39:17.

(11/07/2022) Views: 1,440 ⚡AMP
by Abigael Wuafula

Ethiopia's Andamlak Belihu and Tsehay Gemechu are ready to defend their men´s and women´s Airtel Delhi Half Marathon titles

Ethiopia's Andamlak Belihu and Tsehay Gemechu will return to defend their men's and women's titles respectively in the 15th edition of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on October 20.

Belihu won men's half marathon title of this prestigious IAAF Gold Label Road Race last year in 59:18, just missing out on the course record of 59:06 which remained since 2014 in the name of compatriot Guye Adola.

"Immediately after last year's race I said that I was going to come back to Delhi in 2019 as I had unfinished business with the course record and I am keeping my promise," commented Belihu, who will still be just 20 on race day.

He returned to India in May earlier this year to also win the TCS World 10K title in Bengaluru, another IAAF Gold Label Road Race promoted by Procam International.

Last year, Belihu had to work hard to hold off his fellow Ethiopian Amdework Walelegn to win by four seconds. Walelegn will also return with the ambition of going one better in this year's race.

No less than eight men in the ADHM 2019 elite field have run under the world class benchmark of one hour but much of the attention will be on a man who has yet to run the distance, Hagos Gebrhiwet.

Gebrhiwet had planned to make his half marathon debut in Delhi last year but a late bout of illness curtailed his training. However, he will stand on the start line this year. He won a bronze in Rio Olympics 5000m race.

The fastest man in Delhi this year will be Erick Kiptanui. The Kenyan notched up two impressive half marathon victories in 2018 when winning at high-quality Lisbon and Berlin races, coming home in the German capital in a personal best 58:42, and he is currently equal seventh on the world all-time list.

Kiptanui has been concentrating mainly on the track but had a solid win at the Barcelona Half Marathon earlier in the year.

In the women's elite section last year, Gemechu made a huge impact in her debut over the distance when she set an ADHM women's course record of 66:50 and in 2019 she has shown it was no fluke with a string of sparkling performances both on the roads and the track, including taking the African Games 10,000m title.

The third and fourth-placed women from the ADHM 2018 also return with Ethiopia's Zeineba Yimer and Kenya's Stacy Ndiwa coming back to do battle.

The fastest woman in the ADHM 2019 elite field will be Caroline Kipkirui. The Kenyan-born runner, who now competes under the Kazakhstan flag, set a personal best of 65:07 in the 2018 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon.

(09/25/2019) Views: 1,995 ⚡AMP

Stacy Ndiwa will challenge the Ethiopians at the Delhi Half Marathon

The 2018 African Championships 10,000m winner and Commonwealth Games runner-up Stacy Ndiwa will challenge the Ethiopians. Three-time Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba is among star attractions.  Three Kenyans must be at their best to stop Ethiopia’s Belihu and Gebresilase. Eric Kiptanui, the 2018 Berlin Half Marathon champion, will be up against his training mate Daniel Kipchumba at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on October 21. Kipchumba paced Kiptanui during the Berlin race to the 15 kilometer mark and the contest in the Indian capital will no doubt give them an opportunity to size up each other. The two, who are guided by Italian coach Renato Canova, will carry their under 60 minutes best times they posted last year. Yangzhou and Istanbul Half marathons champion Ababel Yeshaneh hope to outclass Dibaba. Yeshaneh had earlier this year set a personal best over the half marathon distance in Turkey where she ran 69:36. She weathered a strong competition to come in second in the 2017 Delhi Half Marathon. (10/10/2018) Views: 1,882 ⚡AMP