Running News Daily

Kipyego, Langat headline Madrid Marathon start list

The 2022 Rotterdam Marathon bronze medalist Reuben Kipyego will flex his muscles against 2022 French Riviera Marathon champion John Langat at the  Madrid Marathon on Sunday.

The marathon will feature a full marathon, half marathon and 10km race with the event organizers noting a huge turnout in the half marathon.

“The biggest race will be the half marathon with 20,000 participants, followed by the full marathon with 11,000 and the 10km with 9,000,” a statement from the organizers read.

Kipyego holds a personal best of 2:03:55 set while winning the 2021 Generali Milano Marathon in Italy.

The 28-year-old is also the 2019 Abu Dhabi Marathon champion where he clocked 2:04:40. Also in that year, he won silver at the South American Marathon Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, clocking 2:05:18.

Langat holds a personal best of 2:07:11 set at the Eindhoven Marathon in the Netherlands in 2019, where he placed third.

In 2016, he clocked 2:10:49 to finish second at the Daegu Marathon in South Korea. The 30-year-old is also a bronze medallist at the Adidas Stockholm Marathon in Sweden clocking 2:12:39.

Joining the fray is Bernard Kimani, a bronze medalist at the 2020 Loop Den Haag Half Marathon.

The Ethiopian duo of Mumbai Marathon champion Haymanot Alew and 2022 Rome Marathon champion Fikre Bekele will prove a tough test for the Kenyans.

Also in the lineup is Taiyuan Marathon bronze medalist Hicham Laqouahi of Morocco.

Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay targets 10,000m world record at Prefontaine Classic

Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay is aiming to break the 10,000m world record that was set by by Letesenbet Gidey in June 2021.

Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay has officially thrown her hat into the ring for what promises to be an electrifying showdown at the upcoming Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, United States. 

The reigning 10,000m world champion has set her sights on rewriting the record books by aiming to break Letesenbet Gidey's remarkable 10,000m world record of 29:01.03, set back in June 2021.

Tsegay boasts a personal best of 29:29.73 achieved during her triumphant run at last year's Ethiopian national championships. 

Her stellar performances have solidified her reputation as a force to be reckoned with in long-distance running, culminating in a gold medal victory at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

The road to success has not been without its challenges, as evidenced by Tsegay's silver medal finish in the 3000m final at the World Indoor Championships, where she narrowly missed out on the top spot. 

However, undeterred by setbacks, Tsegay kicked off her outdoor season with a bang at the Xiamen Diamond League, coming tantalizingly close to breaking Faith Kipyegon's 1500m world record.

In a stunning display of her versatility, Tsegay concluded the 2023 outdoor season by smashing the 5000m world record at the Diamond League final, further cementing her status as one of the sport's brightest stars. 

With the Paris Olympics on the horizon, Tsegay finds herself at a crossroads, contemplating which events to focus on for the prestigious competition.

"Which one? I don’t know. I will see with my coach…Maybe three or maybe two," she said as per Citius Mag.

The possibility of emulating Sifan Hassan's remarkable triple at the Tokyo Olympics looms large, with Tsegay considering the 1500m, 5000m, and 10,000m as potential battlegrounds for Olympic glory.

If Tsegay opts to pursue the triple challenge, she will undoubtedly be following in the footsteps of Hassan, who clinched gold in the 5000m and 10,000m events, alongside a bronze in the 1500m. 

The prospect of such a feat adds an extra layer of intrigue to Tsegay's Olympic journey, as she seeks to etch her name in the annals of athletics history.

With the Prefontaine Classic looming large on the horizon, all eyes will be on Tsegay as she takes her first steps towards rewriting the record books and etching her name in sporting immortality.

How mismanagement cost Kenya's race walkers spot at Paris Olympics

Kenya's race walking team faced unexpected setbacks en route to a crucial Olympic qualifier in Antalya.

Kenya's aspirations for a strong showing at the Paris Olympic Games suffered a severe blow due to a logistical nightmare that prevented the national race walking team from competing at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya, Turkey.

The team, which included notable athletes like 2022 world bronze medalist Samuel Gathimba and African Games champion Emily Ngii, embarked on their journey from Nairobi to Antalya, anticipating to secure their spots at the upcoming Olympics. 

However, a critical error in their travel arrangements led to unexpected detours and delays that ultimately dashed their hopes.

The ordeal began when the team, under the guidance of Athletics Kenya, boarded a Turkish Airlines flight at midnight on Thursday, destined for Istanbul. 

After a seven-hour and twenty-minute flight, they were supposed to catch another flight directly to Antalya. Instead, they were rerouted to Ercan International Airport in Northern Cyprus, adding unnecessary travel and complications.

Upon arriving in Cyprus, the situation worsened. The team was detained at Ercan International Airport due to the lack of necessary transit visas. 

As a result, they were forced to spend two nights sleeping at the airport, a distressing experience that left the athletes disheartened and exhausted.

“It’s quite disappointing that we had to go all the way only to be detained in Cyprus where we slept at the airport for two days,” said a team member in a statement to Daily Nation.

The confusion stemmed from the Ministry's oversight in flight arrangements, which inexplicably included a layover in Cyprus instead of a more straightforward route from Istanbul to Antalya.

“The ministry was in charge of the flight arrangement and we don’t know why they rerouted us to Cyprus when it was easy to connect from Istanbul to Antalya,” the source added.

While the Kenyan team struggled with bureaucratic red tape and logistical errors, the championships proceeded without them. 

The event saw stellar performances from athletes like double world champion Kimberly Garcia of Peru and Sweden's Perseus Karlstrom, who claimed the 20km women and men's titles respectively. 

Meanwhile, Spain and the People's Republic of China took home the men’s and women’s team titles, with Italy winning the inaugural Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay gold.

This misadventure not only cost the athletes a chance to compete on a global stage but also the opportunity to qualify for the Paris Olympics. 

Athletics Kenya is reported to have promised to prepare a formal statement addressing the issue and to reassess their travel coordination strategies in light of the repercussions of this incident.

Kenya's Celestine Chepchirchir issued with three-year ban for doping offence

Kenyan runner Celestine Chepchirchir has been banned for three years after testing positive for a prohibited substance, forfeiting all recent titles and awards

Kenyan road runner Celestine Chepchirchir has been banned for three years from competing after being found to have violated World Athletics anti-doping rules.

The 28-year-old athlete provided a urine sample out-of-competition in Kapsabet on February 9, 2024 which tested positive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites.

According to the official AIU statement, the laboratory in Lausanne, Switzerland, identified the presence of testosterone and its metabolites—Androsterone, Etiocholanolone, 5α-androstane-3α,17 diol, and 5β-androstane-3α,17 diol—as being of exogenous origin. 

"Ms. Celestine Chepchirchir did not have a Therapeutic Use Exemption that would justify the presence of these substances," the AIU confirmed. 

The ruling added that there was no departure from the International Standard for Testing and Investigations or the International Standard for Laboratories that could explain the adverse finding.

The athlete faced a mandatory four-year period of ineligibility for such a violation under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines.

However, Chepchirchir's prompt admission of the violations and her acceptance of the consequences enabled her to benefit from a reduced three-year ban.

"The athlete did not reply within the initial deadline but subsequently signed an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form," the AIU reported.

Celestine Chepchirchir's ban will commence from March 26, 2024, the date on which her provisional suspension was first imposed.

Moreover, all her results post-February 9, 2024, will be disqualified, with all consequent titles, awards, medals, points, prizes, and appearance money forfeited. 

Rights of appeal against the decision are available to WADA and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), which could potentially take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

The AIU has confirmed that this decision will be publicly reported on their website as part of their commitment to transparency and fairness in the handling of doping cases in athletics.

This case marks another in a series of doping incidents involving Kenyan athletes a troubling pattern that has drawn global attention to the nation's sports programs.

Kenyan Timothy Kipchumba triumphs at the Padova Marathon

The champion swept away the old record of the event that had stood since 2011, imposing himself with a time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 22 seconds. Sixth place for Alessandro Giacobazzi from Modena. Record also in the women's half thanks to the Ethiopian Morine Michira Gesare.

The Kenyan Timothy Kipchumba won the Paduva marathon with the record time of 2 hours 08'22", a chronometric result which breaks the previous record of 2 hours 09'02" which dates back to 2011, set by the Ethiopian Tadese. Record also in the half marathon with the Ethiopian Morine Michira Gesare, who stopped the clock after an hour 08'30", improving the hour 09'06" of the Ethiopian Rahma achieved in 2021. But the technical aspect is combined with popular: between the almost 5 thousand of the competitive events representing 61 nations and the 20 thousand of the city races, there were at least 25 thousand participants in the Padova Marathon 2024.

The men's race

In the men's marathon up to the nineteenth kilometre, a group of seven athletes led the race together: Kipchumba, Kipchirchir, Assen, Kalale, Kibet, Mogos and Ademe, with the latter breaking away several times to rejoin after a few metres, losing ground , however, from then on. Moving on to half time, near the splendid Villa Cavalli in Teolo, around the hour 4'06", a new selection was recorded between the thirty-first and thirty-second kilometre, when the Kenyans Kipchumba and Kibet and the Eritrean remained in command Mogos, "escorted" by bike by his friend Eyob Faniel. The first two pulled away around the thirty-fifth kilometre, with a new break from the winner around the Bassanello bridge. But it is significant to note that Kibet, who had started the race at "hares" altitude, also crossed the finish line under the time of the previous race record in 2 hours 08'47", with Mogos third in 2 hours 09'32" . Also noteworthy is the sixth place of Alessandro Giacobazzi (Aeronautics) from Modena: the 2022 overall Italian champion finished in 2 hours 17'56”.

The women's race 

In the women's field, success for the Kenyan Lenah Jerotich, who after the bronze medal at the 2023 Turin marathon prevailed in Padua, signing her new personal best in 2 hours 31'47”. She remained in the group until the thirtieth kilometer with Mekonnen, Jepkemei and Rholex, and from the thirty-fifth only with Mekonnen and Jepkemei, she made a strong change of pace before the 40th by taking off alone.

Kepchirchir breaks women-only world marathon record in London

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Runners Disqualified After Competitor Was Allowed to Win Race

Three runners seemed to allow Chinese runner He Jie to finish ahead of them at the Beijing Half Marathon. All four have now been disqualified.

In video footage of the Beijing Half Marathon finish line, three runners abreast who are in the lead subtly slow their pace and one motions with his hand for He Jie of China to pass them and win the race. The video has gone somewhat viral as many running fans found issue with Jie being essentially given the win. 

Jie ran together with the other men, Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat of Kenya and Ethiopian runner Dejene Hailu Bikila for the entire race, and Mnangat told BBC Sport that they were working as Jie’s pacers. “I was not there to compete,” Mnangat said. “It was not a competitive race for me.” 

Mnangat said the three African runners, as well as a fourth who dropped out before the finish, were hired to help Jie, the 25-year-old Chinese national champion and record holder (2:06:57) for the marathon, to a Chinese half marathon record. 

“I don’t know why they put my name on my bib/chest number instead of labeling it as a pacemaker,” Mnangat told the BBC. “My job was to set the pace and help the guy win but unfortunately, he did not achieve the target, which was to break the national record.”

He won in 1:03.44, missing the record by a little over a minute, while Mnangat, Keter, and Bikila tied for second place. 

However, after the Beijing Sports Bureau launched an investigation into the circumstances around Jie’s half marathon finish, all four runners were disqualified and required to return their medals and award money. The special committee investigating the situation found that the main organizers of the race had not been made aware before the race that Jie would be running with pacers.

“We deeply and sincerely apologize to the world and to every part of society, that we did not discover and correct the mistakes in time at this race,” the committee said in a statement. As punishment, Zhong’ao Lupao Sports Management Co., the main organizer of the race is losing its right to host the Beijing Half Marathon.

Eritrean runner Nazret Weldu wants to get to Paris via Vienna

Nazret Weldu intends to get to Paris via Vienna on Sunday. The Eritrean long distance runner is among a number of athletes who target a last minute qualification for the Olympic Games in August at the Vienna City Marathon.

Weldu is the favorite in the women’s race and could produce the first ever Eritrean victory in the history of Austria’s major road running event.

A total of over 42,000 runners have entered the 41st edition of the Vienna City Marathon. This is the third highest entry number of the event. For the first time since 2013 there are more than 10,000 marathon runners among them. The Vienna City Marathon is an Elite Label Road Race of World Athletics.

Nazret Weldu broke the national marathon record at the World Championships in Eugene in 2022 with 2:20:29. She placed fourth and missed the bronze medal by just eleven seconds. She was additionally unlucky since the qualifying period for the Olympic Games in Paris did not start until a few months later. Nazret Weldu ran two impressive marathons in 2023 as well, but somehow still did not achieve an Olympic qualifier. She was sixth in Boston with a fine 2:23:25. However this course is not record eligible, so World Athletics does not accept the Boston times for qualification. Next Nazret Weldu produced another very strong performance at the World Championships: In tremendous heat she finished eighth in Budapest – this time she was outside the 2:26:50 Olympic qualifying time with 2:27:23.

“I was fourth in the World Championships in 2022 and eighth in 2023 and still I am not qualified for the Olympic marathon this year in Paris,“ she said during Thursday’s press conference in Vienna. “But now I have the big chance to finally do it here in Vienna. My goal is to run a fast time on Sunday. I will see how it goes during the race. If there should be problems then I will make sure to run just fast enough to qualify for Paris,” explained Nazret Weldu, who trains in Ethiopia. “The reason for training in Addis is that I have a strong training group there.“ Among her training partners is Ethiopia’s 2022 World Champion Gotytom Gebreslase who was runner-up in Budapest last year.

While fellow Eritrean Dolshi Tesfu had to cancel her start in Vienna due to visa problems the strongest challenge for Nazret Weldu will probably come from two Kenyans: Shyline Torotich won the Enschede Marathon last year with a personal best of 2:22:45. The personal record of Rebecca Tanui is in a similar time range. She took the San Sebastian Marathon in 2022 with 2:23:09 and has the advantage of knowing the course in Vienna. A year ago she was fourth here with 2:26:34 when there were warm conditions.

“Last year I was unlucky since I was injured two weeks before the race. During training a motorcycle hit me from behind. This year I am fine,” said Rebecca Tanui. “For me the cooler conditions forecasted now are better than the warm weather we had last year. So I hope to run a PB on Sunday.“

Namibia’s Helalia Johannes is the fastest woman on the start list with a personal best of 2:19:52. The 43 year-old is not expected to join the first group which is likely to run roughly a 2:22 pace. However she will be among those runners who target the Olympic qualifying time of 2:26:50. Jovana de la Cruz Capani of Peru will probably join this group as well. To be among the three fastest runners of her country during the qualifying period she needs to improve her PB of 2:26:49 by just three seconds.

With a surprise improvement to 2:26:43 in Valencia last year Austria’s Julia Mayer has achieved the Olympic qualifying time. “I am ready to go on Sunday, it is a home game for me. I don’t expect to run a PB, but the goal is to achieve a very good place,“ said Mayer.

Kenyans Faith Chepkoech and Winny Kosgei are part of this year’s “OPEC Fund Rookie Team” in Vienna. They will both run their marathon debuts on Sunday.

Kenyan trio of Peter Mwaniki, Emmaculate Anyango and Bravin Kipkogei headline the 16th edition of TCS World 10K Bengaluru

The Kenyan trio of Emmaculate Anyango, Peter Mwaniki and Bravin Kipkogei headline the 16th edition of TCS World 10K Bengaluru on April 28.

The World Athletics Gold Label Road Race is a Sh27m prize money event featuring some of the world's most accomplished road and track athletes.

Anyango, the world's second-fastest woman over 10K, clocked 28:57 in Valencia while finishing behind compatriot Agnes Ngetich, who posted a 28:46 world record.

A silver medalist at the 2019 African Junior championships in 3000m, Anyango barely missed the podium at this year's World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.  

“I am very excited to be in Bengaluru for the first time for this incredible event, which has gained a worldwide reputation for being one of the best 10K races. I have heard so much about the events hosted in India and the running revolution they began nearly two decades ago," said Anyango.

"I am looking forward to being there and doing my best. The field of runners in the women’s category is quite strong this year and I love a good challenge."

She will be joined by Lilian Kasait (29:32), Faith Chepkoech (29:50), Loice Chemnung (29:57), Cintia Chepngeno (30:08) and Grace Nawowuna (30:27). 

Two Ethiopians, Aberash Minsewo, this year's Tata Mumbai Marathon winner, and Lemlem Hailu, 2022 World Indoor 3000m champion, add further shine to the women's start lists.  

Mwaniki is the fastest among the men with a time of 26:59 he achieved while finishing third in Valencia earlier this year. He is the 19th runner in the World to run 10K in under 27 minutes. 

Kipkogei, the 2019 African junior champion over 10,000m is credited with 27:02 from Madrid last year while Kiprop, clocked an impressive 27:16 this February at Castellon, Spain.

They will keep the race interesting.   

Two more Kenyans, Hillary Chepkwony, last year's third-place finisher, and Patrick Mosin, the runner-up in Castellon the previous year, are expected to provide the necessary boost to return fast times.

Two young runners, John Wele from Tanzania and Boki Diriba from Ethiopia may also threaten the Kenyans.  

Kenyans Nicholas Kimeli (27:38) and Irene Cheptai (30:35) have held the course records in Bengaluru since 2022.

The winners in the men's and women's categories will each take home Sh3.3m.  A course record bonus of Sh1m is also up for grabs.

Who is Sisay Lemma, the winner of the 2024 Boston Marathon?

Sisay Lemma was born in 1990 in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. He is the winner of the 2024 Boston Marathon, with a time of 2:06:17.

Sisay Lemma is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. He is the winner of the 2024 Boston Marathon, with a time of 2:06:17.

This was his first victory at the Boston Marathon, but he has previously won other major marathons, including the 2021 London Marathon and the 2023 Valencia Marathon. Lemma is also a three-time bronze medalist at the World Athletics Championships.

Lemma was born in 1990 in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. He began running at a young age, and quickly showed promise. He made his international debut in 2013, and won his first major marathon in 2018, when he won the Rotterdam Marathon.

Lemma is known for his strong finishing kick. He has often won races by coming from behind in the final stages. He is also a very consistent runner, and has never finished a marathon outside of the top 10.

Lemma is a rising star in the world of marathon running. He is still relatively young, and has many years of good running ahead of him. He is a strong contender for medals at the major marathons, and the Olympic Games.

Here are some of Sisay Lemma’s career highlights:

Winner of the 2024 Boston Marathon

Winner of the 2021 London Marathon

Winner of the 2023 Valencia Marathon

Three-time bronze medalist at the World Athletics Championships

Winner of the 2018 Rotterdam Marathon

Personal best of 2:01:48 for the marathon

The Boston Marathon: The King of Marathons

The Boston Marathon is an annual foot race held in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is considered to be the most prestigious marathon in the world, and is one of the world’s oldest continuously run sporting events. The race is traditionally held on the third Monday in April, and it follows a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) route through the streets of Boston and the surrounding towns.

The Boston Marathon was first held in 1897, and it was inspired by the success of the marathon race at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The race was originally intended to be a qualifier for the 1897 Summer Olympics, but it quickly became a popular event in its own right. The Boston Marathon has been held every year since 1918, with the only exceptions being in 1918 due to World War I, and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Boston Marathon is known for its challenging course, which features several hills, including the infamous Heartbreak Hill at mile 20. The race is also known for its large and enthusiastic crowds, which line the streets throughout the course to cheer on the runners.

The Boston Marathon has been won by some of the greatest marathon runners in history, including Dick Hoyt, Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Kathrine Switzer. The race has also been the site of several world records, including the first sub-2:00 marathon in 1978 by Geoffrey Hirt.

The Boston Marathon is more than just a race; it is a tradition and an institution. The race is a symbol of Boston’s resilience and spirit, and it is a source of pride for the city’s residents. The Boston Marathon is also a major fundraiser for charity, and it has raised millions of dollars for local charities over the years.

Abdi Nageeye reclaims Rotterdam Marathon title and sets new Dutch national record

Runners and fans honored world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum by observing a moment of silence before the race.

Runners and fans at the Rotterdam Marathon observed a poignant moment of silence on Sunday morning before the race, in memory of world marathon record-holder, Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum, who died tragically in a car accident earlier this year. Many runners also paid tribute to his legacy by wearing black ribbons in his honour.

Kiptum, 24, had been slated to compete in Rotterdam, and had been hoping to challenge the 2:00 barrier. He made history by breaking the men’s marathon world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, in an astonishing time of 2:00:35, becoming the first man to run under the 2:01 mark.

Abdi Nageeye strikes gold again

Olympic silver medalist Nageeye reclaimed his Rotterdam Marathon title from 2022 and set a new Dutch national record in the process, crossing the line in 2:04:45 and besting his PB by 11 seconds. Nageeye secured victory by a mere five-second margin ahead of Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn, the 2020 world half marathon champion, with Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia claiming the third spot in 2:05:16.

The race began in near-perfect conditions, with a group of nine runners closely trailing the pacemakers through the initial kilometers. By the time the runners hit the 30K mark only seven runners remained in contention. With tactical precision, Nageeye surged ahead in the final kilometers to clinch his second victory in the race.

In 2022, Nageeye became the first Dutch runner to win the Rotterdam Marathon, setting what was at the time a new Dutch record of 2:04:56. The Somali-born runner, 35, took third in the New York City Marathon in the same year, and captured silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic marathon. The course record at the Rotterdam Marathon is 2:03.36, set three years ago by Tokyo Olympics marathon bronze medalist, Belgiums’s Bashir Abdi.

Ethiopia’s Ashete Bekere dominates women’s field

In the women’s race, 2019 Berlin Marathon winner Bekere also reclaimed her title as Rotterdam Marathon champion (Bekere won the race in 2019 in 2:22:55), capturing the win in 2:19:20. Kenya’s Viola Kibiwot was second in 2:20:57, followed by Kenya’s Selly Chepyengo in 2:22:46.

Bekere led from start to finish, followed by a lead pack of Sisay Meseret Gola of Ethiopia, Chepyengo and Kibiwot—the group cruised at course-record speed through the early kilometers of the race. Bekere surged ahead and had an eight-second lead by the 30K mark, and steadily built a commanding from there to secure the win.

Bekere,35, took third at the London Marathon in 2021, and second at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon.

How to Watch the 2024 Boston Marathon

The world’s oldest annual marathon is back for its 128th edition.

On Monday, April 15, the World Marathon Majors will return stateside to the 2024 Boston Marathon. In its 128th year, the world’s oldest annual marathon features must-see storylines, including the return of defending women’s champion Hellen Obiri and two-time men’s winner Evans Chebet.

The point-to-point race is scheduled to begin in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and ends in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. The weather forecast for Patriots’ Day is showing slightly warmer temperatures than average in the city. The conditions could make race day more challenging on a course famous for its hills (we ranked Boston as the second-toughest of the six World Marathon Majors).

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s race. 

How to watch the 2024 Boston Marathon

ESPN2 will broadcast the Boston Marathon from 8:30 a.m. ET to 12:30 p.m. ET. You can also live stream the race with an ESPN+ subscription, which costs $10.99 a month. 

For those tuning in from Boston, live coverage will be provided by WCVB beginning at 4:00 a.m. ET and lasting throughout the day.

Boston Marathon start times (ET)

Men’s wheelchair division—9:02 a.m.

Women’s wheelchair division—9:05 a.m.

Men’s elite race—9:37 a.m.

Women’s elite race—9:47 a.m.

Para athletics division—9:50 a.m.

First wave—10 a.m.

Second wave—10:25 a.m.

Third wave—10:50 a.m.

Fourth wave—11:15 a.m.

Race preview

This year’s elite race comes with added high stakes for many international athletes. Countries that don’t host Olympic Trials for the marathon are currently in the national team selection process. A standout performance in Boston could be a game-changer for athletes looking to represent their country in Paris this summer. 

Women’s race

On the women’s side, Boston podium contenders Hellen Obiri and Sharon Lokedi were included in the shortlist of marathoners under national team consideration by Athletics Kenya. 

Obiri, 34, is set to return to Boston after a stellar 2023 campaign. Last year, the On Athletics Club runner won the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon. A former track standout with two world championship titles, Obiri aims to continue her winning streak on Monday. 

Lokedi, 30, is looking to top the podium at a key moment in her career. The University of Kansas graduate is set to run her first 26.2 since finishing third at the New York City Marathon last fall—a race she won in her marathon debut two years ago. 

Kenya will also be represented by 2022 World Championship silver medalist Judith Korir and two-time Boston Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, among other standouts. 

The Ethiopian contingent should be strong as well. Ababel Yeshaneh finished second at Boston in 2022 and fourth in 2023. Plus, 2:17 marathoner Tadu Teshome will be one to watch in her Boston debut. 

In the weeks after the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February, more Americans were added to the field. Sara Hall, 40, enters the race after finishing fifth in a new American masters record (2:26:06) at the Trials in Orlando, Florida. 2015 Boston champion Caroline Rotich, 39, joins the field after placing sixth at the Trials. Jenny Simpson, 37, also entered after dropping out in her marathon debut in Orlando. And keep an eye out for 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden, 40, and Emma Bates, 31, who finished fifth in Boston last year. 

Men’s race

Evans Chebet is looking for a hat trick. Last year, the Kenyan became the first athlete to repeat as men’s champion since Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot won three in a row between 2006 and 2008. In the process, the 35-year-old took down two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge in Boston. 

His biggest challenger will likely be Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia, who is returning after a breakthrough season in 2023. In December, Lemma, 33, won the Valencia Marathon in 2:01:48, making him the fourth-fastest marathoner in history. Lemma also won the Runkara International Half Marathon in 1:01:09, a new personal best. 

Gabriel Geay, last year’s Boston runner-up, is returning to the field on Monday. The 27-year-old from Tanzania is coming off a fifth-place finish at the Valencia Marathon. 

Other runners to watch include 2023 New York City runner-up Albert Korir; Shura Kitata, who placed third in New York last year; and Zouhair Talbi, who finished fifth in Boston last year. 

The American men’s field also grew after the Olympic Trials with the addition of Elkanah Kibet and Sam Chelanga. Kibet finished fourth in Orlando in a 2:10:02 personal best, and after dropping out after mile 18 of the Trials, Chelanga will aim for redemption in Boston. They join 50K world record-holder CJ Albertson and the BAA’s Matt McDonald in the elite race. 

Hellen Obiri in her best shape ever heading into the Boston Marathon

Hellen Obiri is bubbling with confidence ahead of the Boston Marathon and feels like she is in her best marathon running shape ever.

Reigning New York City Marathon champion Hellen Obiri is ready to rumble at the Boston Marathon after enjoying her training and working on some of her major undoings.

Speaking to Citius Mag, the defending champion feels like she in her best shape and is ready for the challenge as she eyes a slot in the Olympic team ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The two-time World 5000m champion disclosed that she has also worked on her bottle-handling technique, an issue that has affected her a lot since she tends to miss taking water at certain points of the race.

“I feel so excited and nothing has changed…I’m so healthy and I’m ready for Monday. I’ve been doing the bottle handling and I am now much better.

“I think I’m in the best marathon shape and we normally compare my training from last year and now I can say I’ve been running so fast and I feel good,” Obiri said.

The former World 10,000m silver medalist also admitted that there is a lot of pressure coming from her fans and friends since she is the defending champion.

She noted that, however, going to the race, she will embrace a strong mindset and give her all since she is also competing against very strong women. Obiri also explained that it would be a great thing if she wins the race because it would place her in a better position to be selected in the Olympic team.

“This year I have a lot of pressure since I’m the defending champion and everyone will be looking at me to see what I’m going to do. I have a big task and I know we have strong ladies here but I will give my best and stay mentally focused.

“Nowadays I’m a bit nervous when starting because I have never raced with some ladies before but I’m trying to do my best to avoid that.

“I think it would be best if I win but I’m sure they will observe how the race will be…this is a marathon and it’s Boston, the course being the same as the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, I want to win,” Obiri said.

Emmaculate Anyango Achol will headline 16th edition of TCS World 10K Bengaluru

Emmaculate Anyango Achol, the world's second-fastest 10K woman runner, will headline the 16th edition of TCS World 10K Bengaluru, scheduled for Sunday. The World Athletics Gold Label Road Race is a USD 210,000 prize money event featuring some of the world's most accomplished road and track and field athletes.

And among the star attractions this year is Kenya's Anyango, who clocked an excellent 28:57 in Valencia while finishing behind her teammate Agnes Ngetich, who posted a world record 28:46 there.

A silver medalist in the 2019 African junior championships in 3000m, Anyango narrowly missed the Belgarde podium in this year's World cross-country championships.

"I am very excited to be in Bengaluru for the first time for this incredible event, which has gained a worldwide reputation for being one of the best 10K races. I have heard so much about the events hosted in India and the running revolution they began nearly two decades ago.

"I am very much looking forward to being there and clock my best. The field of runners in the women's category is quite strong this year and I love a good challenge," expressed Anyango.

Five of her compatriots will also take the women's starting line-up in Bengaluru, with timings faster than the event course record (30:35).

Lilian Rengeruk Kasait (29:32), Faith Chepkoech (29:50), Loice Chemnung (29:57), Cintia Chepngeno (30:08), and Grace Nawowuna (30:27) make their team formidable. Anyango's inclusion in this epic line-up draws attention to a power-packed elite women's race to the title.Rengeruk and Chepngeno participated in the epic race in Valencia, while Chepkoech and Chemnung clocked their best in Castellon and Paris. Nawowuna did it in Lille.

Two Ethiopians, Aberash Minsewo, this year's Tata Mumbai Marathon winner, and Lemlem Hailu, 2022 World Indoor 3000m champion, add further shine to the women's start lists.Peter Mwaniki, Bravin Kipkogei spearhead elite men's line-upMeanwhile, in the elite men's lineup, Kenya's Peter Mwaniki Aila (29) entered with the fastest time, 26:59. He achieved this mark while finishing third earlier this year in Valencia.

In that process, Peter became the nineteenth runner in the World to run the 10K distance in under 27 minutes.His country-mate and 2019 African junior champion over 10,000m - Bravin Kipkogei Kiptoo - is credited with 27:02 in Madrid last year and along with Bravin Kiprop, who clocked an impressive 27:16 this February at Castellon, Spain, will keep the race interesting.

Two more Kenyans, Hillary Chepkwony, last year's third-place finisher, and Patrick Mosin, the runner-up in Castellon the previous year, are expected to provide the necessary boost to return fast timings here.Two young runners, John Wele from Tanzania and Boki Diriba from Ethiopia, may also pose a threat to the Kenyans.

The winners in the men's and women's categories will each take home USD 26,000. A course record bonus of USD 8,000 is also in the offing.

Mu, Moraa and Hodgkinson confirmed for 800m clash in Eugene

Athing Mu, Mary Moraa and Keely Hodgkinson – the three women who’ve claimed the 800m medals at the past two World Championships – will clash at the Prefontaine Classic when the Wanda Diamond League reaches Eugene on 25 May.

Mu won in Eugene last year when Hayward Field hosted the Wanda Diamond League Final. Having finished third at the World Championships three months prior, the Olympic champion gained revenge on home soil and kicked to victory in a US record of 1:54.97.

Hodgkinson – as she had done at the Olympics in 2021, as well as at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships – finished second on that occasion in a British record of 1:55.19.

Moraa wound up fourth in that race, but the Kenyan had won the biggest prize of the year in Budapest, taking the world title in a PB of 1:56.03.

The trio have clashed just three times in the past, with Mu coming out on top in two of those encounters.

It’s the second big middle-distance clash announced by the Prefontaine Classic, following the news last month that Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen will take on world champion Josh Kerr and North American record-holder Yared Nuguse in the Bowerman mile.

Your first Boston Marathon: what runners wish they’d known

Experienced runners share what surprised them most in their introduction to Boston.

We are just days away from the Boston Marathon. Whether it’s your first time, you’re headed back for redemption or you’re still working toward your first BQ, you likely have questions about this famous race. We asked the running community what surprised them about the marathon after their first experience. Here’s what they had to say.

Plan appropriately for race morning

Runners should consider the time from wake-up to actually starting their run. At huge races like Boston, where the race organization logistics must allow for thousands and thousands of participants, this can involve a lot of pre-race walking and waiting around for runners. After you get to the start at the appropriate time, you’ll have lots of time before your wave takes off. Many first-time Boston runners wished they had packed more pre-race fuel, disposable layers (check the weather forecast, of course!) and accounted for how they would spend the time waiting for their race to start.

Pacing is tricky

Running coach and marathoner Donna Mader of Fredericton says the biggest challenge at Boston is pacing: “The adrenalin at the start, combined with the course profile [the first approximately 10 km are downhill] makes it challenging to hold back the pace,” she says. “Conserving a bit of energy in the first half is not only smart, but it’s much more enjoyable to be passing runners in the later stages of a marathon than to be struggling and being passed by others.”

“The downhills are harder than the uphills, and your quads are smashed at the end of the race from them,” says running coach, former professional track runner and marathoner Lauren Goss of Boulder, Co. Goss has coached many runners across North America to success in their first Boston Marathon.

You’ll experience a Boston like no other

Not all the unexpected things about Boston are negative. Co-founder of Early Bird Run Club in Hamilton Kavit Puri says the energy in Boston on race day was his favorite aspect of the race. “As I walked from the finish line to Tracksmith for my poster and back to my hotel with my medal on and my bib, I was cheered and congratulated by strangers, like I was a pro runner,” he says. “It felt so validating, and made me feel so welcome in the city. I have never experienced a city that embraces the marathon like Boston did on that day.”

Recreational marathoner and nutritionist Tara Postnikoff of Toronto says that she wasn’t expecting to feel quite so much emotion during her first Boston Marathon. “There were so many things (that surprised me),” she says, “but I really had this sense of being part of something super meaningful and historic.”

Olympic champions to receive prize money for first time at Paris 2024 Games

Olympic champions will receive prize money for the first time this year after World Athletics announced gold medalists at the Paris 2024 Games would be paid $50,000 (£39,400) each.

Athletics is the first sport to financially reward its stars for success at the Olympics, which has stayed true to its amateur ethos by never offering prize money.

Winners of all 48 athletics events will receive a payout from the world governing body, which says it will extend the benefit to silver and bronze medalists from the LA 2028 Olympics.

“The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medalists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, underscoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognizing the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games,” said World Athletics president Lord Coe.

“While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, I think it is important we start somewhere and make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is.”

The size of the payouts is modest compared to those on offer elsewhere in sport – the average salary of a Premier League footballer is around £3m, for instance.

But the move is nonetheless a milestone for the Olympics, and recognition that it will be increasingly difficult to justify asking the stars of its core events to compete for glory alone.

Many Olympic hopefuls rely on funding grants and personal sponsorship deals to train full-time, while others have to retain careers in order to make ends meet.

Meanwhile, athletes are being offered million-dollar incentives to defect to the doping-friendly Enhanced Games, a project Coe has derided as “bollocks”.

While winners of individual athletics events at Paris 2024 will receive $50,000, that sum will be divided up among team members for winners of the relay races. 

“This is the continuation of a journey we started back in 2015, which sees all the money World Athletics receives from the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games go directly back into our sport,” Coe added.

“We started with the Olympic dividend payments to our Member Federations, which saw us distribute an extra $5m a year on top of existing grants aimed at athletics growth projects, and we are now in a position to also fund gold medal performances for athletes in Paris, with a commitment to reward all three medallists at the LA28 Olympic Games.”

Evans Chebet still hopeful of making marathon team ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics

Two-time Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet hopes to be selected in the final squad of the men's marathon ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics despite not making it to the Athletics Kenya squad that was handed over to the National Olympic Committee of Kenya.

The 2022 New York City Marathon champion Evans Chebet is still hopeful of making the cut to the Olympic marathon team ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games despite not being included in the previous list.

Chebet, the two-time Boston Marathon champion, however, noted that he will accept the decision from the National Olympic Committee of Kenya. Athletics Kenya already handed the list of five athletes to NOC-K who will later on trim down the number to three.

Defending champion Eliud Kipchoge leads the field and he will be joined by the reigning Tokyo Marathon Benson Kipruto, the 2022 Abu Dhabi Marathon champion Timothy Kiplagat, the 2023 Prague Marathon champion Alexander Mutiso, and Vincent Kipkemboi who finished second at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.

"I hope to make it to Kenya's Team for the Paris Olympics, but again, if the selectors choose someone else, I will respect their decision,” Chebet told Sports Brief.

In order to prove that he is capable of bagging a medal at the global bonanza, Chebet seeks to win his third successive title at the Boston Marathon, after winning two titles in 2022 and 2023.

He admitted there will be tough competition but the Kenyan is ready for the challenge and he explained that his body is feeling great. Chebet withdrew from his title defense at last year’s New York City Marathon due to an injury and has not raced since.

"The competition is tough. I am the person with a target on his back. Every other athlete will come with the idea of beating me and denying me another chance to win the title, but I feel good and I am ready," Chebet added.

Paris Olympics to feature vibrant purple track for athletics events

A new look is coming to athletics at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris. The track at the Stade de France will be a vibrant purple instead of the traditional terracotta color, which organizers hope will stand out to a global audience and produce record performances for the world’s best athletes.

Italian rubber manufacturer Mondo has begun the production of the 17,000-square-meter purple track, which will be packed and transported to the French capital in the coming weeks for the start of the Olympic Games in July. The Paris Olympic organizing committee chose the color to honor the Games being the first to achieve full gender parity on the field of play.

The track will be made of three colors: two shades of purple (one a lighter lavender, and the other a darker shade), and grey, which will be used on the outer side of the track. Mondo has supplied track and field surfaces for the last 10 Olympic Games, dating back to the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

Following in the footsteps of the Olympic medals for 2024, the track will be made from nearly 50 per cent renewable or recycled materials, which is 30 per cent higher than for the London Olympics in 2012.

Mondo claims the purple track will be faster than the one used at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where three world records were broken, including the men’s and women’s 400m hurdles set by Norway’s Karsten Warholm and American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

“We have changed the design of the cells in the lower layer of the track compared to what was used in Tokyo,” said Maurizio Stroppiana, vice president of Mondo’s sports division to Olympics.com. “This reduces the loss of energy for the athletes and returns it at the best possible point in their movement.” 

The cost of the purple track is estimated to be around three million euros (CAD $4.5 million). Forty-six of the 48 athletics events will be held on this track (the marathon and the race walk are held on a road course). The race walks will be contested at Pont d’Iena, and the marathon events will begin at the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) and end at Les Invalides, with runners traversing many of the city’s most iconic sites and Olympic venues throughout the historic French revolution route. 

Linet Masai headlines Enschede Marathon

Former World 10,000m champion Linet Chepkwemoi Masai will headline the 21st edition of the Enschede Marathon slated for April 21, 2024 in Enschede, Netherlands.

The 34 year-old who is also the 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist, comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:23.46 that she got six years ago at the Amsterdam Marathon.

Masai who is born in Kapsokwony, Mount Elgon District in Bungoma County will have to get past her compatriot, the 26 year-old, Caroline Jepchirchir, who also comes to this race with a life time best of 2:26.11 that she got at this same course two years ago.

The two will also face four times Belgium National champion, Hanne Verbruggen who comes to the race with a personal best of 2:26.32 that she got last year at the Zurich Maraton de Sevilla, where she finished in seventh place.

Another title contender is Kenya’s Hildah Cheboi who comes to this race with the fourth fastest time on paper of 2:28.31 that she got at home, last year at the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon where she finished in position four.

The race organizers have assembled a strong field to try and chase the race course record of 2:21.10, set two years by Maurine Chepkemoi from Kenya.

LEADING TIME

42KM WOMEN

Linet Masai                (KEN) 2:23.46

Caroline Jepchirchir  (KEN) 2:26.11

Hanne Verbruggen    (BEL) 2:26.32

Hildah Cheboi            (KEN) 2:28.31

Pamela Jelimo set to receive Olympic silver after Ekaterina Guliyev's doping ban

South Africa's Caster Semenya has been elevated to gold with Kenya's Pamela Jelimo set for silver after doping reshuffle in 2012 Olympics 800m.

Former Olympic 800 champion, Pamela Jelimo, is poised to be awarded the 2012 London Olympic 800m silver, marking a significant shift in the event's final standings due to doping violations.

This development comes after the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) announced a four-year ban for Ekaterina Poistogova-Guliyev for historic doping offences, leading to a reshuffle of the medal positions from the London games.

The ban, which results from violations between July 2012 and October 2014, voids all of Poistogova-Guliyev's results from that period, according to a RusAF statement. 

The athlete, who initially competed for Russia before switching allegiance to Turkey, was implicated in the use or attempted use of banned substances, with evidence drawn from the Moscow anti-doping laboratory.

The case has had far-reaching implications, not only for Poistogova-Guliyev but also for other athletes in the 2012 Olympic 800m event. 

Pamela Jelimo, the London Olympic bronze medallist, will be elevated to silver, and American Alysia Montano, who finished fifth, is set to inherit the bronze, pending official confirmation.

This adjustment stems from a broader investigation into systematic doping within Russian athletics, spearheaded by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). 

WADA had initially recommended a lifetime ban for Poistogova-Guliyev in 2015, alongside the stripping of her London medal, as part of its findings on state-sponsored doping.

Although the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) imposed a two-year ban on Poistogova-Guliyev in 2017, her results were initially voided only back to October 2015, allowing her to retain her Olympic medal temporarily. 

The recent decision by RusAF to extend the voiding of her results to July 2012 effectively strips her of the medal, subject to final approval by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The women's middle distance events at the London Olympics have been notably affected by doping, with three runners in the 800m final, including Poistogova-Guliyev, Mariya Savinova, and Elena Arzhakova, having their results voided due to doping offences. 

Jelimo's elevation to the silver medal position comes after a long wait; it took 10 years for her to be awarded the bronze medal for the same event, following the disqualification of Maria Savinova for doping violations. 

The reallocation of medals in cases of doping violations is a complex and often slow process, involving multiple organisations including WADA, CAS, RusAF, and the IOC. 

The final decision on the redistribution of medals from the 2012 Olympics will be closely watched by the athletics community and represents a critical step in the ongoing fight against doping in sport.

Poistogova-Guliyev's ban, which lasts until 2026, reflects a deduction for the time served under her previous CAS-imposed sanction. 

In addition to her case, RusAF has announced a two-year and six-month ban for 3,000m steeplechaser Nikolay Chavkin for similar doping offenses.

Portuguese kids 11 and under are not allowed to run a mile race in their own country and Bob Anderson feels this rule should be updated

"It is not fair that kids under the age 12 can not race a mile in Portugal nor kids under 18 can not race a 10k.  These out dated rules need to be updated,"  says Bob Anderson who is setting up a KATA running retreat in central Portugal opening in June.  In 2021 he opened his first KATA Running Retreat just 45 minutes outside of Nairobi Kenya.  Bob posted this on FB: 

As some of you might know, we are setting up our second KATA Running Retreat in Central Portugal.  We are in a small village called Monforte da Beira.  There are only 310 people in our village.  It is a very cool village with cobblestone streets, olive and cork trees nearby and miles of roads and trails for running, hiking and walking.  

We bought our Anderson Manor House Feb 1 of 2024.  It is an amazing three story place of 15,000 square feet with another 12,000 feet of out buildings and caves plus two acres of land with olive, fig, orange trees and a big area of land for our garden and farm animals.  We want to be as sustainable as possible like we are in Kenya and produce at least 50% of our food.  

This is going to be our base in Europe for us personally and the location of our second KATA Running Retreat.  We are welcoming our first guests in June. 

KATA (Kenyan Athletic Training Avademy) Running Retreat Kenya officially opened in Sept 2021. We currently have 22 Kenyan athletes living, eating and training with us.  We have eight rooms for guests and already we have had bookings from England, France, Poland, New Zealand and the US.  

Our training program is Train The Kenyan Way. We currently have five accredited AK coaches on staff.  Already our top KATA runners are running world class times.  Peter, one of our top runners just recently clocked 27:54 for a 10k race in the US. We also stage kids races at KATA.  Kids of all ages.  (Third photo)

Anyway, things are going well for us and we look forward to develope our second location in Portugal.

One thing we do monthly is a time trial plus we regularly stage races.  Our Double Road Race Federation company founded in 2010 is the owner of these projects.  We stage three races in Northern California annually attracting nearly 1500 runners as well. 

One of the events we have been doing since 2010 is the Bob Anderson Kids mile.  It is an event for kids 13 and under. In Palo Alto, California last December we had over 70 kids run our mile, some as young as 2.  We let their parents decide if their child is capable of running (or walking) a mile.  

Each of our kids get  a medal, a t-shirt and a chance to win a raffle prize.  We also give out a special medal for each winner for their age.  2-3-4-5 and so on.  The kids love our event and we have had over one thousand kids participate over the years.  There has never been a problem.  

Let’s get back to the point of this post.  To celebrate the opening of our new retreat in Portugal I asked the Mayor of our village if we could stage a race in conjunction with their summer festival in June.  It would be Monforte da Beira first running race ever. The mayor thought it was a good idea and we started things rolling for our June 23rd event.  Besides the 10k we also would do a 3k hike/walk and our Bob Anderson kids mile (for kids 13 and under).  

So I hired a race director Nuno.  He said he could handle everything.  I did not know at the time that he had never put on a race before.  He said he was very connected to the running scene since he had been running for like 15 or more years.  

Things were moving along fairly well until April 5.    After paying him for a month he informed me that only kids 12-13 could run our mile race and no one under 18 could run our 10k race.  

I told him this was backward. Maybe it was too strong of a word but it reminded me of the time in the US where women were not allowed to run over a half mile and certainly not a marathon. 

I mention that in the US we have thousands of kids under the age of 12 running one mile races and beyond. Plus even more kids under 18 running 10k and beyond.

I found this story from September 2023, 

“Olivia Hawes of Blacksburg (USA) holds world records for running and when she crossed the finish line last week for a 6.15K in Virginia Beach, she topped 200 total miles in her young career. She has run more than 20 5Ks in nine different states and has a goal to run one in all 50 states. The unbelievable fact is that Hawes is only two years old. 

She has the fastest mile and most 5ks for a 1-and 2-years old along with being the youngest and second youngest competitor in the VA Commonwealth Games’ 33-year history.” (First photo)

Now this is an extreme example.  Two is young but there is even more examples of kids not only completing a mile or more race but loving every minute.  My grand kids ran races at age 4 and loved doing so.  I started running races at age 15 way back when and at 76 I still love running 

According to Nuno this is the rules of the Portugal Athletics Federation.  And since he “loves his country” he has to follow the rules.  Sorry but these rules are just not fair for kids under 18 in my opinion, 

So I told Nuno that I can’t endorse these rules.  The Bob Anderson kids mile should be for all kids 13 and under.  Nuno then said we have to follow the rules of Portugal.  

I didn’t agree and even suggested not even doing a kids race as a compromise.  But he did not want to listen to anything I was saying. So he resigned not giving any notice.  Right now I have taken over the duties of race director of our June 23 event.  I simply could not endorse this rule.  We are new to portugal but certainly not new to running.  

Daniel Simiu eyes Berlin Half Marathon course record

Daniel Simiu is not resting on his laurels as he targets the course record at the Berlin Half Marathon on Sunday.

World Half Marathon silver medallist Daniel Simiu has eyes on the course record as he returns to the Berlin Half Marathon on Sunday, April 7.

The course record currently stands at 58:42 and was set by Eric Kiptanui during the 2018 edition of the event. Simiu has been unbeaten so far this season, claiming wins at the 67° Campaccio-International Cross Country and the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country.

He now heads to the German capital confident and ready to pull off something unique with the course record part of his major plans. However, he faces a stern test from his compatriots since all the six runners that have personal bests of sub 60 minutes are from Kenya.

The 28-year-old has not yet run sub 59:00 and his PB stands at 59:04 which he will attempt to beat when he descends on the course. Last season, he stunned the world to win the Kalkutta 25k race with a world-best time of 1:11:13.

The record he set in India indicates that Ebenyo should be capable of running well under the course record in Berlin. Bravin Kiprop will also be in the mix after taking the Sevilla Half Marathon earlier this year and improving to 59:21, which at that time was a world-leading time.

Simon Boch is the fastest German on the start list with 61:23 while Samuel Fitwi returns to the race where he set his personal record of 61:44 a year ago.

Meanwhile, the women’s race will see Germany’s record holder Melat Kejeta, return to the streets of Berlin. Kejeta has won the race before but when she triumphed in 2018 with 69:04 she still competed for Ethiopia.

“My first goal is to run faster than the 66:25 I ran in Valencia last year. If all goes well during the race then I will try to attack my personal best,” she said.

Ftaw Zeray and Yalemget Yaregal from Ethiopia will certainly be her strongest challengers. Zeray has a PB of 66:04 while Yaregal was third at the Berlin Half Marathon last year in 66:27.

Amebaw and Yimer win 10km titles at Paris Festival of Running

Likina Amebaw, Jemal Yimer, Hagos Gebrhiwet and Caroline Nyaga were among the winners as athletes descended on Paris for the Festival of Running ASICS Speed Race 5km and 10km events on Friday (5).

Competition took place on an iconic 2.5km loop that started and finished at Palais-Royal in the shadow of the Louvre.

Ethiopia’s Amebaw and Kenya’s Loice Chemnung both dipped under 30 minutes in the women’s 10km, with Amebaw clocking a PB of 29:56 to win and Chemnung finishing just one second behind her. They were joined by Kenya’s Miriam Chebet during the first half of the race but Chebet was unable to maintain the pace and finished third in 30:41.

Finishing fourth, Nadia Battocletti improved her own Italian record to 31:19.

“It was a very amazing race. It was a fast race – I ran under 30 minutes, so I liked it,” said Amebaw, who was recently confirmed as joint runner-up in the 2023-2024 World Athletics Cross Country Tour.

She also voiced her ambition to return to Paris to compete in the No.1 Olympic sport at the Games in August.

“I have got to work hard, and I hope I will be at the Olympic Games,” she said. “Now I will get ready for track competition.”

Less than three weeks after his Seoul Marathon win in a PB of 2:06:08, Ethiopia’s Yimer matched his 10km best, running 27:43 to win the men’s race, also by one second.

Kenya’s Hillary Kipkoech was runner-up in 27:44 and his compatriot Vincent Kibet was third in 27:48.

Ethiopia’s multiple world and Olympic 5000m medallist Gebrhiwet was racing a couple of weeks out from his African Games 5000m victory, which followed a 5km win in the rain at the Podium Festival in Leicester, UK. In Paris he won the men’s 5km in 13:24 ahead of Mohamed Ismael (13:32) and Adel Mechaal (13:34).

Kenya’s Nyaga, who also raced in Leicester where she finished second, this time topped the women’s 5km as she secured a dominant win in 14:40 over Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek and Belinda Chemutai, who ran 15:03 and 15:05, respectively.

Sawe sets race record to win Prague Half Marathon

World half marathon champion Sabastian Sawe improved the 14-year-old race record by winning the Prague Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, in a world-leading PB of 58:24 on Saturday (6).

The 29-year-old was racing just a week after finishing seventh at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, where he formed part of Kenya’s gold medal-winning senior men’s team.

But he showed no signs of fatigue as he took control of the race in warm conditions in Prague. Despite running the second half solo, he maintained his pace and managed to take five seconds off his PB to claim a dominant win ahead of his compatriots Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba (1:00:01) and Patrick Mosin (1:00:15).

The women’s race was much closer and after exchanging the lead from 15km, Ethiopia’s Gete Alemayehu eventually strode away from Kenya’s Jesca Chelangat to win in 1:08:10. Chelangat finished three seconds behind the winner, while Ethiopia’s Nigsti Haftu was third in 1:09:30.

In the men’s race, the lead group set off behind two pacemakers and quickly created a gap on the rest of the field.

With the pacemakers gone, Sawe took charge and led through 5km in 13:48. As he forged ahead, his rivals couldn’t stick with the pace and by 10km Sawe was running alone. He passed that point in 27:32, nine seconds ahead of his compatriots Gideon Kiprotich Rop and Mosin.

Sawe increased his advantage to 45 seconds by 15km, which he reached in 41:25, and he continued untroubled to pick up his pace in sight of the finish line, which he crossed in 58:24.

Improving his PB, he moved from 14th to 12th on the world all-time list.

Behind Kipchumba and Mosin, Rop ran 1:00:45 and Jackson Muema 1:02:01 to complete a Kenyan top five.

In the women’s race, Alemayehu and Chelangat ran together through 5km in 15:43 but Alemayehu dropped back as Chelangat followed the pacemaker through 10km in 31:26. Alemayehu was 11 seconds behind Chelangat at that point but as the race approached 15km, Alemayehu caught and then passed her rival.

That lead was short-lived and Chelangat responded as they fought for top spot behind the pacemaker.

But as the race reached the closing stages, Alemayehu had a look of concentration on her face as she moved away from Chelangat and she managed to hold on to that lead, winning by three seconds in 1:08:10.

Kenya’s Vivian Jepkemei Melly followed Haftu over the finish line to finish fourth in 1:09:33, while Turkiye’s Sultan Haydar was fifth in 1:09:48.

Stephen Mokoka — Ready to tackle the Two Oceans Marathon

Stephen Mokoka is arguably South Africa’s best all-round road athlete and one of the most consistent marathoners. He already boasts a proud Totalsports Two Oceans record – five gold medals out of five starts, including four wins, in the competitive Two Oceans Half Marathon.

But this year he steps up to the ‘big daddy’ in his first race in excess of 50km.If there had ever been any doubt about Mokoka’s ability to stay the pace beyond the standard marathon 42km, his world record win at the Runified 50km in Gqeberha in March 2022, which he won in 2:40:13, would have dispelled them. Had there been suspicions that the 39-year-old, Mokoka might have slowed in recent years, his 2:06:42 marathon PB in Japan last February – just 9 seconds outside Gert Thys’ national record – would have shushed the nay-sayers in no uncertain terms.

Mokoka has chosen to race the 2024 Totalsports Two Oceans 56km as part of his build-up to the Olympic Marathon in Paris in August and while Magawana’s mark may not be in Mokoka’s sights this year, there is little doubt that Mokoka’s stepping up to the 56km race has placed it in mortal danger in the not-too-distant future.

“I never met Thompson Magawana,” Mokoka admitted from Taipei on the weekend, where he competed in the New Taipei City Marathon. “But his time in the Two Oceans is impressive. From my side, I feel I need to learn the distance first. Before Gerda broke the women’s record, she had run it twice before.

“I don’t have the record in mind this year. My goal is to get strength and use the hills in preparation for the Olympic Marathon, which has an elevation gain of over 430 metres. I’ve seldom run a hilly marathon, only Cape Town Marathon in 2022 (which had a 380m elevation gain), so that’s why I chose to run the Hong Kong and Taipei Marathons (both incorporate testing climbs) this year in preparation for Two Oceans.

“As I’m new at the distance, my goal for this year is to have fun, enjoy and learn. I will need to build more strength and endurance to have a go at the record. Maybe in the next year or two.”

Unlike at the testing Hong Kong Marathon, where Mokoka raced to a competitive second in 2:12:58 in January this year, just 8 seconds behind Kenyan Anderson Seroi, Mokoka’s approach to the New Taipei City Marathon, just four weeks before the Two Oceans, was to use the hilly marathon as a training run, which he completed in a comfortable 2:24:20.

“The Taipei Marathon didn’t really disrupt my training.” Mokoka explained. “I arrived just three days before the race and travelled back home soon after. My target was to run 2:15 through 40km and I went through in 2:16. I plan to take off three days, just running easily, before my last block of training for Two Oceans. There is still much hard work ahead as we move into a speed cycle.”

Mokoka enjoys racing in Cape Town, the scene of multiple racing titles on road and track, and is excited about incorporating new elements to his training for the Two Oceans with his long-time coach, Michael ‘Sponge’ Seme.

“Much has changed in my training programme for the Oceans with longer runs incorporating longer hills,” Mokoka continued. “I’m no longer doing the sessions I did in my preparation for the 50km. Everything is new – I enjoy that.

“Taipei was my last longer run and from now I’m back to normal marathon preparation – the toughest part is behind me and now I’m back to something which I’m familiar with.”

Mokoka recently moved from the red-vested Boxer Club to Hollywood Athletics Club’s distinctive purple, saying the club has given him a new lease of life. “Hollywood’s priorities are different and I’m glad they are on board with all the things I mentioned before signing with them.

“They’re happy with my limited and focused schedule – Hong Kong Marathon, Totalsports Two Oceans then Olympics. They have made it possible for me to train at high altitude in Kenya for a solid block prior to the Olympics. I’ll be training with Kenyan athletes such as Cyrus Mutai, who won the New Taipei Marathon.”

Training with the Kenyans could take Mokoka to new heights, but before that is a date with ‘The World’s Most Beautiful Marathon’ and Two Oceans Marathon destiny. And in time, Magawana’s history.

Defending champion Eliud Kipchoge will lead the unveiled marathon team to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Defending champion Eliud Kipchoge will lead Team Kenya's men’s marathon team to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Athletics Kenya has announced.

Kipchoge goes to Paris with history in his mind as he intends to become the first man to win three Olympic titles over the marathon. If he manages to achieve the feat, he will also become the oldest marathoner to have successfully defended his title at the Olympics.

Kipchoge had a false start at the Tokyo Marathon where he finished a disappointing 10th but he has since gone back to training and will be sharpening his talons ahead of the global bonanza.

Joining Kipchoge will be reigning Tokyo Marathon champion Benson Kipruto who stunned heads at the Tokyo Marathon to take the top prize just as a debutant. Kipruto is a well-known marathoner and with a man of such quality in the field, Kenya is assured of a medal.

Kipruto goes to the Olympic Games hungrier than ever since he will be in the hunt for his first title under the Team Kenya jersey. With the motivation from winning the Tokyo Marathon, he will be out to impress.

Another athlete to watch will be Timothy Kiplagat, the 2022 Abu Dhabi Marathon champion. Kiplagat is laid back but when it comes to the marathons, he knows how to execute his races well and finish in the podium bracket.

Alexander Mutiso has also made the cut to the national team in his first senior assignment. Mutiso bagged silver for Team Kenya during the 2018 World Under-18 Athletics Championships.

He will be hoping to impress one more time, having a great record of previous marathon successes including a win at the 2023 Prague Marathon and a second-place finish at the 2023 Valencia Marathon.

Little-known Vincent Ngetich, the young man who traumatized Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon will also be part of the star-studded field. Ngetich proved to be a great marathon runner, finishing second behind Kipchoge in his debut over the distance.

Defending champ Gisealew Ayana and Vivian Cheruiyot lead fields for Paris Marathon

More than 54,000 runners are set to gather at the starting line of the 47th Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris this Sunday (April 7).

Following tradition, participants will set off from the Champs-Élysées to cover the gruelling distance of 26.2 miles, passing through some of the most beautiful Parisian spots.

The route will include the Place de la Concorde, the Opéra Garnier, the Louvre, Notre-Dame de Paris, the Musée d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais and the Hippodrome d’Auteuil to name a few.

The marathon has attracted a strong field of elite athletes who will be aiming to clinch the title and walk away with the prize money, which stood at €50,000 last year.

Gisealew Ayana, a 21-year-old Ethiopian who secured victory last year, will lead the men’s race as he will aim for a double that only Britain’s Steve Brace (1989 and 1990) and Kenya’s Paul Lonyangata (2017 and 2018) have achieved.

Ayana will face tough competition as he goes up against two previous Paris winners, 2022 champion Deso Gelmisa and Elisha Rotich, winner of the 2021 Pairs Marathon and event record holder (2:04:21). Rotich, 33, will return to the marathon after a two-year absence.

A strong contingent of Kenyan and Ethiopian runners will join the trio of recent winners in leading the field including Hilary Kipsambu (2021 bronze medallist), Brimin Kipkorir (2023 Frankfurt Marathon winner), Mekuant Ayenew and Bazezew Asmare – all with PBs under 2:05:00.

Japan’s Yuki Kawauchi will aim to challenge the African dominance while France’s Freddy Guimard will hope to impress on home turf.

In a change from previous years, the elite women will start on the same line as the men rather than having a separate start. The adjustment provides the women with an earlier start time, aimed at allowing them to take advantage of favourable conditions to achieve faster times.

Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot lines up as a favourite. Her last win was the 2018 London Marathon where she clocked 2:18:31.

The 2016 Olympic 5000m champion will bounce back to marathon running at the age of 39 as her last marathon dates back to 2019.

Cheruiyot will have her work cut out against her rivals as there is a strong Ethiopian field. Buzunesh Getachew, winner in Frankfurt last October, will lead the Ethiopian team as she will be joined by Rahma Tusa, Etagena Woldu, Hailu Haven and Gelete Burka, winner of the 2019 Paris Marathon.

There is more than just the marathon on offer this weekend as ASICS, partner of the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris, is hosting a three-day Festival of Running event.

The unique festival will feature elite 5km and 10km speed races on Friday evening, with Eilish McColgan being one of the athletes set to run. A pre-marathon shake-out run is scheduled for Saturday.

Pulse Sports: Kenyan media caught some people with this April Fools' prank

Eliud Kipchoge has not suffered any injury or withdrawn from the Paris 2024 Olympics with the marathon GOAT having put the disappointments of Tokyo behind him.

You might have fallen for our April Fool’s Day story about two-time Olympics champion Eliud Kipchoge withdrawing from the Paris 2024 Games.

Well, the marathon GOAT is very much on the road to Paris as he has not withdrawn or suffered any injury.

Kipchoge will be heading to Paris with the aim of becoming the first man to win three straight Olympics marathon gold medals and is back in training ahead of the Games.

ipchoge was selected among Team Kenya’s provisional squad for the Olympics alongside with 2024 Tokyo Marathon champion Benson Kipruto, Timothy Kiplagat and Vincent Ngetich, who finished second and third in Tokyo, Bernard Koech, two-time New York Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, Cyprian Kotut, 2022 London Marathon champion Amos Kipruto and Titus Kipruto.

With Athletics Kenya set to add another name to the roster before naming the final three, Kipchoge is hot favourite to be on the list that will head to Paris and he is fully focused on making history in the French capital.

“My aim is to inspire as many people as I can. I am aiming for three gold medals consecutively,” Kipchoge told the LOAF Podcast.

“Back-to-back-to-back. This is in my mind. I will try my best to push myself to win it three times and tell the next generation that longevity is the key and you can make a goal, pursue it and make it happen.”

Kipchoge is coming off a disappointing outing in Tokyo where he managed a 10th-place finish, having started well, something that saw some observers doubt whether he can win Olympics gold.

While he has put the disappointment behind him, he admits the defeat took its toll on him after toiling for so long to ensure he achieved success.

“I have learnt that you can train in a good way, be in a good shape but putting in it practice, something will remain unlocked and disappointments will come in but a coin has two sides but in life, it has three sides, that is thinking big,” he added.

“I did not succeed as far as Tokyo marathon is concerned. I feel disappointed to train for four, five months without getting the real results but it is not the end of life.”

With the marathon being the last event on the Olympics programme on August 11, Kipchoge has four months to prepare for what could be his final appearance at the Games and possibly right the wrongs of Tokyo in Paris.

Mary Moraa confirms next assignment in the build up to the Paris 2024 Olympics

Commonwealth Games 800m champion Mary Moraa has confirmed her next destination as she builds up steadily for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Reigning World 800m champion Mary Moraa has disclosed her next stop after a fruitful outing at the African Games where she bagged a gold medal in the 400m and propelled Team Kenya to a bronze medal in the 4x400m mixed relay.

Moraa will be eyeing her maiden appearance at the Olympic Games in Paris, France and also looking for a podium finish in the event which has very strong opponents waiting for her to descend on the starting line.

The Commonwealth Games champion has confirmed participation at the Kip Keino Classic, where she intends to showcase fireworks just like last year. This year’s event will be held at the Nyayo National Stadium and the likes of Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala and world leader Letsile Tebogo have already confirmed participation.

In a post on her Facebook page, Kisii Express said: “From African Games, I shift my gears to Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour.”

Moraa has been off to a good start to the season and she will hope to enjoy 2024 just like she did in 2023. The Kenyan was only beaten once in the 800m, at the Prefontaine Classic, the Diamond League Meeting final, where she finished fourth.

In the race, Athing Mu won the trophy as Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson and Jamaica’s Natoya Goule completed the podium.

This season, she has competed in the 400m unbeaten and her speed seems to be in perfect condition. At the Kip Keino Classic, Moraa will compete in her specialty, the two-lap race.

Kibor turns focus on Ottawa Marathon after ruling Kapsabet race

After winning the inaugural Kapsabet Half Marathon, Marion Kibor's next stop will be the Ottawa Marathon on May 26 in Canada.

Kibor, also the 2023 Paris Half Marathon silver medalist, said the Kapsabet race was part of her build-up ahead of the Ottawa Marathon, where she will seek her maiden win in the 42km distance.

“ I am trying to work on my endurance by racing in some of these events. Last year, I competed in the Amsterdam Marathon and finished eighth. I want to improve on that,” said Kibor.

Kibor won the Kapsabet Half Marathon in 71:34.56 ahead of Gladys Songol (73:29.31) and Joan Chepkosgei (74:03.39).

She said she won easily because she trains on the same course. “Since I train here, it was easy for me despite the hilly course posing challenges. I was prepared for this race and the victory did not come as a surprise,” She said.

She said such local races are good for the upcoming athletes to build careers. These are the kinds of races they are supposed to use to showcase their talents.

Shock as Eliud Kipchoge withdraws from Paris 2024 Olympics

Five-time Berlin Marathon Eliud Kipchoge has released a statement explaining why he will not be defending his marathon title at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

In a shocking turn of events, two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge will not be defending his Olympic title at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games scheduled for later this year.

In a heartfelt message to his fans, Kipchoge announced his withdrawal from the global showpiece. The decision, which has sent shockwaves throughout the sports world, comes as a surprise to many fans and analysts alike.

Kipchoge cited personal reasons, noting his desire to focus on other endeavours. The five-time Berlin Marathon champion issued a statement earlier today expressing his gratitude for the support he has received throughout his career, but also his need for a change in direction.

"It is with a heavy heart that I announce my decision to withdraw from the Paris 2024 Olympics. Competing at the Olympics has always been a great thing and I was looking forward to winning my third successive title.

“However, at this juncture in my life, I feel compelled to explore new opportunities and challenges,” a part of the statement from the four-time London Marathon champion read.

Kipchoge has achieved so much on the track and the roads with numerous accolades to his name, including multiple Olympic medals and a world record to his name that was shattered by the late Kelvin Kiptum at last year’s Chicago Marathon.

Kipchoge has long been regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time and his decision has not been taken lightly by his fans who were hoping to see him descend on the start line one more time.

Fans of the sport have taken to social media to express their disappointment at the news, with many expressing their admiration for Kipchoge's accomplishments and wishing him well in his future endeavours.

While Kipchoge's absence will undoubtedly be felt at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the event is expected to showcase a new generation of talented athletes vying for glory on the world stage.

Malaysia rejects offer to host 2026 Commonwealth Games

Malaysia has rejected an offer to hold the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to time constraints, costs and an insufficient offer of funding, its government said on Friday, in a major setback for a quadrennial multi-sport event that has struggled to find hosts.

Malaysia was asked to step in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew, citing ballooning costs, with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) offering 100 million pounds ($126 million) in supporting funds.

Malaysia ruling itself out raises the possibility that the Games may not take place for the first time since being cancelled in 1942 and 1946 due to the Second World War.

Malaysia could not commit to hosting the contest at such short notice with cost concerns and little time to assess the potential economic impact, officials said.

"If we had a longer time, we would definitely do it, but because there's such a short time, we definitely can't do it," government spokesperson and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told a regular briefing.

"When we assessed the viability of hosting the Games, the length of time needed and the cost was seen to be particularly prohibitive."

The CGF expressed disappointment at Malaysia's decision, but said its search for a host was continuing.

"The confidential process to determine a host is continuing with other interested Commonwealth Games Associations," a CGF spokesperson said, without elaborating.

RELEVANCE QUESTIONED

The Games are typically contested by about 70 countries and territories of the former British empire and medals tables have in recent editions been dominated by Australia, England, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa.

Victoria's withdrawal had already placed the future of the event in doubt and raised questions about whether a Games with colonial origins was still relevant in the modern era, and over its place in an already packed global sporting calendar.

TV rights, the main income driver for international sports events, are tiny for the Commonwealth Games compared to other large-scale competitions, meaning national and local governments can face budget deficits if hosting.

Malaysia's youth and sports ministry said the 100 million pounds funding it was offered would not be enough to cover the costs of hosting the Games.

"Additionally, the economic impact could not be identified in this short timeframe," the ministry said.

The Games has struggled to find a willing host in recent years and five of the last six editions have been held in Australia or Britain.

The English city of Birmingham, which had been due to host in 2026, stepped in to save the 2022 event after South Africa were stripped of hosting rights over a lack of progress in preparations.

Birmingham's move led to the CGF scrambling to find another host for 2026 and Victoria had been the only viable candidate after several other cities withdrew from the bidding process over cost issues.

The proposal had received a mixed response in Malaysia, which hosted the 1998 edition, over the lack of preparation time and costs.

The Malaysian Olympic Council had initially proposed holding a downsized Games, with limited spending on athletes' accommodation and smaller opening and closing ceremonies.

Ben Johnson thinks doping is worse than 30 years ago

Jamaican-born Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson made his name in track and field by winning the 100m dash at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, which was dubbed the dirtiest race in history. Days after the race, Johnson’s urine sample came back positive for the steroid stanozolol, and he was stripped of his Olympic gold and issued a three-year ban. Though Johnson competed during a dirty time in track and field, the former world champion thinks the sport today is dirtier than it was 30 years ago.

In a March 27 interview with Radio Jamaica, Johnson said he believes not much has changed from his era to now, and that he is not surprised to see so many doping violations in athletics. “If it weren’t for the more powerful nations being beaten at their own game, doping wouldn’t be a big issue,” said Johnson.

Johnson, now 62, was banned for life from athletics by the IAAF (now World Athletics) in 1993 after another positive doping test, this time for excess testosterone. Johnson believes countries like Jamaica are punching above their weight with its sprint rivalry against the U.S. “In my days, the Americans did not like someone from a small island beating them,” he said. “The opportunity to do well and make a living in track and field is hard. Americans blame others, but they also dope themselves.”

The 1988 Olympic 100m final was dubbed the dirtiest race ever, as six of the eight finalists had a positive doping test at some point in their careers. The bronze medallist, American Calvin Smith, was the only sprinter among the top five who never had a positive test.

Johnson went on to say that he does not follow track and field as much as he used to, but still sees the times athletes are running on social media and sanctions posted by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

Why Noah Lyles prefers having gold medals to a world record

Noah Lyles has opened up on why he prefers winning many gold medals as compared to breaking world records.

Triple World champion Noah Lyles has admitted that he prefers having gold medals to world records despite being vocal about going for Usain Bolt’s 200m world record.

Lyles noted that having medals is a lifetime thing and they will be your forever unless one gets banned but world records usually come and go.

The two-time World champion explained that times are always shattered from time to time and they are not something he would prefer.

“I would rather have a gold medal because medals last forever as long as you don’t get banned but records will always be broken,” Lyles told the Letsrun.com podcast.

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Meanwhile, Lyles’ coach Lance Brauman also noted that he prefers gold medals to world records and explained that he also hopes Lyles thinks the same way.

“Once you’re an Olympic champion, you’re always an Olympic champion. World records are great, but it’s not what this sport should be about. The sport is a competition, the sport’s running against the other guys in the race,” said Brauman.

Concerning breaking the world record, Brauman believes that his 60m exploits in the indoor season open up the possibility of breaking Usain Bolt’s 19.19 world record in the 200m.

“Maybe he can run the world record, 19.15, 19.12, somewhere in that range, based on the same math, if I’m using it correctly.

“Will he do that? That’s hard to say. When you start talking that fast, there’s a lot of intangibles that you can’t control.

“Weather, time of year, environment, how tired are you from running three races before you get to that, which is five when you get to the final one,” the tactician noted.

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend: celebrating diversity and improving accessibility

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend works hard to create an environment where athletes from all walks of life feel valued, supported and empowered.

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend has a rich history of promoting diversity, accessibility and family-friendly participation. Over the years, the event has taken significant steps to ensure that all athletes feel welcome and empowered regardless of their abilities or backgrounds. From creating separate divisions for wheelchair athletes to introducing family-friendly race options and supporting women’s participation, Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend has consistently championed inclusivity and celebrated the achievements of its diverse participants.

A history of accessibility and inclusivity

From the early years, the race organizers recognized the importance of accessibility and implemented measures to accommodate participants with disabilities. These included accessible washrooms and aid stations and properly cleared routes. By addressing these accessibility touchpoints, Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend became a pioneer in making running events more inclusive.

1975: Eleanor Thomas became the first female finisher, with a time of 3:27:28.

1979: Lou Mulvihill became the first wheelchair participant in Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. The following year, he was joined by four other athletes with disabilities, marking the beginning of the event’s commitment to inclusivity.

1983: Wheelchair athletes were given their own separate division, resulting in increased participation and recognition. Rick Hansen became the first official winner in this category. Additionally, Jacques Pilon, a blind athlete and gold medalist in the 1980 Blind Olympics, participated with a guide runner. Pilon’s inclusion paved the way for individuals living with invisible disabilities.

1998: The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend introduced a 2K and 5K run and walk to encourage family participation.

2001: Joseph Nderitu became the first African and person of color to win the marathon, marking the beginning of the elite era.

2011: Visually impaired athlete Ron Hackett completed his first of more than 16 marathons in Ottawa with the guidance of Tim Scapillato. Their successful partnership demonstrated the power of support and collaboration in enabling athletes with disabilities to excel.

2017: Andrew Press and Team LiquidGym spearheaded efforts to make Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend more accessible for athletes using ALinkers (a mobility device). 

2021: Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend expanded gender categories to include male, female, non-binary and “prefer not to disclose.”

2022: Run Ottawa invited support runners to assist participants with all types of physical disabilities under the Adaptive Athlete Program.

2023: Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend celebrated 18 visually impaired or blind participants, each accompanied by dedicated guides. The event also extended the Adaptive Athlete program to participants living with invisible disabilities, such as emotional or mental health challenges, allowing them to participate with support runners or guides. The race organizers fostered this inclusivity through partnerships with Achilles Ottawa, an ambassador program connecting visually impaired athletes with supportive runners.

Adaptive-athlete-friendly entry and exit routes were also added in 2023 to ensure barrier-free entry and exit for all participants.

Women in the Ottawa Marathon 

The journey toward inclusivity also involves fostering women’s participation in the Ottawa Marathon. In 1975, Eleanor Thomas became the first female finisher, highlighting the drive to provide equal opportunities for all genders. 

In 1983, there was a 7:1 ratio of men to women participating in the marathon, by 2023, more than 50 per cent of all registered participants in the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend were women.

Inviting and accessible for families

Currently, the Ottawa Kids Marathon and stroller-friendly 2K, 5K and 10K races are part of the race weekend, alongside the marathon and half-marathon. The Kids Marathon program lets children experience running a marathon by completing short segments over a few weeks or months, culminating in their final 1.2K leg on event day.

In 2024, the Ottawa Kids Marathon, 2K and 5K events will remain affordable, unaffected by price increases. This pricing strategy ensures that these family-friendly events are accessible to a diverse range of participants, irrespective of their abilities, ages or financial backgrounds.

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend also acknowledges the importance of accommodating families with infants. The event’s organizers have initiated conversations with new parents and other events to discuss ways of removing barriers and improving accessibility for families by considering feeding schedules. While still in the early stages of development, this initiative strives to create a supportive and inclusive environment for families participating in the race weekend.

Enhancements in 2023

The Adaptive Athletes program at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend continuously evolves to prioritize inclusivity and accessibility. In 2023, successful initiatives included the establishment of a dedicated tent near the start line for Adaptive Athletes and their support runners/guides/family, provision of secure wheelchair parking and delivery, distribution of cooling towels and water for Adaptive Athletes on the 2K course, a specialized Adaptive Athlete recovery area for post-race relaxation, an accessible race kit pick-up table and specially-designed race bibs to be worn on the back of an Adaptive Athlete and their guide or support runner to raise awareness and encourage understanding among participants. 

Additionally, the race organizers collaborated with local organizations and community groups to establish a mentorship program for individuals from underrepresented communities. This initiative aimed to encourage participation in running and provide the necessary support to overcome potential barriers.

The 2023 race weekend featured a dedicated Diversity and Inclusivity speaker session. This panel discussion celebrated athletes’ unique identities and stories by promoting multiculturalism, engaging in conversations about inclusion and showcasing inspiring individuals who have made significant contributions to the running community.

Looking ahead to 2024

Building on the progress made in 2023, Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend continues its commitment to improving accessibility and diversity in the upcoming year. A key focus for 2024 will be further expanding the mentorship program and establishing partnerships with more local organizations and underrepresented communities.

The organizers will also continue to offer a barrier-free start- and finish-line experience for participants who want that service and will continue to ensure aid stations are set up to be accessible for all athletes.

In 2024, Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend aims to foster a sense of belonging for all participants by celebrating the intersectionality of identities, such as race, gender, age and ability. Through increased representation, awareness campaigns and ongoing collaboration, Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend endeavours to create an environment where athletes from all walks of life feel valued, supported and empowered.

Daniel Simiu targets historic victory at Okpekpe Race amidst high expectations

Daniel Simiu aims to defend his title and make history at the Okpekpe 10km Road Race in Nigeria.

World Half Marathon silver medallist, Daniel Simiu, is setting his sights on making history at the upcoming Okpekpe International 10km Road Race, scheduled for May 25 in Okpekpe, Edo State in Nigeria.

Following his record-breaking win last year, where he set a new course record of 28:28, Simiu is not only looking to defend his title but also to become the first man to successfully do so in the history of the Okpekpe race.

"I am interested in returning to Nigeria to run at the Okpekpe race. Nigeria is like my second home,” the 28-year-old athlete remarked as per The Guardian.

When asked about the possibility of breaking his own course record and potentially becoming the first man to run under 28 minutes at Okpekpe, Simiu remained modest yet hopeful.

“Maybe I will try,” he said, leaving fans wondering if this year’s race will witness another groundbreaking performance from the Kenyan.

Since clinching the Okpekpe title, Simiu’s career has been on an impressive trajectory.

He went on to secure a 10,000m silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, and added a half marathon silver medal at the World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, to his accolades.

His season started with a victory at the 67° Campaccio-International Cross Country, followed by a dominant performance at the National Police Cross-country Championships and Sirikwa Classic Cross-country.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Okpekpe Road Race, and organizers are promising an event filled with glamour and entertainment, aiming to make it the best edition yet.

“The technical and administrative organisation of the event have been applauded by World Athletics with the elevation of the event to a gold label status after its return from a two-year COVID-induced absence,” highlighted race director, Zack Amodu.

Decathlon medal contender could miss Paris Olympics

The Olympic hopes of Kevin Mayer of France, the reigning Olympic silver medallist in the decathlon, are in doubt after he sustained a knee injury during the Aztec International in San Diego on Thursday. The two-time world champion withdrew from the decathlon competition after four events, raising doubts about his ability to qualify for the Paris Olympics.Competing at the Aztec Invitational track meet in San Diego, Mayer was aiming to achieve the decathlon Olympic standard of 8,460 points, a mark he has yet to reach within the qualifying window.The 32-year-old has been plagued with injury and has not completed a decathlon since winning his second world title at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene. While he attempted to compete at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest, he was forced to withdraw after the second event, due to pain in his left Achilles tendon. Mayer told French media at the time that his primary goal was to regain full health and redirect his focus to the 2024 Olympics, to be held in his hometown.

For the past decade, Mayer has been a formidable rival of Canada’s Damian Warner; they are two of the best decathletes of this generation. Mayer boasts world indoor and outdoor titles, along with the decathlon world record of 9,126 points, yet Olympic gold is the one thing he has not accomplished. Mayer has won two Olympic silver medals, finishing behind Warner at Tokyo 2020 and behind American Ashton Eaton at Rio 2016.While the severity of Mayer’s injury is unknown, the world record holder reassured his followers on social media, stressing his determination to return to the track soon. Time is running out; the deadline to earn Olympic qualification is June 30. As one of the golden hopefuls for Team France in Paris, Mayer’s attention shifts to getting healthy for the Götzis Hypo-Meeting, a massive annual meet for decathletes, on May 18 and 19, where he will need to meet the standard.

Michael Johnson gives Letsile Tebogo 400m advise after hitting Olympics qualifying time

American sprint legend Michael Johnson has told Botswana sensation Letsile Tebogo what to do at the Olympics after he hit the 400m qualifying time for the Paris Games.

American sprint legend Michael Johnson has advised Botswana sensation Letsile Tebogo against signing up for the 400m at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Tebogo hit the Olympic qualifying mark in 400m when he lowered his personal best to post an impressive 44.29 at the ASA Grand Prix in Pretoria, South Africa on Monday.

That has got many wondering if the world 100m silver and 200m bronze medalist will add the 400m onto his Olympics programme but Johnson, a two-time Olympic champion and record holder over the 400m, feels it would be a bad idea to do that this year.

“100/200 or 200/400 double? Already a 100/200 world champs medalist, may be foolish to switch in an Olympic year,” Johnson posted on X.

While Johnson recognizes that the men’s 400m is not as strong now, he thinks 20-year-old Tebogo still has plenty of time to hone his skills over the distance before he makes a competitive attempt.

“Men’s 400 a bit weak recently but his training must change to run even low 44 in a final after rounds. At only 20, plenty of time to move to 400. 100/200 for Paris,” added Johnson, while advising Tebogo to stick to 100m and 200m at the Paris Olympics.

Johnson’s sentiments come days after reports in Botswana also suggested Tebogo does not intend to compete in 400m at the Paris Olympics and was just using the race to test his endurance.

Tebogo has been in fine form, smashing the 300m world record by running 30.69 in Pretoria in February, before the 44.29 in 400m in the same South African city this week.

"My plan is to rest for a week or two. My performance [on Monday] shows that the speed is there,” said Tebogo after Monday’s race.

“Everything is going according to plan. I want to compete in Diamond League Meets so that I get used to other top athletes. That will also assist me to be confident when I meet them at the Olympics.”

World champion Noah Lyles is seen as the favorite to claim gold in both 100m and 200m at the Olympics but 20-year-old Tebogo is among a host of rivals set to give him a run for his money, with the Botswanan not a pushover given his remarkable form and consistency.

Paula Radcliffe to open Brighton Marathon

Three-time London Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe and Paralympic gold medallist David Weir are the official starters of this year’s Brighton Marathon weekend.

Radcliffe, who set a new world record for the London marathon in 2003, will signal the start of the race in East Sussex on 7 April.

She said the start of a marathon was “inspirational” and conveyed “the warmth, empathy and power of the marathon family”.

Brighton Miles, an accessible running event on 6 April, will be launched by wheelchair athlete Weir.

About 13,000 people are expected to run in this year’s Brighton Marathon, which is now in its 15th year.

“I’m delighted to be coming back to Brighton to start the 2024 Brighton Marathon,” said Radcliffe, who is an ambassador for Children with Cancer UK.

Weir praised the inclusivity of the Brighton Miles event, saying: “No matter your age, ability or disability, the Brighton Miles is for you.”

Entries for the Brighton Miles and the 10k are still available, however the Brighton Marathon is sold out.

Haspa Marathon Hamburg: Defending champion Bernard Koech returns

Defending champion and course record holder Bernard Koech will return for the 38th edition of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on April 28th. The 36-year-old Kenyan, who improved the course best to 2:04:09 last year, will face very strong opponents in Germany’s major spring marathon. Samwel Mailu of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Abdisa Tola, who both produced breakthrough performances in 2023, will challenge the defending champion. In Martin Musau there will be another former winner of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg returning to the race: The Ugandan was the winner in 2021.

“After consecutive course records, we can look forward to another high-quality men’s race. Bernard Koech, Samwel Mailu, and Abdisa Tola are all capable of running world-class times on the fast course. We are happy that these three have chosen Hamburg for their spring marathon,“ said chief organizer Frank Thaleiser, who expects a total of around 12,000 marathon runners on 28th April. Online registration for the race is still possible at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de

“I am looking forward to returning to Hamburg. Last year’s victory was a perfect comeback performance for me because I had problems for some time and there were the Corona lockdowns as well,“ said Bernard Koech, who tied his two-year-old personal best of 2:04:09 last year in Hamburg. However, after achieving his biggest career victory in that race the Kenyan was unlucky when he ran the Amsterdam Marathon in autumn. An injury forced him to drop out of the race. Looking ahead to his Hamburg return Bernard Koech said: “Although I broke the course record last year I believe that I can still run faster in Hamburg.“

A fast pace should suit Samwel Mailu, who wants to improve his personal best. The Kenyan newcomer, who is already 31 years old, stormed to a sensational course record of 2:05:08 despite warm weather conditions at the Vienna Marathon last spring. Later that year he produced another exceptional performance. Added to the Kenyan team at very short notice Samwel Mailu took the bronze medal at the World Half Marathon Championships in Riga, Latvia. “I chose Hamburg for my spring marathon because of the fast course. Hopefully, I can improve my current 2:05 personal best to 2:04,“ said Samwel Mailu.

Twenty-three-year-old Ethiopian Abdisa Tola will be another top contender on 28th April. The younger brother of Tamirat Tola, the World Marathon Champion from 2021 and current New York Marathon winner, ran a stunning marathon debut a year ago: Abdisa Tola won the competitive Dubai Marathon in 2:05:42.

Besides Bernard Koech there will be another runner in the elite field who has already won the Haspa Marathon Hamburg: Martin Musau of Uganda took the race at 2:10:15 in 2021, when the fields were much reduced due to the pandemic. It was last year in Hamburg when Musau improved to a fine 2:08:45 and finished in seventh position.

More Than 100 Professional Athletes to Race Boston 5K

Fast fields featuring Olympians, Paralympians, rising stars, and recent B.A.A. event winners will take center stage at the Boston 5K presented by Point32Health and B.A.A. Invitational Mile on Saturday, April 13. The deepest professional field in race history will include more than 100 accomplished athletes from 19 nations, set to square off for prize money and awards in the open, wheelchair, and Para Athletics Divisions. 

“More than 40,000 athletes will take part in B.A.A. races across Boston Marathon weekend,” said Jack Fleming, President and Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “Saturday’s Boston 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile fields feature some of the fastest American and international stars, many who are aiming to compete at the Olympics and Paralympics in Paris.”

A new champion will be crowned and the stage is set for another close race at the Boston 5K. Ben Flanagan (Canada), Edwin Kurgat (Kenya), and Alex Masai (Kenya) – all top-five finishers a year ago – will return. They were at the front of an exciting finish a year ago that saw the top 13 men come across the line within ten seconds of the winner.

Top Americans Cooper Teare, Zach Panning, and Drew Hunter look to be at the front of the field. Teare is the reigning U.S. club cross country national champion, while Panning led a majority of February’s USA Olympic Team Trials – Marathon and Hunter is a former national champion indoors at 2 miles. B.A.A. High Performance Team members Eric Hamer and Barry Keane will be racing their hometown event.

Also on the start line will be Ben Kigen, an Olympic steeplechase bronze medalist in 2021; Simon Koech, last year’s Diamond League winner in the steeplechase; and Merhawi Mebrahtu, the 5,000m World Junior Championships silver medalist. Ethiopians Getnet Wale and Addisu Yihune are the two fastest men in the field, having gone sub-13:00 on the track for 5,000 meters.

Leading the women’s field is USATF 5K National Champion and B.A.A. High Performance Team member Annie Rodenfels. Joining her are 2024 Team USA Olympic marathoner Dakotah Lindwurm, former American marathon record holder Keira D’Amato, perennial top-American Boston Marathoner Nell Rojas, as well as Team B.A.A. runners Abbey Wheeler, Bethany Hasz Jerde, and Megan Hasz Sailor.

Uganda’s Sarah Chelangat, the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile champion in 2023, and Mercy Chelangat, a former NCAA Cross Country and 10,000m winner, are both entered. Reigning B.A.A. Half Marathon champion Fotyen Tesfay of Ethiopia also comes back to Boston seeking another win.

In the wheelchair division, course record holder and six-time Boston Marathon champion Marcel Hug (Switzerland) will square off against Americans Daniel Romanchuk and Aaron Pike. Brazil’s Vanessa de Souza – the 2018 Boston 5K winner – is the women’s wheelchair division favorite. Perennial Para Athletics Division contenders El Amine Chentouf (T12, vision impairment), Brian Reynolds (T62, lower-limb impairment), and Marko Cheseto (T62, lower-limb impairment) will vie for prize money and podium placings. This will be the largest professional Para Athletics Division field in event history.

Nearly 10,000 participants will take part in the Boston 5K, serving as the first race of the 2024 B.A.A. Distance Medley series.

KRISSY GEAR LOOKS TO REPEAT IN B.A.A. INVITATIONAL MILE

Krissy Gear earned a hard-fought B.A.A. Invitational Mile win last year and now comes in with the target on her back as defending champion. Four of the top five finishers from 2024 return, including Susan Ejore (Kenya), Jazz Shukla (Canada) and Taryn Rawlings (USA). Micaela Degenero, the 2022 NCAA Indoor Mile champion, and 4:23.94 Helen Schlachtenhaufen are entered as well.

Massachusetts high school standout Ellie Shea will take on the professionals. The Belmont High School student-athlete finished 10th at last year’s B.A.A. Invitational Mile.

Massachusetts native and 3:52.94 miler Johnny Gregorek leads the men’s field of competitors. Melkeneh Azize of Ethiopia, the world junior champion at 3000m in 2022, and Harvard’s Vivien Henz, a national champion in Luxembourg, will each make their B.A.A. road racing debuts.

In addition to the professionals, student-athletes from each of the eight cities and towns that make up the Boston Marathon route will compete in a Scholastic Mile and Middle School 1K.

Gebreselama and Fisher win as records fall in San Juan Capistrano

Tsigie Gebreselama set a US all-comers' record to win the women’s 10,000m, while Grant Fisher topped a deep men’s race to triumph at The TEN, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event, in San Juan Capistrano, California, on Saturday (16).

Hitting the Olympic standards for Paris – 27:00.00 for men and 30:40.00 for women – was the aim for many athletes in San Juan Capistrano. A total of eight athletes managed it in the men’s race and four achieved it in the women’s.

Leading the way in that women’s race was Ethiopia’s world cross country silver medallist Gebreselama, who improved her PB to 29:48.34 to move to ninth on the world all-time list.

The 23-year-old won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in a PB of 1:05:14 three weeks ago and returned to the track to dip under 30 minutes for 10,000m for the first time, also becoming the first woman to break that time barrier on US soil.

Gebreselama, the fourth-place finisher in the World Road Running Championships half marathon in October, had been the only athlete to go with USA’s Alicia Monson from the start but when Monson struggled to maintain the pace, Gebreselama took over at the front and Monson later dropped out.

Chasing the Olympic standard in a group further back, USA’s Weini Kelati led the way and clocked a PB of 30:33.82 to finish second. She was followed by Lauren Ryan, who ran 30:35.66 to improve Benita Willis’s 20-year-old Australian record, and Britain’s Megan Keith, who ran 30:36.84 on her 10,000m debut.

Rachel Smith finished fifth in 31:04.02 and Karissa Schweizer sixth in 31:04.80.

In the men’s race, North American record-holder Fisher led one of the deepest 10,000m races in history as he sprinted into the lead in the closing stages to win in 26:52.04. 

His 21-year-old US compatriot Nico Young followed him over the finish line in a US collegiate record of 26:52.72 and the next six were also under the Olympic entry standard.

Andreas Almgren ran a Swedish record of 26:52.87 to finish third, while Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed was fourth in 26:53.01, Eritrea’s Habtom Samuel was fifth in a PB of 26:53.84, Adriaan Wildschutt was sixth in a South African record of 26:55.54, USA’s Woody Kincaid was seventh in a PB of 26:57.57 and Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat was eighth in a PB of 26:57.66.

Competitive fields look to make a statement in Seoul

Ethiopia’s Guye Adola and Bahrain’s Desi Mokonin are among the athletes who will be looking to make a mark when they compete in the Seoul Marathon, this year’s sixth World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (17).

While Adola competes in Korea for the first time, Mokonin has the benefit of race experience, as she returns to an event that she won in 2019.

Adola has the fastest PB among the entries, thanks to the 2:03:46 he ran to finish second when making his marathon debut in Berlin in 2017. The 2014 world half marathon bronze medallist returned to win in Berlin in 2021, running 2:05:45 for the third-fastest time of his career so far.

He is back in marathon action for the first time since October, when he placed third in Frankfurt after finishing runner-up in Paris in April.

There are a number of athletes who will want to challenge him in Seoul, where the men’s field features another six sub-2:06 athletes. The course record stands at 2:04:43, achieved by Mosinet Geremew in 2022.

Kenya’s Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba has won each of the four marathons he has completed so far, most recently winning the Shanghai Marathon in November in a PB of 2:05:35, but he withdrew when defending his Xiamen Marathon title in January.

His compatriot Solomon Kirwa Yego finished third in Shanghai in a PB of 2:05:42 and then placed eighth in Xiamen, while Joel Kemboi Kimurer ran his PB of 2:05:19 in Milan in 2021 and Laban Kipngetich Korir clocked his best of 2:05:41 in Amsterdam in 2022.

Ethiopia’s Derseh Kindie will be looking to build on the PB of 2:05:51 he set in Valencia in December and he’ll be joined on the start line by his compatriots Gebru Redahgne, who finished second in the 2022 Barcelona marathon in 2:05:58, and world half marathon fourth-place finisher Jemal Yimer.

China’s Feng Peiyou and Olonbayar Jamsran of Mongolia will be among those seeking Olympic qualification.

Ethiopia’s Yebrgual Melese is the quickest in the women’s field when it comes to PBs with the 2:19:36 she ran in Dubai in 2018, but the 2015 Chicago Marathon runner up’s last recorded result was a fifth-place finish in the 2020 Xiamen Marathon.

She’s the sole sub-2:20 runner in the women’s race but she will be joined by four others who have dipped under 2:22.

Those include Mokonin, who won the 2019 Seoul Marathon in 2:23:44 and clocked her PB of 2:20:47 in Doha just over a year ago. She ended 2023 with a 2:22:29 performance to finish seventh in Valencia.

Kenya’s Celestine Chepchirchir opens her 2024 campaign after having raced four marathons last year, topped by the 2:20:46 she ran to finish fourth in Valencia. Like Mokonin, she has previously raced in Seoul and it is where she recorded her PB of 2:20:10 set in 2022, when she finished fourth.

She lines up alongside her compatriot Janet Ruguru, who set a PB of 2:23:00 to finish second in Beijing in October and placed third in the Daegu International Marathon in the April.

Sisay Meseret Gola followed her 2:20:50 PB performance in Seville in 2022 with two 2:22 marathons in 2023 – in Osaka and Amsterdam. She withdrew from this year’s Osaka Women's Marathon in January but now returns to action in a field that also features her Ethiopian compatriot Fikrte Wereta, who ended 2023 with a win and a PB in Shenzhen, clocking 2:22:07.

Former Mongolian record-holder Munkhzaya Bayartsogt will be among those hoping to put themselves in the running for a place at the Paris Olympics.

The course record of 2:18:04 was set by Romania’s Joan Chelimo Melly in 2022.

Leading entries

Women

Yebrgual Melese (ETH) 2:19:36

Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN) 2:20:10

Desi Mokonin (BRN) 2:20:47

Sisay Meseret Gola (ETH) 2:20:50

Visiline Jepkesho (KEN) 2:21:37

Fikrte Wereta (ETH) 2:22:07

Sintayehu Tilahun (ETH) 2:22:19

Janet Ruguru (KEN) 2:23:00

Margaret Agai (KEN) 2:23:28

Sifan Melaku (ETH) 2:23:49

Munkhzaya Bayartsogt (MGL) 2:28:03

Marina Khmelevskaya (UZB) 2:29:28

Ayano Ikeuchi (JPN) 2:33:29

Men

Guye Adola (ETH) 2:03:46

Joel Kemboi Kimurer (KEN) 2:05:19

Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:35

Laban Kipngetich Korir (KEN) 2:05:41

Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 2:05:42

Derseh Kindie (ETH) 2:05:51

Gebru Redahgne (ETH) 2:05:58

Mark Kiptoo (KEN) 2:06:00

Felix Kandie (KEN) 2:06:03

Mike Kiptum Boit (KEN) 2:06:08

Ashenafi Moges Weldegiorgis (ETH) 2:06:12

Edwin Kiptoo (KEN) 2:06:52

Kibrom Desta Habtu (ETH) 2:07:05

Balew Yihunie Derseh (ETH) 2:07:12

Timothy Kipkorir (KEN) 2:07:53

Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:08:01

Feng Peiyou (CHN) 2:08:07

Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo (KEN) 2:08:08

Olonbayar Jamsran (MGL) 2:08:58

Huang Yongzheng (CHN) 2:10:49

Gantulga Dambadarjaa (MGL) 2:11:18

Jemal Yimer (ETH) 2:11:31

Evans Kipchumba (KEN) debut

Local bakery saves the day at Scotland's Half Marathon Championships

The Scottish Half Marathon Championships in Inverness, Scotland, faced a challenging situation when their race medals and T-shirts were delayed due to the recent militant attacks on container ships in the Red Sea. At the last minute, a local bakery came to the rescue, supplying the race with more than 4,000 finisher biscuits.

In a social media post on Feb. 27, the race said: “Due to unforeseen shipping delays resulting from Houthi rebel attacks on container ships in the Red Sea, we regret to inform you that finisher medals and half-marathon finisher T-shirts will not be available at the finish line on March 10.” The attacks in the Middle East had prompted major shipping companies to reroute their container ships around South Africa, delaying the shipment containing the race’s T-shirts and medals.

This year’s race boasted record numbers, selling out with a total of 4,240 participants across the half-marathon and 5K distances. With no finisher medals, and with the race facing the uncertainty of what to provide athletes, Harry Gow Bakery in Inverness stepped up to ensure every runner experienced the sweet taste of success upon crossing the finish line.

“We are thrilled to offer something unique to the Inverness Half Marathon and 5K this year with our commemorative biscuits,” said Fraser Gow, the director of Harry Gow Bakery. “The biscuits were specially crafted to reflect the medal design with the event logo.”

While race organizers expect the medals and T-shirts to reach each finisher by the end of March, many runners expressed satisfaction with the alternative. “It’s exactly what we needed after completing the race,” one participant wrote on Facebook. “It’s as satisfying as a traditional medal. Maybe next time we’ll have edible T-shirts,” another participant joked.

Several finishers also said they hoped to see the finishing biscuits return next year. Regardless, this initiative serves as excellent PR and marketing for the local bakery.

Edna Kiplagat to fight for top honors at NYC Half Marathon

Double world marathon champion, Edna Kiplagat will lead a stellar team of deep elite women at the 18th edition of the New York City Half Marathon scheduled for Sunday (17) in New York City.

The 44 year-old who is the oldest athlete to grace this event, comes to this race with the second fastest time on paper of 1:07.52 that she got last year at the Houston Half Marathon.

Kiplagat who is also a four time world major marathon winner will have to get past the two-time U.S. Olympian and Boston Marathon winner Des Linden and Rio Olympics 1500m bronze medallist, Jenny Simpson.

Other title contenders include former European 10,000m bronze medallist, Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal, who is also the fastest athlete on paper with a time of 1:07.34, world marathon bronze medallist, Fatima Gardadi, and Canadian marathon record holder Malindi Elmore.

The race organisers have assembled this strong team to target the race course record of 1:07.35 set eight years ago by Molly Huddle of United States.

LEADING TIME

21KM WOMEN

Karoline Grøvdal (NOR) 1:07.34

Edna Kiplagat      (KEN) 1:07.52

Malindi Elmore    (CAN) 1:10.11

Des Linden           (USA) 1:10.34

Jenny Simpson     (USA) 1:10.35

Fatima Gardadi    (MOR)1:10.28

The TEN Preview: Nico Young Debuts, Alicia Monson Chases AR, and Karissa Schweizer Returns

Saturday night’s races at The TEN in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., will play a significant role in determining who gets to represent the United States in the 10,000 meters at this summer’s Olympics in Paris. The 2024 Olympic auto standards are incredibly tough — only three Americans have ever run under the 27:00.00 men’s standard and only five Americans have hit the 30:40.00 women’s standard — and you can count the number of world-class track 10,000-meter races each year on one hand. That’s why Grant Fisher, Nico Young, Woody Kincaid, Joe Klecker, Abdihamid Nur, Alicia Monson, Karissa Schweizer, Emily Infeld, Weini Kelati, and many more will be heading to SoCal Saturday night.

Since its first edition in 2021, The TEN has become the place for Americans to run a fast 10,000. Fisher set the men’s American record here in 2022 while Monson set the women’s American record here in 2023 and will be looking to repeat the feat in 2024.

To watch the main events, you’ll have to stay up late — the top heat of the women’s 10,000 does not start until 11:58 p.m. ET with the men to follow at 12:35 a.m. ET. Before then, we’ll get appetizer with the men’s 1500 (10:05 p.m. ET), which features Olympic medalists Matthew Centrowitz and Evan Jager kicking off their 2024 seasons.

Matthew Centrowitz and Evan Jager have seen it all in running. They both graduated from high school in 2007 and made their first US teams as young guns — Jager as a 20-year-old in 2009, Centro at 21 in 2011. For much of the 2010s, they were among the very best in the world in their events, with Centro bringing home a gold medal from the 2016 Olympics and Jager a silver. Now Centro (34) and Jager (35) are the elder statesmen, trying to fend off a host of younger rivals and make one last Olympic team in Paris.

Both men will run their 2024 outdoor openers in the 1500 on Saturday (Centro did run a 3:59 indoor mile on January 27 while Jager ran the first 4k of a 5k in Boston on February 16 before dropping out). Which means it’s time for one of our favorite games: how fast (or slow) will Centro run?

Throughout his career, Centrowitz has established himself as one of America’s greatest ever milers by delivering when it counts. He made every US team from 2011 through 2021 and won three outdoor medals as well as the 2016 World Indoor title. Yet in the latter years of his career, Centro thrown out some stinkers to begin his seasons before working his way into shape. In 2021, he opened with a 3:40 1500 on March 6 followed by a 1:50 800 on April 10 but ended the year running a 3:49 mile and making the Olympic team. Last year, he went to Australia and ran 1:56 for 800 on February 11 and 4:06 for the mile on February 23 but was running 3:36 for 1500 by May and eventually made the US final (though he only finished 10th).

So if Centro runs poorly here, it’s not cause for total panic. Heck, the fact that both he and Jager — who missed most of the 2023 campaign with a foot injury — are healthy enough to be racing is a promising sign. But the American 1500 scene is also more competitive than when Centro last made a team in 2021. Tactically, there is no better US racer than Centro, but he’s up against a group of young studs that includes three medalists from this year’s World Indoors (Yared Nuguse, Cole Hocker, Hobbs Kessler) and a trio of NCAA champions from the University of Washington (Luke Houser, Joe Waskom, Nathan Green). Nuguse is the oldest of that group at 24 — a full decade younger than Centro. Centrowitz is facing an uphill battle to make Olympic team #4 but if he can run 3:36 or 3:37 here and stay healthy for the next three months, he could still have a shot.

As far as the man most likely to win here, Sweden’s Samuel Pihlström ran 3:35 in February and just finished 8th at World Indoors.

Women’s 10,000 (11:58 p.m. ET): Alicia Monson tries to become the first US woman under 30:00 as Karissa Schweizer returns.

Unlike almost every other athlete in this meet, Alicia Monson already has the Olympic standard thanks to the 30:03 American record she ran here last year. So why is she back for another crack?

Monson laid it all out in an interview with LetsRun.com back in December:

Basically, it was just what can we do that would make me feel the most ready for the Olympics? And I feel like that’s running a sub-30:00 10k. I guess the plan would be to break the American record again, but really it’s how fast can I run to feel the most prepared? Because obviously I’m running against people who can run very fast and [I need to] be prepared to run at a pace that feels easy to them and then kick off of it.

Monson was still with the leaders at the bell at last year’s World Championships and her 5th-place finish was the best of her career in a global final. But she finished nearly four seconds out of the medals and the competition will be fierce in Paris. The last three global 10k champions — Sifan Hassan (29:06 pb), Letesenbet Gidey (29:01 pb), and Gudaf Tsegay (29:29 pb) — occupy three of the top four spots on the all-time 10,000m list. The slowest of them, Tsegay, still has a pb 34 seconds faster than Monson’s.

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

Confirmed! When serial track rivals Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen will face off

The date when a showdown between 1500m Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and 2023 1500m world champion Josh Kerr has been confirmed.

Serial track rivals Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen have both been confirmed as headliners for the Bowerman Mile at the Prefontaine Classic, the fourth leg of the Diamond League Meeting series happening in Eugene, USA on May 25.

The duo has been known to attack each other with the two-time World 5000m champion from Norway also attacking the Scot most of the time.

The Norwegian, from time to time has been on record, trash-talking his rivals including Kerr and he once referred to him as the guy next door.

In his recent interview Speaking to the UK Times, Ingebrigtsen noted that he believes his competitors are irrelevant and very inconsistent when it comes to the sport.

“I’m going to say my competitors are irrelevant in the way I see them all the same. One of the main issues is they are very inconsistent and that means my rivals are always changing.

“From 2017 I have had ten to 12 different rivals. It’s easier for them to have a rival in me but not as easy for me to have a rival in them,” Ingebrigtsen said.

After the Scot broke the two-mile indoor world record, the World 1500m silver medallist also made fun of him and noted that he would have beaten him blindfolded.

“I would have beaten him in that race, blindfolded… But it’s good that people run better than they have done before,” Ingebrigtsen said.

The duo now clashes at the Prefontaine Classic and Kerr will be debuting at the event. U.S. indoor and outdoor mile record holder Yared Nuguse will also be in the mix.

In last year’s race, Ingebrigtsen battled to the finish line with Nuguse with the Norwegian star winning in 3:43.73. Nuguse took nearly three full seconds off Alan Webb’s American record with a 3:43.97.

I want a medal in Paris, warning shots fired at Sha'Carri Richardson ahead of Olympics

Another sprinter has expressed her desire to bag a medal in the 100m and 200m at the Olympic Games, firing warning shots at Sha'Carri Richardson and her track rivals.

Julien Alfred has joined the cable of female sprinters who also want a share of the Paris 2024 Olympic cake.

Alfred, a young athlete from St Lucia, wants to make a name for herself and she also wants the world to know that her nation can produce great sprinters.

The 22-year-old has expressed her desire to win a medal at the Olympic Games, something she believes would make a great difference in her career and life.

Speaking to World Athletics, Alfred said: “I don’t really pay attention to the media but I do have a lot of supporters back home who give messages to my family and they transfer to me. I definitely want a medal in Paris – a gold, silver or bronze in the 100m and 200m.”

The path to an achievement like that is, however, filled with hard work and tedious, painstaking repetition. In addition to her start, Alfred has been focusing on improving her strength and technique.

Last year, Alfred set collegiate records to win the NCAA indoor 60m title in 6.94 and the 200m in 22.01, both times putting her second on the world all-time lists.

With another dominant sprint double at the outdoor NCAA Championships last June, she won the 100m in 10.72 and 200m in 21.73, closing out a magnificent collegiate career, then signed a professional deal with Puma.

Her goal at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, Hungary was to win a medal, but she did not achieve her targets, finishing fifth in the 100m and fourth in the 200m.

She started training alongside Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith late last year and also admitted that it has been a great step for her. “It’s competitive, which makes it fun. Iron sharpens iron,” she said.