Running News Daily

Kenyans Roncer Kipkorir and Irine Jepchumba Kimais dominate in Prague

Kenya’s Irine Jepchumba Kimais and Roncer Kipkorir Konga were comfortable winners at the Prague Half Marathon on Saturday (1), winning at the World Athletics Elite Label road race in 1:06:00 and 59:43 respectively.

Conditions were generally good, but the runners faced a strong headwind in the closing stages. Before then, though, the leaders in the women’s race were on for a swift time, having reached 10km in 31:04.

At that point, Kimais ran alongside fellow Kenyans Janeth Chepngetich and Nesphine Jepleting as well as Ethiopian duo Mebratu Tadesse and Zeray Bezabeh.

Kimais pushed the pace over the next five kilometres, covering that section in 15:19, which was enough to drop Chepngetich, the last of her opponents. Her pace slowed slightly in the final few kilometres as the strong winds took their toll, but Kimais held on to win in 1:06:00, the second-fastest time of her career after the 1:04:37 PB she set in Barcelona earlier this year.

“It was not a bad race and the course was good,” said the 24-year-old. “There were just some places I had to struggle with. Together with my pacemakers, we were fighting for the victory, and I am happy for this time.”

Chepngetich finished second in 1:06:42 and Bezabeh completed the podium in 1:07:15.

In the men’s race, six men ran alongside the pacemaker as they passed through 10km in 28:03 with Konga near the front of the pack.

Konga then upped the pace slightly and managed to open up a gap on what had now become the chase pack, reaching 15km in 41:51 with a nine-second lead. He extended that over the final few kilometres and, despite taking a wrong turn near the end, reached the finish a comfortable winner in 59:43.

Uganda’s Maxwell Rotich was second in 1:00:06, five seconds ahead of Kenya’s Geoffrey Koech.

"It's definitely a great result for me, I felt good on the course,” said Konga, who was just five seconds shy of his PB. “I'm very happy for a time under an hour. The wrong turn slowed me down, I could have run faster, maybe some five seconds. The wind was also a problem and slowed me down a little bit.”

Leading results

Women

1 Irine Jepchumba Kimais (KEN) 1:06:00

2 Janeth Chepngetich (KEN) 1:06:42

3 Zeray Bezabeh (ETH) 1:07:15

4 Mebratu Tadesse (ETH) 1:08:45

5 Nesphine Jepleting (KEN) 1:10:04

Men

1 Roncer Kipkorir Konga (KEN) 59:43

2 Maxwell Rotich (UGA) 1:00:06

3 Geoffrey Koech (KEN) 1:00:10

4 Laban Kiplimo (KEN) 1:00:13

5 Kelvin Kibiwott (KEN) 1:00:14.

Kenyan world cross-country medalist Alice Aprot handed 4-year doping ban

The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) hit Olympian Alice Aprot, 29, with a four-year ban from competition on Monday after a positive drug test she recorded in May 2022. Aprot was provisionally suspended from competition as of July 2022, following the positive result, and after a lengthy investigation, ADAK took the next step and banned her until 2026 (her ban begins retroactively, from when her suspension started).

Aprot has continually claimed she is innocent and did not knowingly ingest any illegal substances, blaming the positive test on medication she received from a Kenyan pharmacist. 

Aprot’s career 

Aprot has had several big results in her career. In 2015, she won 10,000m gold at the African Games, and represented Kenya at the Rio Olympics a year later. In Rio, she finished just off the podium, in fourth place. Her compatriot, Vivian Cheruiyot, won silver that day, breaking the Kenyan 10,000m record of 29:32.53, a mark that still stands. Aprot also beat the previous Kenyan record in Rio, and her PB of 29:53.51 is still the second-fastest 10,000m result in national history.  

A year after her near-miss at the Olympics, Aprot finished second at the 2017 world cross-country championships in Uganda. A few months later, at the track and field world championships, she finished just off the 10,000m podium again, once more crossing the line in fourth place. After a hiatus from competition in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Aprot made a comeback in 2022, which eventually led to her positive drug test. 

A four-year ban

As noted in the ADAK report on Aprot’s case, she submitted an explanation for her positive test result, stating that she had taken an unknown medication while at a training camp. She claimed that she had experienced “sharp breast pains” (she was breast feeding at the time) and subsequently “rushed to the nearest pharmacy.” In her explanation to ADAK, Aprot said she told the pharmacist on duty that she was a professional athlete and could not take certain substances. According to Aprot, the pharmacist “assured [her] that the prescribed medication did not contain any prohibited substance and she proceed to ingest the prescribed medication.” 

When asked by ADAK if she had researched the medication before taking it, Aprot said she had not. She also said she had not even looked to see what the medication was called before taking it. “She claimed that she was in pain and did not bother to check,” the ADAK report reads. 

After considering Aprot’s case for several months, ADAK officials officially banned her from competition. The report notes that “it is evident that [Aprot] … acted in good faith by taking the prescribed medicine in order to manage the lingering breast pains.” However, officials added that even if Aprot didn’t knowingly take a banned substance, it was her job to ensure that all medications she took were approved by anti-doping agencies. “Athletes or other persons shall be responsible for knowing what constitutes an anti-doping rule violation and the substances and methods which have been included on the prohibited list,” the report says. 

The start of Aprot’s ban has been backdated to July 14, 2022, meaning she will not be eligible to compete again until July 13, 2026.

Two-time Olympic medalist Hellen Obiri joins Boston Marathon elite list

On Wednesday, Hellen Obiri, a two-time Olympic medalist from Kenya, was announced as a late addition to the women’s elite field at the 2023 Boston Marathon on April 17, joining an already star-studded field featuring world championship and Olympic medalists. 

This will be the second marathon of Obiri’s 12-year professional career. Her debut came last fall in New York, where she finished sixth in 2:25:49. 

Last fall, Obiri moved from Kenya to Boulder, Colo., joining forces with coach Dathan Ritzenhein and On Athletics Club. She started her 2023 season with a bang, winning UAE’s RAK Half Marathon in February in 65:05 and setting a course record of 67:21 at the NYC Half two weeks ago. Obiri owns the fifth-fastest half-marathon result in history, with a personal best of 1:04:22 from February 2022.

This past week, Obiri made headlines on Strava as she did a 25-mile long run at 2:25 marathon pace with her OAC training partner Joe Klecker of the U.S. (who posted the run). According to Klecker’s Strava caption, Obiri hit 40K in 2:18 (even with a 7:14 first mile).

Obiri’s winning streak has indicated that she’s in great shape and now comes into Boston as one of the favourites in the women’s elite field. She will be challenged by 2022 world marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase, 2020 Tokyo Marathon champion Lonah Salpeter and the woman who beat Obiri last fall in NYC, Sharon Lokedi.

We are less than three weeks away from the 127th Boston Marathon.

Peter Bol’s positive doping test revealed as “blunder” by Sports Integrity Australia

After two long months, the Peter Bol EPO-doping saga has concluded. Two independent laboratories have cleared the Australian 800m runner of using the banned substance, noting a “catastrophic blunder” in testing from Sports Integrity Australia (SIA).

In January, the 29-year-old faced a four-year suspension after he returned a positive result for the banned substance erythropoietin (EPO) from a urine sample taken in October. Upon further investigation, according to Sports Integrity Australia, neither of Bol’s A nor B samples showed the presence of EPO in his urine: “Only naturally occurring, endogenous erythropoietin was present during both tests.”

Bol said in an interview with Australia’s 9News that the entire process from the SIA was nothing but unfair to him. “To accuse me of doping without scientific proof… it’s tough, but deep down, I knew I was innocent,” said Bol.

He became a household name in Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after breaking two national records in qualifying to reach the men’s 800m final, where he finished fourth. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, U.K., he won silver in the 800m behind Kenya’s Wyclife Kinyamal.

Pleading innocence 

Bol hired a lawyer and throughout the process, stressed his innocence on social media, saying he would do whatever was necessary to clear his name. “I told everyone that I was innocent and asked everyone in Australia to believe me and let the process play out,” Bol wrote on Twitter.

Bol voluntarily handed over his laptop, iPad and phone to the SIA to help prove his innocence and paid $1,200 to have his B-sample tested.

Subjective testing

During the investigation process, a group of Norwegian scientists raised their doubts about Peter Bol’s positive A-sample, saying the testing for EPO by the World Anti-Doping Agency remains subjective, especially in cases such as Bol’s, which delivered a “borderline” positive result.

According to the Sydney Herald, his legal team sent a letter to SIA demanding an end to the investigation.

The letter includes two independent expert analyses of Bol’s sample from October last year “never showed the presence of any synthetic EPO” and that “inexperience and incompetence at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory (ASDTL) led to an incorrect determination” of his positive A-sample.

Last month, the SIA lifted Bol’s suspension, allowing him to return to training after the B-sample tested by the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) returned an atypical finding.

Bol said he does not intend to sue SIA for damages, although his legal costs are around $50,000.

“I want SIA to see this situation as an opportunity to improve,” he said to Sydney Herald. “Not me trying to fight them. We’ve been transparent the whole time. They should be the same. What my family has gone through should never happen, but it did happen, and we want people to be held accountable.”

Bahrain Half Marathon course record holder Sebastien Kimaru Sawe keen to lower personal best at Berlin Half Marathon

Bahrain Half Marathon course record holder Sebastien Kimaru Sawe will be chasing his 4th half marathon title when he lines up at the Berlin 21km race on April 2.

Sawe is fresh from representing the country at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia where he finished seventh to help Team Kenya to the senior men's team title.

The Rome-Ostia Half Marathon champion said he is preparing for the race at his Kapsabet training base.

Sawe is the fastest on the startlist with a personal best time of 58:02 clocked while winning the Rome-Ostia race.

He will be in the company of compatriots Philemon Kiplimo (58:11), Alex Kibet (58:55) and Dominic Lobalu (59:12) while Ethiopian Gemechu Dida (59:21) will be spoiling for a fight against the Kenyan trio.

Other Kenyans in the men's race include Charles Wanjiku, Simon Ekidor and Patrick Kipngeno while Ludwina Chepngeno and Faith Kimutai will be the only Kenyans in the women's category. 

"It will be my first time to compete at the Berlin Half Marathon and I am preparing well for the race. It's been a few days since running in a major race but I am hoping for good results on Sunday," said Sawe.

Sawe has won four of the five half marathons he has competed in. He is also the national cross country champion.

"I have had a good run in half marathons, winning Rome-Ostia and Bahrain with course records," said Sawe.

He regretted his seventh-place finish in Bathurst, saying the weather was unfavorable and the course hilly to his liking.

"The race was not that easy. It was a tough course and the weather did not favor us much but we tried our best to win the title for Team Kenya," added Sawe. 

Eilish McColgan set for Berlin Half Marathon test

British record-holder faces key race in Germany this weekend ahead of marathon debut in London on April 23.

Three weeks before making her marathon debut in London, Eilish McColgan will tackle the Berlin Half Marathon on Sunday (April 2) looking for a confidence-boosting performance.

The 32-year-old has dealt with a number of injury niggles so far this year such as bursitis on her knee and Achilles and calf issues. Despite this she broke Paula Radcliffe’s long-standing British 10,000m record with 30:00.86 in California at the start of March although she subsequently withdrew from last weekend’s NYC Half.

After training in altitude in Colorado, she is now set to travel to Europe this week to run the Generali-sponsored Berlin Half Marathon where her rivals include Tsigie Gebreselama of Ethiopia and Ludwina Chepngetich of Kenya, whereas fellow Brits Samantha Harrison and Calli Thackery are also set to compete.

Gebreselama has run 65:46 – which she ran in Valencia last October behind Konstanze Klosterhalfen – whereas Chepngetich has run 67:30 and McColgan’s UK record is 66:26.

Gebreselama, 22, also won silver behind Beatrice Chebet in the women’s race at the recent World Cross Country Championships in Australia.

You can expect fast times because very much like the city’s annual marathon in the autumn, the half-marathon has seen quick times over the years. Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands ran 65:45 here in 2019 with the current course record held by Kenya’s Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui with 65:02 from 12 months ago.

The men’s line-up meanwhile is led by Sabastian Sawe, whose PB of 58:02, plus fellow Kenyans Philemon Kiplimo and Alex Kibet, the latter being the 2022 winner in Berlin. Up against the Kenyans are Dominic Lobalu of South Sudan and Gemechu Dida of Ethiopia, whose PBs are 59:12 and 59:21 respectively.

Reigning champions returning for B.A.A. 5K

Global medalists, returning champions and exciting challengers from Massachusetts will headline the Boston Athletic Association's 5K and Invitational Mile, the races which kick off the Boston Marathon weekend.

Both of the races will be held on Saturday, April 15.

Among the professional athletes entered in the B.A.A. 5K are reigning champions Charles Philibert-Thiboutot of Canada, Marcel Hug of Switzerland and Jenna Fesemyer of the USA. Recently crowned world cross-country champion Beatrice Chebet of Kenya will make her Boston road racing debut in the competition.

The B.A.A. 5K starts and finishes in Boston Common at 8 a.m., featuring 10,000 athletes from 87 countries and all 50 U.S. states.

After the 5k, the Invitational Miles will be featured at the historic Boylston Street finish line.

Local Bay State stars Johnny Gregorek of Seekonk, the defending men's champion, and Ellie Shea of Belmont will compete in the three-lap race starting and finishing on Boylston Street.

Also in the field are 2022 B.A.A. Invitational Mile women’s runner-up Taryn Rawlings, 2021 NCAA Cross Country champion Whittni Morgan, and high school sub-four-minute miler Hobbs Kessler, who now runs professionally for Adidas.

“This year’s professional fields blend together experience with up-and-coming stars for the B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile,” Mary Kate Shea, B.A.A. Director of Professional Athletes, said. “Participants, spectators, and running enthusiasts will get to witness world-class competition at shorter distances two days before the 127th Boston Marathon.”

Kipchoge steps up preps with eyes on Boston Marathon title

Eliud Kipchoge is targeting a course record at next month's Boston Marathon even as he steps up preparations for the April 17 race.

Speaking to NN Running Team, Kipchoge who is regarded as one of the greatest marathoners of all time, said: "I just don't want to participate at the sixth Abbott World Marathon Major. I want to win it with a course record. It will be another milestone since I already have course records from the Tokyo, London and Berlin marathons.

The Boston Marathon course record stands at 2:03:01, set by Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.

The two-time Olympic Marathon champion who lives and trains in Kaptagat added: "All is well as far as training is concerned. I think I am in the right direction heading towards April."

"It is the right time now to train on the 'Boston route' here in Kenya. It is an uphill and tough course of about 40km. Training at high altitude is good since it can help one breathe well and run fast."

Kipchoge is also keen on defending his Berlin Marathon title on September 23.

"Berlin and Boston are two different races on different continents. Berlin is a flat course. Boston on the other hand, is uphill and needs a lot of patience and hard work to go through," said Kipchoge.

"Boston is unpredictable and sometimes the weather is challenging but I am trying to be all-rounded."

Paul Chelimo leaves Nike, signs with Decathlon-owned brand Kiprun

American Olympic medallist Paul Chelimo announced on Thursday that he has signed with Kiprun, a French brand owned by the sports retailer Decathlon. He was previously sponsored by Nike, a relationship that dated back to 2018, but he will be sporting a new look as he moves forward with the rest of his season. 

Kiprun is not a big name in the North American running scene, likely due to the fact that Decathlon only has 15 stores across Canada (according to the retailer’s website) and none in the U.S. However, simply because it’s not a household name in Canada and the U.S. doesn’t mean it isn’t a good brand, and Chelimo clearly saw something in the company that he liked. 

As his agent, Riad Ouled, told LetsRun, a lot of different brands were after a partnership with Chelimo. “He had offers from Asics, from On, and Nike wanted to renew him. But the project from Kiprun touched something in him.” Ouled added that a big draw for Chelimo was Kiprun’s willingness to let him have a say in the development of future shoes. 

“He was very interested by … giving feedback,” Ouled said. “All of the brands offered him a lot of money, but Kiprun gave him consideration and said OK, we want to do shoes as you expect as a good runner.” Chelimo’s partnership with Kiprun is currently set to last until at least the 2028 Olympics.

The two-time Olympic 5,000m medallist is Kiprun’s biggest athlete signing to date, as the brand has yet to attract many big names in running. The brand could be in for some big growth in the coming years, however, as there are plans to launch the Kiprun 42 House, which will be a training group for promising Kenyan athletes.

Chelimo will make his debut as a Kiprun athlete at the Berlin Half Marathon on April 2. He has run one half-marathon in his career and owns a PB of 62:19. 

Olympic Steeple Bronze Medalist Benjamin Kigen And World XC Champ Beatrice Chebet Lead Fields For BAA 5k

Patriots’ Day Weekend will kickoff with exciting competition, as international and U.S. stars take to the roads for the 2023 B.A.A. 5K presented by Point32Health, and the 2023 B.A.A. Invitational Mile on Saturday, April 15.

Among the professional athletes entered in the B.A.A. 5K are reigning champions Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (Canada), Marcel Hug (Switzerland), and Jenna Fesemyer (USA), while recently crowned world cross country champion Beatrice Chebet of Kenya will make her Boston road racing debut. Local Bay State stars Johnny Gregorek and Ellie Shea will compete in the B.A.A. Invitational Mile, a three-lap race starting and finishing on Boylston Street.

“This year’s professional fields blend together experience with up-and-coming stars for the B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile,” said Mary Kate Shea, B.A.A. Director of Professional Athletes. “Participants, spectators, and running enthusiasts will get to witness world class competition at shorter distances two days before the 127th Boston Marathon."

International standouts will be at the front of the B.A.A. 5K, led by Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen – an Olympic bronze medalist in the 3000m steeplechase from 2021—and Philibert-Thiboutot, who set a Canadian national record at the 2022 B.A.A. 5K en route to winning in 13:35. Philibert-Thiboutot’s countryman Ben Flanagan, a three-time Falmouth Road Race winner, as well as reigning B.A.A. Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Koech of Kenya, are also entered. Leading the American contingent is Olympian Mason Ferlic, two-time World Cross Country participant Emmanuel Bor, U.S. Road Mile champion Eric Avila, and NCAA All-American Morgan Beadlescomb.

On the women’s side, 2023 World Cross Country champion Beatrice Chebet and bronze medalist Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) will take on World Athletics Championships 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Mekides Abebe (Ethiopia), all racing the B.A.A. 5K for the first time. The United States will be well represented in the women’s professional ranks, with reigning USA 5K national champion Weini Kelati, defending B.A.A. Invitational Mile winner Annie Rodenfels, 2022 USA Club Cross Country champion Bethany Hasz, Olympian Marielle Hall, and 2022 USATF 10,000m bronze medalist Natosha Rogers all racing. Rodenfels and Hasz are members of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, training in Boston under coach Mark Carroll.

International standouts will be at the front of the B.A.A. 5K, led by Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen – an Olympic bronze medalist in the 3000m steeplechase from 2021—and Philibert-Thiboutot, who set a Canadian national record at the 2022 B.A.A. 5K en route to winning in 13:35. Philibert-Thiboutot’s countryman Ben Flanagan, a three-time Falmouth Road Race winner, as well as reigning B.A.A. Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Koech of Kenya, are also entered. Leading the American contingent is Olympian Mason Ferlic, two-time World Cross Country participant Emmanuel Bor, U.S. Road Mile champion Eric Avila, and NCAA All-American Morgan Beadlescomb.

On the women’s side, 2023 World Cross Country champion Beatrice Chebet and bronze medalist Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) will take on World Athletics Championships 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Mekides Abebe (Ethiopia), all racing the B.A.A. 5K for the first time. The United States will be well represented in the women’s professional ranks, with reigning USA 5K national champion Weini Kelati, defending B.A.A. Invitational Mile winner Annie Rodenfels, 2022 USA Club Cross Country champion Bethany Hasz, Olympian Marielle Hall, and 2022 USATF 10,000m bronze medalist Natosha Rogers all racing. Rodenfels and Hasz are members of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, training in Boston under coach Mark Carroll.

Defending Champions Return to Run 50th Anniversary Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile

Organizers of the 50th annual Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile (CUCB) announced today the first of two rounds of news about this year’s invited field; look for the second announcement to come out on Wednesday, March 29. Today’s announcement features past champions and top-5 finishers expected to toe the respective men’s and women’s starting lines on Sunday, April 2. (The elite women will start first, at 7:18 a.m., followed by the men and the masses at 7:30 a.m.)

Three past champions are part of the women’s elite field: Susanna Sullivan, last year’s women’s champion from Reston, VA; 2021 champion Nell Rojas from Boulder, CO; and 2013 champion Caroline Rotich, a Kenyan who lives in Colorado Springs, CO. As part of the 50th celebration two additional former champions are entered: Colleen De Reuck from Boulder, CO, who won the race in 1998 and still holds the women’s course record of 51:16; and 1973 winner Kathrine Switzer.

Other top women finishers from past 10 Miles include: Carrie Verdon from Boulder, CO, who placed second last year; Paige (Stoner) Wood, last year’s third place finisher from Flagstaff, AZ; Sara Hall, also from Flagstaff, who placed fourth in 2014; and Flagstaff’s Diane Nukuri, who was fifth in 2018.

In the men’s race, the top-three finishers from 2022 return. All hailing from Kenya, they include champion Nicholas Kosimbei, second-place runner Wilfred Kimitei, and third-place finisher Shadrack Kimining. They’ll be joined on the starting line by second-place finisher in 2021 Abbabiya Simbassa from Flagstaff, AZ. Returning for the 50th running and starting a little bit farther back in the pack will be Bill Rodgers, from Boxborough, MA, who won the race four consecutive times between 1978 and 1981; placed second in 1982 and third in 1983; and has run CUCB a total of 22 times. Greg Meyer, whose American record of 46:13 still stands 40 years later, will be present for the 50th celebration, and will be holding the tape for the first American male finisher, who will be in hot pursuit of Greg’s mark — there’s a $50,000 shared bonus on the line for any American Records or World Bests set at the event.*

“It’s always a vote of confidence in the reputation of the event to see a large number of top finishers from previous years coming back. I am excited about this year’s set of repeaters, both past and present. This is another factor that will make our 50th anniversary special,” said Event Director Phil Stewart.

This year, international elite runners will be competing for $40,000 in prize money. The prize purse for Americans totals $25,000, and American runners placing in the top-10 overall are eligible to receive both open and American-only prize money. There is an additional $6,000 in RRCA RunPro Alumni Development Awards — runners eligible for the RRCA awards can also collect top-10 open and/or top-10 American payouts.

There is also a time-based set of bonus payments on offer for fast times:

• $50,000 to be shared by any runners setting a World Best or American Record*• Time incentives of $1,000 for the 1st male to run sub-46 minutes and 1st female to run sub-52 minutes, with an additional $750 on offer should a second male and/or female achieve those same sub-46 and sub-52 minute milestones.

The 10 Mile will serve as the USATF 10 Mile Championships, the RRCA National 10 Mile Championships, and the 2022-2023 Professional Road Racing Organization (PRRO) Circuit Championship.

Winners of the individual 2022-2023 PRRO Circuit events will be eligible for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus by winning the PRRO Championship (the bonus is split if an eligible male and female win the Championship). Susanna Sullivan and Nicholas Kosimbei are eligible for the PRRO Super Bonus. Any non-eligible winner of the PRRO Championship Super Bonus will earn $2500.

* If World Best times and American Records for men and women are set by the winners at the event (e.g. four records set), the $50,000 record bonus would be split into four $12,500 shares. If only one World or American record is set for either men or women, the athlete setting the record would get the full $50,000. If an American sets an American record and no other World or American records are set, he or she would receive the entire $50,000 as well. Currently, the times to beat are as follows:• Haile Gebreselassie’s (ETH) World Athletics Best of 44:24, run at the Tilburg 10 Mile in Tilburg, Netherlands, September 4, 2005;• Keira D’Amato’s World Athletics Best in a women’s only race of 51:23, run at the UpDawg 10 Mile in Washington, DC, November 24, 2020;• Greg Meyer’s American Record of 46:13, run at the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC, March 27, 1983; and• Keira D’Amato’s previously mentioned World Best 51:23, which is also the American Record for a women’s only race.

For reference, the fastest CUCB time among the men’s field announced today is Kosimbei’s 45:15, which tied the event record set by Kenya’s Allan Kiprono in 2012. Among the elite women, Nell Rojas’s 52:13 from 2021 is the best CUCB finish time among this year’s elite entrants. Abbabiya Simbassa’s 46:18 from 2021 is the best CUCB mark among the American men, while Nell’s 52:13 is, of course, the leading mark among the American women.

The inaugural Cherry Blossom Ten Mile in 1973 was won by Sam Bair, in a time of 51:22; the women’s winner was Kathrine Switzer, in a time of 1:11:19; 127 men and 12 women ran that first race. Bill Rodgers holds the honor of most victories, with four consecutive wins between 1978 and 1981. Three women have each won the race three times: Julie Shea (1975-77), Lisa Weidenbach (1985, '89 and '90) and Lineth Chepkurui (2008-10). Ben Beach leads all Cherry Blossom finishers with an active streak of 49 years. A comprehensive media guide detailing a wide variety of statistics from the first 49 CUCB races is available here.

Thanks to Credit Union Miracle Day’s title sponsorship since 2002, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run has raised over $10.2 million for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, including $323,000 in 2022.

About the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile:

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom races, organized by Cherry Blossom, Inc., a 501c(3) chapter of the Road Runners Club of America, are known as “The Runner’s Rite of Spring®” in the Nation’s Capital. The staging area for Sunday’s 10 Mile is on the Washington Monument Grounds, and the course passes in sight of all of the major Washington, DC Memorials. In 2023, the reimagined Saturday 5K will stage on Freedom Plaza and traverse the route of Presidential Inaugurations down Pennsylvania Avenue before crossing the National Mall in the shadow of the Capitol Building and returning by the same route. The Kids Run is staged on the grounds of the National Building Museum. All events serve as a fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a consortium of 170 premier children’s hospitals across North America. About one-third of the funds raised support Washington, DC’s own Children’s National (“Children’s Hospital”). The event also funds the Road Runners Club of America’s “Roads Scholar” program designed to support up-and-coming U.S. distance running talent.

Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc., a consortium of credit unions and credit union suppliers, is the title sponsor of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, 5K, Kids Run and Virtual Run. Current presenting sponsors include ASICS, REI Co-op and Wegmans; supporting sponsors include CACI, Co-op Solutions, CUNA Mutual Group, FinisherPix, Gatorade Endurance, Guayaki, MedStar Health, PSCU, Potomac River Running, Suburban Solutions, The MO Apartments and UPS.

The 10 Mile is a proud member of the PRRO Circuit (PRRO.org), a series of this country’s classic non- marathon prize money road races with circuit stops in Washington, DC; Spokane, WA; and Utica, NY. The 2023 10 Mile will serve as the 2022-2023 PRRO Championship.

In addition to being sanctioned by USA Track & Field and the Road Runners Club of America, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom races have earned Gold Level Inspire Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport in recognition of its legacy of commitment to sustainability and thoughtful resource management.

To learn more, visit CherryBlossom.org and follow the event on social media @CUCB and #CUCB2023.

Kenyan Bravin Kiprop shifts focus to Berlin Half Marathon

Following a successful outing at the University of Eldoret cross country, Bravin Kiprop's focus has shifted to next month's Berlin Half Marathon.

Kiprop, who won the 7.4km senior men’s title, said he was using the race, part of UoE's 100th anniversary, as part of his preparations for the German race on April 2.

“I came here with the sole purpose of preparing for the Berlin Half Marathon and this victory has added positives to my preparations,” said Kiprop.

Kiprop, who trains in Keiyo South added that running in local races forms the best preparations for any athlete since, due to the competitiveness, they help runners gauge their fitness and endurance ahead of races abroad.

“Competing in these local races gives an individual a good start. I have two weeks to prepare and this race has offered me a good training ground,” said Kiprop, from Elgeyo Marakwet county.

He won the senior men’s race in 16:40.3, beating Ayub Kiptum to second in 16:54.2 while Titus Kiprotich took third place in 16:59.4.

In January, Kiprop finished second at the Discovery Kenya Cross country championships behind Weldon Langat.

Immaculate Anyango was victorious in the senior women's race, ahead of upstart Stella Jepkosgei and Dorothy Kimutai.

Anyango, who won Discovery cross country in January won the title in 25:09.7 while Jepkosgei and Kimutai clocked 25:26.6 and 25:30.5 respectively.

Mathew Kipkosgei and Janet Jepkosgei were the respective winners of the junior men's 5.55km and junior women's 3.7km races.

Kipkosgei led St Francis Kimuron to a clean sweep of the junior men's podium in 16:40.1, followed by Linus Kipkemoi (16:54.2) and Titus Kiprotich in 16:59.0.

Jepkosgei won the junior women's title in 12:38.01 ahead of Maurine Jepkoech and Martha Jelimo, who timed 12:41.0 and 12:45.2 respectively.

Zane Robertson Popped for EPO

Zane Robertson, the New Zealand record holder in the half marathon (59:47) and marathon (2:08:19) and former record holder in the 10,000 (27:33.67), has been suspended by The Sport Tribunal of New Zealand from competition for 8 years after testing positive for Erythropoietin (EPO) and “providing false documentation in his defence.”

Robertson, who along with his twin brother Jake famously moved to Kenya in 2007 at the age of 17 to try to become one of the world’s best distance runners, had retired in February at the age of 33 but didn’t mention anything about a pending drug bust. Zane tested positive at the UK’s Great Manchester Run in May 2022.

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After his B sample came back positive, Zane Robertson didn’t try to argue that EPO wasn’t in his system. Instead, he said he went to a Kenyan medical facility to get a COVID vaccination but instead was given EPO, and he provided documentation to back up his point, but investigators determined the documentation provided was false.

In addition to it making no sense medically why someone would be given EPO when they came in for a vaccine, a Vice President of the “medical facility Mr Robertson claimed to have attended” provided a statement saying “Mr Robertson was not administered EPO at the facility, that he had not attended the facility on the alleged date, that of the two doctors he claimed had treated him, one was a laboratory technician and the other was not employed at the facility, that the medical notes were not generated at the facility and the patient number on the notes was not Mr Robertson’s.”

The Sports Tribunal of New Zealand’s full decision can be read here (also embedded at the bottom of this document).

Additionally, Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) issued its own press release that can be read here (also embedded at the bottom of this document), but in reading it, appears that Robertson may have been targeted for testing.

“This case benefitted hugely from the sharing of key information and the invaluable support of the Athletics Integrity Unit and Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya. Our global partnerships allow us to collaborate across the anti-doping landscape to detect and deter doping and hold dopers to account, wherever they may be,” said Drug Free Sport New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Paterson.

The press release was unusual in that it contained a lengthy statement from Athletics NZ Chief Pete Pfitzinger, the two-time US Olympic marathoner (and Cornell grad), about how the organization was trying to make sure that Robertson’s mental health was being taken care of.

“As an organisation we take athlete welfare very seriously, so we understand the anxiety and stress that Zane will be experiencing. As soon as he received notification of the positive test for EPO last year, we offered and have provided extensive wellbeing support alongside High Performance Sport New Zealand and we will continue to provide support during this challenging time. We appreciate DFSNZ’s consideration of the athlete’s wellbeing throughout this process,” said Pfitzinger.

It’s worth noting that prior to the 2016 Olympics where Zane Robertson was 12th in the 10,000, Zane, who had relocated to Ethiopia, expressed his frustration as to the amount of doping in the sport and specifically the situation that was going on in Kenya.

“It’s disturbing that I can see these things unfolding before my eyes yet those athletes continue to race on,” said Zane to stuff.co.nz. Robertson also competed in the 2020 Olympics in the marathon where he was 36th.

Kenyan Magdalene Masai will be going for the win at the Vienna City Marathon on April 23

Fresh from finishing third at the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon, Magdalene Masai will be chasing the Vienna City Marathon on April 23 in Vienna, Austria.

Sharpening her skills in Iten in Elgeyo Marakwet county, the youngest of the Masai running siblings, said she hopes she will run well and earn a slot for Team Kenya at the 2023 World Athletics Championships later in the year in Budapest, Hungary.

“Training is going on well in Iten and I hope to post my personal best in Vienna on my debut in a  race that has been dominated by Kenyans,” said Masai.

Currently enjoying a personal best of 2:22.16 set in 2019 with victory at the Toronto Marathon, Masai said if she runs well, she is likely to land a place in the Kenya team to Budapest.

“I last represented the country in the 2015 Africa Championships, where I finished 4th in the 3,000m steeplechase. This is an opportunity for me to win the confidence of the Kenyan athletics authority,” said Masai.

Kenyans have won Vienna 17 times in the men's cadre and nine in the women's since the inception of the race in 1984.

The title is currently held by Vibian Chepirui, who won both the 2021 and 2022 titles while Cosmas Matolo is the men's champion.

“ Kenyans have in the past performed well in the race and it's because of this that we are always invited for the race. I want to run well on my debut in the race to enter history books,” she said.

The Mount Elgon-born athlete in Bungoma county returned into action last year after maternity leave, where she finished 4th in Toronto Marathon.

She then finished third in the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon where Kenyan Dorcas Tuitoek and Kenyan-born Israeli Lonah Salpeter took the top two positions.

“On my return, I did not manage to run well but at the moment, I have trained well for the championships,” she said.

Masai will be up against fellow Kenyan Visiline Jepkesho as well as Ethiopian Senbere Teferi and home girl Julia Mayer. 

Chepkwony and Allam smash PBs to win at Rome Marathon

Betty Chepkwony and Taoufik Allam were the victors at the Acea Run Rome the Marathon, smashing their PBs by seven and four minutes respectively to win at the World Athletics Elite Label road race on Sunday (19).

Chepkwony took the women’s title in 2:23:02, while Allam triumphed in 2:07:43.

Ethiopia’s Zinash Getachew, Mulugojam Ambi, Jemila Shure, Fozya Amid and Kenya’s Brenda Kiprono went to the front in the early stages, reaching 10km in 33:28 while Chepkwony was 27 seconds behind.

Ambi, Getachew and Shure reached halfway in 1:11:07, inside course record pace (2:22:52), while Chepkwony had reduced the gap on the leading group to 17 seconds.

After going through 30km in 1:41:32, Ambi and Shure struggled in the final 10km. Chepkowny, meanwhile, reeled in the leaders and soon started to pull away. She crossed the finish line in 2:23:02, smashing her previous PB (2:30:28) with the third-fastest winning time ever in Rome.

Amid finished second in 2:25:08, improving her previous PB by three minutes.

“I am very happy with the win,” said Chepkwony. “I really enjoyed running in this beautiful city. I ran a smart race in the first half. I know that I can run faster, but I am happy with my performance on a difficult course.”

In the men’s race, a ten-man pack went through 5km in 15:00, 10km in 29:56, and 15km in 44:58. Five of those – Allam, Wilfred Kigen, Rogers Keror, Felix Kirui and Berhanu Heye – stuck with the pacemakers through the half-way mark (1:03:28), which was just outside course record pace.

Kigen, Heye, Keror and Allam reached 30km in 1:30:51 as the pace started to drop. Just a couple of kilometres later, Kigen and Allam pulled away from the rest of the field and had opened up a gap of 19 seconds on Keror by 35km.

Allam finally broke away from Kigen at 39km and went on to win in 2:07:43, becoming the first Moroccan winner of the Rome Marathon. Wilfred Kigen finished second, improving his PB to 2:08:45.

“I was determined to win the race,” said the 33-year-old, who set his previous PB of 2:11:30 in Dublin last year. “The pacemakers did a good job in the first half of the race. The final part was challenging because of the cobblestones.

In the days leading up to the race, World Athletics delivered a Race Emergency Medicine Course.

Diego Sampaolo for World Athletics

Leading results

Women

1 Betty Chepkwony (KEN) 2:23:02

2 Fozya Amid (ETH) 2:25:09

3 Zinash Debebe Getachew (ETH) 2:25:59

Men

1 Taoufik Allam (MAR) 2:07:43

2 Wilfred Kigen (KEN) 2:08:45

3 Rogers Keror (KEN) 2:10:50.

Obiri breaks event record, Kiplimo gets the better of Cheptegei in New York

Two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri and world cross-country champion Jacob Kiplimo produced dominant performances at the United Airlines NYC Half on Sunday (19).

Obiri was locked in a duel with Ethiopia’s 2015 world silver medallist Senbere Teferi for much of the race, but broke away from the defending champion just before 15km to win in an event record of 1:07:21. Kiplimo, meanwhile, waited until just after 15km to make his move, and once he dropped Joshua Cheptegei he didn’t look back, going on to win in 1:01:31.

Obiri and Teferi made an early break from the rest of the field. By the time they reached 5km (15:50), they already had a 22-second margin over Diane van Es of the Netherlands, who led a small chase pack.

Teferi was tucked in right behind Obiri for a large part of the race with the Kenyan leading the duo through 10km (31:29). But as they started to approach the 15km marker, Teferi’s challenge began to fade. Obiri forged on ahead and crossed the line in 1:07:21 to take 14 seconds off the event record Teferi set last year.

Teferi had to settle for second place on this occasion, clocking 1:07:55. European cross-country champion Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal came through for third place (1:09:53).

“I’m so grateful to have won this race,” said Obiri, the 2019 world cross-country champion. “There was a lot of wind, but I tried to push the pace after 15km.

“My mind was just on winning and not the time, because it is a hard course. I still wanted to run sub-70, so I’m happy to have done that and to have won today.”

Britain’s Chris Thompson was a surprise early leader of the men’s race, opening up a significant gap on the rest of the field in the first 5km, covered in 15:00. He just about held on to the lead until 10km (30:10), by which point the large chase pack was just a few strides behind.

Once Thompson had inevitably been reeled in, Morocco’s Zouhair Talbi led what was now a lead pack of about 15 runners. The group soon became strung out with Talbi leading at 15km (44:35), just ahead of Kiplimo and Cheptegei.

Just a minute or two later, Kiplimo – contesting his first race since winning the world cross-country title in Bathurst last month – finally took charge and started to pull away from Cheptegei and Talbi.

Over the course of the final five kilometres, Kiplimo opened up a gap of 38 seconds on two-time world 10,000m champion Cheptegei, winning in 1:01:31. Cheptegei was second in 1:02:09, finishing nine seconds ahead of Talbi.

“I’m very excited to win this race, my first half marathon of 2023,” said Kiplimo. “Even though it was cold, I did my best. For the past few months I have been preparing for cross-country, and that helped me a lot for this race.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taiwan’s Wan Jin Shi Marathon concludes in wet conditions

World Athletics gives marathon gold-label designation for excellent course planning and execution

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — More than 11,000 runners competed in the 2023 New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi (WJS) Marathon on Sunday (March 19), drawing 300 competitors from 33 countries.

The road race is Taiwan's first World Athletics certified “Gold Label” event, indicating that the running surface and route meet top-quality international conditions and the event is supervised by properly trained medical staff, per UDN.

The WJS Marathon was held in Wanli’s Emerald Bay with a series of warm-up activities before the 6:00 a.m. start. New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) had the honor of firing the starter’s pistol and both domestic and foreign competitors took off on the 42-kilometer marathon race. Afterwards, a shorter 10km race also commenced

Later at a press conference, Hou said he was proud that the WJS Marathon became the first event in Taiwan to be certified with the “Gold Label” by World Athletics.

Previously, the group went under the name International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) and is recognized as the main governing body for athletic competitions such as track and field, road running, cross-country racing, and marathons.

Hou added that approximately 11,000 runners participated in today's marathon. Among them, 300 runners came from 33 countries, such as Bahrain, Spain, Ethiopia, and Kenya. He was also proud that many marathoners wore clothing made from coffee grounds and PET bottles, which promoted his future vision for sustainability.

Race organizers are planning to apply for a special green certificate next year to make the road race more sustainable. This year, LED screens at the start and finish of the race replaced PVC signage, and even race result certification was provided electronically instead of being printed.

In the end, it was Kenyan athlete, Barnabas Kiptum, who won the race in 2:11:57 with the top Taiwan male finisher being Chiang Chieh-wen (蔣介文) who crossed the finish line in 2:23:06, per UDN.

As for the women's competition, it was won by Ethiopian Bekelech Gudeta Borecha in 2:29:25. The top Taiwan female finisher was Lisa Reis (雷理莎) in 2:46:24.

Tefera takes down Ingebrigtsen to retain world indoor 1500m title

When the Olympic champion met the world indoor champion, something was always going to give. In the end, as Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Samuel Tefera fought towards the line in the men’s 1500m final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 22 on Sunday (20), it was the Norwegian star who had no choice but to concede. 

Not that Ingebrigtsen ever gave up, the 21-year-old trying to summon something – anything – to repel the late charge of Tefera, but it was no use, with the 22-year-old Ethiopian taking gold in 3:32.77, Ingebrigtsen taking silver in 3:33.02, and Kenya’s Abel Kipsang the bronze in 3:33.36. 

Before the race, the head-to-head record between the big two was 11-0 in favour of Ingebrigtsen, but no one beats Samuel Tefera 12 times in a row, not when this is a distance at which he held the world indoor record at 3:31.04 for the past three years, until Ingebrigtsen broke it earlier this year with 3:30.60. 

That race in Lievin, France, in mid-February made the Norwegian the hot favourite for the title in Belgrade, and when the gun fired he adopted similar tactics to the Olympic final in Tokyo, or indeed most races on the circuit. 

He made sure it was fast. 

With Kipsang rocketing through the opening lap in 27.60, Ingebrigtsen waited until the second to hit the front, stringing the field out behind as he passed 400m in 55.81, 800m in 1:53.9 and 1200m in 2:51.16. 

But tracking him all the way, keeping his powder dry, was Tefera, the slightly more measured pace compared to the race in Lievin allowing him to sit in his slipstream into the final bend. Tefera then moved wide off the turn and emptied the tank to edge past his rival up the home straight, retaining his world indoor title with a championship record of 3:32.77. 

“The race was very tough, but I feel very happy now because I became the champion,” said Tefera, who said he had surgery on his achilles tendon last year, an injury picked up during the Tokyo Olympics. 

“I could not do many activities within the training but now I am completely fit,” he said. “I feel normal and I am ready for any kind of races and championships.”

Ingebrigtsen was gracious in defeat, not that he was too pleased about his silver.

“I came here to fight for the gold and it was a good fight,” he said. “I didn’t feel that great. Usually I feel a bit tired from 600 to 800 then it starts to loosen up but that didn’t happen tonight so I’m not 100 percent. Tefera was better than me tonight. I thought I was better than him, having run the record.”

Asked if he would do anything different if the race was run again, he said: “If I knew that I was completely s*** tonight, then of course I’d do a lot of things different, but I didn’t have any factors telling me that before the race.”

In third, Kipsang claimed the first global medal of his career, having been edged into fourth at the Olympics last year. Ethiopia’s Teddese Lemi finished fourth in 3:33.59, with Australia’s Ollie Hoare fifth and Britain’s Neil Gourley sixth.

The following day, on his return home after not feeling fully fit, Ingebrigtsen shared a photo of a positive Covid test on his social media and wrote: "Just arrived home in Sandnes, and decided to take a health check after a strange feeling last night. Leading up to the race, everything felt normal, with negative PCR test and several rapid tests. Bad timing but in some way unavoidable. Now it's all about recovering and getting back to training."

Senbere Teferi, the 5k world record holder, is among a group of African runners who form a strong women’s elite field at the Vienna City Marathon

Senbere Teferi, the 5k world record holder, is among a group of African runners who form a strong women’s elite field at the Vienna City Marathon. Austria’s major road running event will be staged for the 40th time and it could well be the women who produce the headlines at the jubilee edition on April 23rd.The current course record of 2:20:59 will be a target if weather conditions are suitable on the day. Organisers of the Vienna City Marathon, which is the only World Athletics Elite Label Road Race in Austria, expect to register around 35,000 entries for their event. This includes races at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon. Registration for all races is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

Teferi brings plenty of promising speed to the marathon. The 27-year-old Ethiopian clocked 14:29 in a 5k race in Herzogenaurach (Germany) in 2021. This time still stands as a world record in a women-only race. So far Teferi could not transform her speed to the marathon. However she is eager to change this in Vienna this spring. “It is my aim to smash my personal best and win the race,“ said Teferi, who will run her third marathon in the Austrian capital. Back in 2018 she ran her debut in Dubai in 2:24:11 and then she clocked 2:25:22 in Tokyo in 2020. However her half-marathon PB of 65:32 indicates that Teferi, who won silver medals at the World Cross Country Championships and in the 5,000m final of the World Championships in 2015, should be capable of running significantly quicker.  

Running a faster time is one thing, winning is another. The Vienna City Marathon will provide quite a challenge for her. There are four Kenyans in the women’s field who have run faster in the marathon than the Ethiopian. Visiline Jepkesho, Magdalyne Masai, Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino. They intend to add to Kenya’s Vienna win streak. In the past five editions of the VCM the women’s winner was Kenyan. A year ago Chepkirui broke the course record with a time of 2:20:59. 

Jepkesho is the fastest on the current women’s start list with a personal best of 2:21:37. The 33-year-old has plenty of experience in the marathon and will start a comeback in Vienna after giving birth to her two sons. She ran her PB when finishing fourth in Paris in 2017. Visiline Jepkesho has run four sub 2:23 marathons and took major victories in Rotterdam (2018) and Paris (2016). 

Magdalyne Masai is another athlete who recently came back from maternity leave and who has been successful before the break. In 2019 she took the Toronto Marathon with a personal best of 2:22:16. Little over a week ago the 29-year-old showed fine form, when she clocked a half marathon PB of 67:07 in the Rome Ostia race finishing third. 

Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino will travel to Vienna full of confidence, since both of them won their autumn marathon race with personal bests. Tanui triumphed in San Sebastián in 2:23:09 while Keino smashed the course record of the Munich Marathon with 2:23:26, leaving behind the former World Marathon Champion Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia. Keino then also won the Buri Ram Marathon in Thailand in January in 2:28:08, smashing another course record.

The Zurich Marató Barcelona returns for its 44 edition this weekend

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yomif Kejelcha very close to the 5 km world record in Lille

The Ethiopian, world record holder for the Indoor Mile, won this Sunday on the 5 km road to Lille, failing to one second (12'50 '') of the world record for the specialty (12'49 '' ).

Jean-Pierre Watelle is a world record hunter. He made it a specialty at the Liévin meeting which he organizes with the Hauts-de-France Athletics League, and which has become the best on the planet indoors. He seeks to do the same on the road. This Sunday, it happened very close.

On the 5 km international of Lille, the Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha came to fail at a second of the world record of the specialty (12'49'' by Berihu Aregawi) by completing his effort in 12'50'' (2nd world performance history) ahead of Kenyan Reynold Kipkorir (13'04'') and Ethiopian Telahun Bekele (13'07''). Already the world record holder for the Indoor Mile (3'47''01), the double world champion in the 3,000m indoors almost added a line to his list.

In the same race, French international Djilali Bedrani, second in the French Cross Court Championships last week, took 11th place in 13'42'' just ahead of his compatriot Valentin Gondouin (13'43'').

Very fast, the course also made it possible to run quickly on the half-marathon and the 10 km. Over the 21.1 km, the Kenyan Patrick Mosin won in 59'31'' ahead of his compatriots Alfred Chelal Barkach (59'32'') and Somomom Kipchogue (59'37), while the Frenchman Étienne Daguinos took 5th place in 1h1'39''.

Among the women, three-time French cross country champion Manon Trapp took third place in 1h11'26'', behind Kenyan Emily Chebet (1st in 1h07'52'') and Ethiopian Addisie Andualem (2nd in 1h07'). 59'').

Finally, in the 10 km, the Kenyan Dorcas Kimeli (30'48) won, as did the (Ethiopian Gemechu Dida for men (27'12'').

Ethiopians poised to dominate Rome Marathon

The Acea Run Rome The Marathon has proved a happy hunting ground in recent years for athletes from the east African nation

Winners of the Rome Marathon in the past include Emile Puttemans of Belgium, Bernie Ford from Britain and Stefano Baldini of Italy. But Ethiopia has dominated in recent years and the east African nation will be tough to beat again in the 2023 event on Sunday (March 19).

Six of the last nine men’s winners and seven of the last eight women’s champions in Rome have come from Ethiopia and runners from that country lead the entries this weekend too.

Fikre Bekele will attempt to defend his men’s title whereas fellow Ethiopian Zinash Debebe Getachew leads the women’s line-up.

Bekele ran a course record of 2:06:48 last year in the Italian capital but has since improved his best to 2:06:16 when he won the Linz Marathon in October.

Also expected to be at the front of the 15,000-strong field are Berhanu Heye and Alemu Gemechu of Ethiopia along with Nicodemus Kimutai of Kenya. Look out too for reigning Dublin Marathon champion Taoufik Allam of Morocco.

Women’s favorite Getachew has a best of 2:27:15 but will be challenged by Brenda Kiprono of Kenya, plus Mulugojam Ambi and Amid Fozya Jemal of Ethiopia.

The women’s course record is held by Alemu Megertu with 2:22:52.

Italian interest, meanwhile, includes Nekagenet Crippa (the older brother of European 10,000m champion Yeman), Stefano La Rosa and Giorgio Calcaterra. The latter, who is now aged 51, is known as the ‘king of Rome’ as he first ran the Rome Marathon 20 years ago and has completed 330 marathons during his life, won the world 100km title three times and has notched up 12 consecutive victories in the famous 100km del Passatore ultra-marathon.

A little further down the field, all eyes will be on Ermias Ayele, a former race director of the Great Ethiopian Run who is aiming to complete the 26.2 miles barefoot in memory of the great Abebe Bikila, who stormed to Olympic glory on the streets of Rome in 1960.

“Abebe Bikila laid the foundation for the success of not only Ethiopian athletes, but Africans in general as he was the first black to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games,” he says. “However, I have always felt that he did not get the recognition he deserved. Moreover, his story always inspired me and that’s why I am planning to emulate him in the same place and the same way, where he made history and pay tribute to all he’s done for athletics and Ethiopia.”

Kenyan runners Kiprotich Noah Kigen and Margaret Njugna winners of Jerusalem Marathon

Over 40,000 people took part in the 12th annual Jerusalem Winner Marathon on Friday, with Kenyan runners Kiprotich Noah Kigen and Margaret Njugna emerging as the winners with a time of 2:18:13 and 2:52:44 respectively.

Second place for the men were Spain's Chakib Achgar Iatrache with 2:25:45 and Israel's Gamber Melakmo with a time of 2:28:30. 

For the women, second place went to Russia's Elena Tolstykh with a time of 2:55:31, followed by Israel's Noa Berkman with 2:59:12.

The winners won a prize of $3,750; the second place won $2,500; and the third place won $1,250.

The Jerusalem marathon, sponsored by Toto-Winner, is headed by the Jerusalem Municipality in cooperation with the Jerusalem Development Authority, with the support and assistance of the Culture and Sport Ministry and the Tourism Ministry. 

Ruth Chepngetich earns second straight $250K payday at Nagoya Marathon

Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich won the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in Japan on Sunday, defending the title she first claimed in 2022. The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is currently the highest-paying marathon in the world, and with her win, Chepngetich took home US$250,000 (C$344,000) for the second year in a row.

For a sport in which athlete paydays are routinely dwarfed by those in major markets like the NBA, MLB and more top leagues, Chepngetich has managed to take home a pair of massive cheques at the same race in back to back years. 

Chepngetich has had an amazing professional career already, and at just 28, she likely has many years left to add to her resume. She has run to many noteworthy results in her time as a pro, including two Chicago Marathon titles (in 2021 and 2022), a third-place finish at the 2020 London Marathon and the 2019 marathon world championship crown.

With her long list of impressive runs, she has secured multiple big paydays, including the two US$250,000 cheques in Nagoya over the past year and a pair of US$100,000 wins, thanks to her two Chicago Marathon titles. In the last year alone, Chepngetich has won US$600,000, solely from her Nagoya and Chicago Marathon wins.

For context, the winner of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon (one of Canada’s biggest and most highly contested road races) takes home C$25,000. That’s a nice amount, of course, but it is, amazingly, less than a tenth (accounting for the difference between USD and CAD) of Chepngetich’s total from Nagoya. 

This is not to say Chepngetich did not earn such a massive paycheque. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Runners have spent decades watching athletes in other sports earn millions upon millions of dollars, and while the Nagoya Women’s Marathon prize purse is still incredibly tiny when compared to an NBA player’s salary, it’s extremely exciting to see a runner winning so much money from a single race. 

Lewa Safari Marathon back at full pace

The number of participants in this year’s 24th edition of Lewa Safari Marathon that is powered by Huawei Technologies Kenya and Safaricom PLC have been increased to 1400.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Chief executive officer, Mike Watson, disclosed Tuesday that participation in the event slated for June 24 at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Meru County has reverted to the traditional field of 1,400 from 1,200.

Watson noted that this is after Covid-19 cases and restrictions eased with more people also expressing interest in being part of the noble venture.

Watson announced that registration for the event, whose theme is “Ditch the Desk, run in the Wild” starts at 8.30am Wednesday and will be offered on a first-come-first served basis.

Registration will open at lewasafarimarathon.co.ke.

It being a fundraising event for wildlife conservation in and community service, registration goes for Sh20,000 per participant at 42kilometre (full marathon) and 21km (half marathon), while children’s 5km race will attract a reduced entry charge of Sh3,000 from 3,500 each.

Participants registering as a group of 10 will have a discount of Sh 2,000 each. 

“This year’s event will be bigger and better considering that it will be held in person and not last year when it was staged in person and virtually,” said Watson.

”The pandemic has eased and people are keen to get out and back to nature.”

Watson was speaking during the media and sponsorship launch at Sarova Stanley where Safaricom PLC gave out a cheque of Sh10 million with Huawei Technologies Kenya handing a cheque of US$ 100,000 (Sh13 million).

Watson said an estimated US$ 240,000 (Sh 31.2 million) was raised from last year’s venture after the 2020 and 2021 editions were held virtually due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

An estimated US$ 200,000 (Sh22.6m) was raised from each of the two events in 2020 and 2021.

It was a significant drop considering that over US$ 360,000 (Sh36m) was realised from the 2019 event.

With an improvement being marked last year, Watson projected that this year’s initiative is likely to hit the US$500,000 (Sh65m) mark.

While all proceeds go directly to conservation efforts at Lewa Conservancy and Community empowerment projects, Watson said the marathon that has Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge as its ambassador, is regarded as a world class sporting event.

Safaricom PLC chief human resource officer, Paul Kasimu, said since inception in 2000, over US$ 9m has been raised for wildlife conservation and community projects around Lewa Conservancy.

"This no mean feat gives us confidence...it's not about money, but what the noble course stands for," said Kasimu, who echoed the late Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai's sentiments that nature is very unforgiving.

Huawei Technologies Kenya deputy chief executive officer, Sheng Kaifu said that environmental sustainability is a key pillar of Huawei’s sustainability strategy.

Peter Mwaniki Njeru wins the 19th monthly KATA time trial clocking 29:36 for the 10000m in Thika Kenya today

Peter Mwaniki Njeru improved his February time by more than six seconds during Kenyan Athletics Training Academy 19th 10,000 metres time-trial as the monthly event moved to Thika Stadium on Wednesday.

Njeru clocked 29:36.2 improving his February 29:42.  He was followed closely by Nyahururu-based Joseph Mwangi who managed 29:59.1 while home-boy Zakaria Kirika finished 3rd in 30:37.1

In the 5,000m, Fredrick Kiprotich out ran Boniface Mungai to finished in 15:09.2 while the latter timed 15:15.6 with upcoming Levis Kuria came third in 15:32.8.

The next time-trial will take place on the Road and is slated for April 19 on the Ndaugo-Mang’u Road.

RESULTS

10,000 Metres  (Bib, age, time)

1.Peter Mwaniki       112            24          29:36.2

2. Joseph Mwangi     89             20           29:59.1

3. Zakariah Kirika      103            22           30:37.1

4. Peter Mburu         121            27            30:46.7

5. Raphael Gacheru  105           24            31:40.3

6. Evans Kiguru          117           27            32:04.1

7. Anthony Mukundi 119          35             32:42.2

8. Christopher Kamande 113   35            37:42.6

5,000metres

1. Fredrick Kiprotich     107        23          15:09.2

2. Boniface Mungai      111       25          15:15.6

3. Levis Kuria                 124       21           15:32.8

4. Eston Mugo              122        30           15:48.6

5. Alfred Kamande       123       25           16:17.7

6. Catherine Njihia       106       24            17:10.2

7. Paul Ng’ang’a            120      42            17:12.8

8. Peter Mukundi          90        25            17:53.7

9. Caren Chepkemoi     93        19            19:11.6

10. Amos Chirchir         110      23            20:30.0

11. Joseph Wanjiru       109      34            20:22.8

12. Hannah Njeri            84       23            22:27.6

13. Virginia Wanjiru      125      21            24:08.9

14. S. Suryawanshi        127      31            27:58.6    

Vienna City Marathon's strong women's field set for April 23rd

Women’s field includes 5k world record holder Senbere Teferi

Senbere Teferi, the 5k world record holder, is among a group of African runners who form a strong women’s elite field at the Vienna City Marathon. Austria’s major road running event will be staged for the 40th time and it could well be the women who produce the headlines at the jubilee edition on 23rd April.

The current course record of 2:20:59 will be a target if weather conditions are suitable on the day. Organisers of the Vienna City Marathon, which is the only World Athletics Elite Label Road Race in Austria, expect to register around 35,000 entries for their event. This includes races at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon. Registration for all races is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

Senbere Teferi brings plenty of promising speed to the marathon. The 27 year-old Ethiopian clocked 14:29 in a 5k race in Herzogenaurach (Germany) in 2021. This time still stands as a world record in a women only race. So far Senbere Teferi could not transform her exciting speed to the marathon.

However she is eager to change this in Vienna this spring. “It is my aim to smash my personal best and win the race,“ said Senbere Teferi, who will run her third marathon in the Austrian capital. Back in 2018 she ran her debut in Dubai in 2:24:11 and then she clocked 2:25:22 in Tokyo in 2020. However her half marathon PB of 65:32 indicates that Senbere Teferi, who won silver medals at the World Cross Country Championships and in the 5,000 m final of the World Championships in 2015, should be capable of running significantly quicker.

Running a faster time is one thing, winning is another. The Vienna City Marathon will provide quite a challenge for Senbere Teferi. There are four Kenyans in the women’s field who have run faster in the marathon than the Ethiopian. Visiline Jepkesho, Magdalyne Masai, Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino intend to add to Kenya’s Vienna win streak. In the past five editions of the VCM the women’s winner was always a Kenyan. A year ago Vibian Chepkirui broke the course record with a time of 2:20:59.

Visiline Jepkesho is the fastest on the current women’s start list with a personal best of 2:21:37. The 33 year-old has plenty of experience in the marathon and will start a comeback in Vienna after giving birth to her two sons. She ran her PB when finishing fourth in Paris in 2017. Visiline Jepkesho has run four sub 2:23 marathons and took major victories in Rotterdam (2018) and Paris (2016).

Magdalyne Masai is another athlete who recently came back from maternity leave and who has been successful before the break. In 2019 she took the Toronto Marathon with a personal best of 2:22:16. Little over a week ago the 29 year-old showed fine form, when she clocked a half marathon PB of 67:07 in the Rome Ostia race finishing third.

Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino will travel to Vienna full of confidence, since both of them won their autumn marathon race with personal bests. Tanui triumphed in San Sebastián in 2:23:09 while Keino smashed the course record of the Munich Marathon with 2:23:26, leaving behind the former World Marathon Champion Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia. Keino then also won the Buri Ram Marathon in Thailand in January in 2:28:08, smashing another course record.

Kenyan Cybrian Kotut, the defending champion and course record holder, will return to the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on April 23

A year ago the Kenyan took the Hamburg title with a 2:04:47 performance and smashed the course record set by Eliud Kipchoge back in 2013. Kotut will face a very strong field and will need to be at his best to have a chance of a second triumph at Germany’s biggest spring marathon. With a personal best of 2:03:16 Ethiopia’s Mule Wasihun is the fastest runner entered in the event. Online registration for the 37th edition of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg is still possible at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de

“A year after Kotut’s course record performance organisers can again hope for a fast race and possibly a record. A number of world-class athletes have opted to run their spring marathon in Hamburg which shows the recognition our race receives as a major international marathon,“ said chief organiser Frank Thaleiser.

Kotut, who is a younger brother of former multiple London and New York Marathon winner Martin Lee, clocked his personal best when winning Hamburg in 2022. Since then he only ran one more race, finishing with a fast time of 2:05:15 for sixth place in Amsterdam. The Kenyan is fully focussing on the Haspa Marathon Hamburg again. However with his PB of 2:04:47 the 30 year-old is not the fastest runner in the field. Instead Mule Wasihun heads the entry list. In a memorable race at the London Marathon 2019 the Ethiopian ran 2:03:16 finishing third behind Eliud Kipchoge and fellow-countryman Mosinet Geremew. With this PB 29 year-old Wasihun still is among the 15 fastest marathon runners ever. The Ethiopian has not raced internationally recently and will hope to come back with a strong performance in Hamburg.

Geoffrey Kirui is another prominent marathon runner, who will race in Hamburg for the first time. The Kenyan took the World Championships’ marathon title in London in 2017 after winning Boston in the spring. Kirui then was second and fifth in Boston in 2018 and 2019 respectively. While he could not reach those highs since the disruption caused by the pandemic, at the age of 30 he should still be capable of producing very good marathon results. Hamburg could be the place for Geoffrey Kirui to finally improve his PB of 2:06:27 from 2016. 

Last year debutant Stephen Kissa finished just a second behind Cybrian Kotut and clocked an Ugandan record with 2:04:48. This time there is another debutant in the field who could potentially start his marathon career with a bang: Muktar Edris will run his first marathon in Hamburg on 23rd April. The 29 year-old Ethiopian is the 5,000 m World Champion from 2017 and 2019. He has already shown his great potential on the road, when he clocked a world-class time of 58:40 at the Valencia half marathon in 2021. 

With regard to achieving top finishing places the Haspa Marathon Hamburg will be a tough challenge for Germany’s European Marathon Champion: Richard Ringer, whose start had already been announced back in December, should however be able to improve his PB of 2:08:49. 

Kenyan Brian Kiptoo wins CPC Loop Den Haag in windy conditions

Tens of thousands of runners took part in the city's largest running event. Omroep West reported on the CPC Loop all day long.

The 47th NN CPC Loop Den Haag was won by Kenyan Brian Kiptoo (1.00.53), but the most remarkable performance was by Nienke Brinkman. The Dutch runner  triumphed among the women, running the half marathon in a personal record of 1.07.44  despite the  windy conditions.

In the men’s event, Brian Kiptoo shook off compatriot Moses Kiptoo (1.00.55) and Albert Rop (Bahrain, 1.01.05) in the closing stages. Khalid Choukoud finished as the best Dutchman: fourth in 1.02.55. Choukoud, this year’s ambassador for the NN CPC Run The Hague , had been suffering from a bad cold for the past week but was satisfied with his performance “at 85 per cent of my ability”.

On the women’s podium,  Brinkman was flanked by Rosalinda Jepketer (Bahrain, 1.08.40) and Kenya’s Pauline Esikon (1.08.47).

Kenyan Samuel Imeta eyes Budapest glory despite WA ruling out his time

Kenyan sprinter, Samuel Imeta reckons he has sufficiently honed his act to deliver a vintage performance at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The 24-year-old Kenya Defence Forces officer said he drew great inspiration from his classic execution at the second Athletics Kenya track and field meeting held at Nyayo Stadium on February 26.

Imeta blazed to a phenomenal second-place finish in the event’s blistering final, clocking an impressive 9.94 to wrap up 0.13 seconds behind Commonwealth Games champion Ferdinand Omanyala.

Both athletes exceeded the 10.00 threshold established by World Athletics in August 2022 for the 2023 World Athletics Championships.

However, the global governing body failed to approve the time recorded by either athlete, blaming a malfunction with the wind measurement apparatus at Nyayo Stadium.

WA asserted that the times set by Omanyala and Imeta could not fairly be expected given the recorded headwind of -4.8m/s

Imeta said he is not going to let this setback deter him from registering a masterstroke performance in Budapest.

“I’m so excited to have managed an improved personal best. I thank God, my coaches and my training mates for their contribution to the outstanding performance,” Imeta said.

The career soldier from Mabanga in Bungoma county said training alongside Commonwealth Games champion, Omanyala has catapulted him to new heights.

He has issued a warning to the sprint star, telling him to prepare for an abrasive duel in their next encounter.

“I was thrilled with the race’s result. Competing against an athlete of Omanyala’s caliber who holds the African record and is the Commonwealth champion wasn’t going to be simple. “I am now fired up and Omanyala will have to work hard to beat me when we meet again,” Imeta remarked.

Imeta competed for Kenya on the men’s 4x100-meter gold-medal winning team in Mauritius in 2022. He ran a time of 10.12 at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to advance from heat nine of the men’s 100-meter race. He did, however, suffer a significant setback when Kenya’s 4x100-metre relay team made a mistake and was unable to complete the finals race.

Kenya’s chances of earning a podium slot were entirely dashed by the shoddy baton handover between Imeta and Kiviasi.

Omanyala, who was about to dash electrically to the finish line, was left on the track watching helplessly after the howler that denied him another opportunity to shine.

The England team won the race in 38.35. Trinidad and Tobago came in second with a season-best time of 38.70 while Nigeria finished third in 38.81.

Aregawi goes No.2 all time with 26:33 10km in Laredo

World cross country silver medallist Berihu Aregawi stormed to a 26:33 10km win in the northern Spanish town of Laredo on Saturday (11).

In doing so, the Ethiopian 22-year-old achieved the second-fastest men's 10km of all time behind Rhonex Kipruto’s world record of 26:24 set in Valencia three years ago. He also broke the Ethiopian record by 23 seconds.

Aregawi is the world record-holder for 5km, a feat he managed in Barcelona on 31 December 2021 thanks to a 12:49 run, and he had set his sights on the 10km world record since then.

Contesting only his second ever 10km race and wearing his usual orange and blue outfit, Aregawi was due to be paced by Uganda’s Peter Maru but the 19-year-old 13:07.42 5000m specialist missed his flight the day before and the organisers were forced to find a replacement pacemaker in Spain’s Sergio Jimenez, a fine 7:47.95 3000m athlete.

Jimenez was asked to go through the opening 3km in 7:55, right on schedule to assault the world record, but to much surprise Aregawi overtook the pacemaker just before the first kilometre mark, which he reached in a frantic 2:36.

The Tokyo Olympic 10,000m fourth-place finisher maintained that brisk cadence, reaching 3km in 7:51 after successive kilometre splits of 2:37 and 2:38. Aregawi went through the halfway point in 13:10, on track for a world record. By then, he had built a 57-second margin on a quintet featuring Britain’s Tom Mortimer, Ireland’s Efrem Gidey, Morocco’s Abderraahmane Aferdi and the Spanish pair of Fernando Carro and Javier Guerra.

Despite running without a pacemaker and being hampered by slightly rainy conditions, Aregawi’s relentless rhythm continued into the second half of the race but his speed then slowed a bit and he covered the following kilometres in the 2:40/2:42 range. Even so, he was timed at 21:14 at 8km to keep a realistic chance of a world record performance.

However, a 2:43 ninth kilometre put him back and despite a brave final effort of 2:36 for the closing kilometre, he was just outside his goal.

"I have mixed feelings as the race was great but I had set the goal of breaking the world record," he said. "Running on my own for almost the whole race was not easy but the main handicap for me was the tight turns as the road was wet and I was afraid of slipping at the zebra crossings. But anyway, I’m really satisfied."

Way back, the 22-year-old Gidey beat his rivals in the chasing pack after a thrilling sprint to take the runner-up spot in 28:17 to Mortimer’s 28:18, while Spanish 3000m steeplechase record-holder Carro was given the same time in fourth.

Held jointly with the men’s race, the women’s event was won by Kenya’s world U20 3000m silver medallist Zenah Jemutai Yego. 

The 20-year-old, contesting the second 10km race of her career so far, ran a PB of 31:03 to win by 10 seconds ahead of her compatiot Mirriam Chebet.

Morocco’s Soukaina Atanane completed the podium in 31:21.

Spain’s former triathlete Paula Herrero, who only took up athletics a few months ago, came fourth in a national record of 31:23 as the first four women all set respective lifetime bests.

Melak and Ayana win Lisbon Half Marathon

Nibret Melak and Almaz Ayana achieved an Ethiopian double at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday (12), clocking respective times of 59:06 and 1:05:30 at the World Athletics Elite Label road race.

Melak was content to sit back as his compatriot Hagos Gebrhiwet and Kenya’s Rhonex Kipruto went through 5km on world record pace, the pair clocking 13:32 for a split eight seconds faster than Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo ran at that point en route to his 57:31 world half marathon record set in Lisbon in November 2021. Melak was 10 seconds behind them.

But they couldn’t sustain that pace and the leaders reached 10km in 28:11.

Melak closed the gap over the next couple of kilometres and with Kenya’s Vincent Ngetich Kipkemoi to the fore, that quartet passed 15km in 41:47.

Kipruto, who set the world 10km record of 26:24 in Valencia in January 2020, was struggling to keep contact by 20km and as the finish line neared, Melak kicked.

Making his half marathon debut, the 23-year-old managed to hold off Olympic and world 5000m medallist Gebrhiwet, winning by one second after a sprint finish. Kipkemoi was third in 59:10 and Kipruto fourth in 59:22.

New Zealand’s Jake Robertson completed the top five, running 1:00:05.

In the women’s race, Ayana ran alongside her compatriot Girmawit Gebrzihair and behind her pacemaker, passing 5km in 15:27. They formed part of an eight-strong group at that point.

They broke away with Kenya’s two-time world track medallist Margaret Kipkemboi and Ethiopia’s Tiruye Mesfin, reaching 10km in 31:06.

The race was down to Ayana, Kipkemboi and Gebrzihair by 15km, which they passed in 46:37, and Ayana continued to move away, eventually claiming victory by 20 seconds ahead of Kipkemboi, who ran 1:05:50 for the runner-up spot.

Gebrzihair was third in 1:06:28, Mesfin fourth in 1:06:31 and Kenya’s Purity Komen fifth in 1:07:08.

Chepngetich retains Nagoya Women's Marathon title

Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich solo ran her way to victory at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon on Sunday (12), retaining her title at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:18:08.

The 2019 world marathon champion went into the race aiming to claim back-to-back wins and improve her own course record. While she was unable to beat the 2:17:18 she ran to win in Nagoya last year – that time being the second-fastest ever women-only marathon behind her compatriot Mary Keitany’s 2:17:01 set in London in 2017 – Chepngetich claimed a dominant victory, winning by more than three minutes ahead of Japan’s Ayuko Suzuki (2:21:52). Japan’s Honami Maeda was third in 2:22:32.

On a warm morning, Chepngetich went straight to the front of the field and was running ahead of the pacemakers. She led by 35 seconds from the 15-strong chase group at 5km, which she passed in 16:19.

By 10km her lead was 76 seconds as she crossed that checkpoint in 32:34, nine seconds ahead of her course record split from last year, but with that record performance having been achieved with a faster second half of her race.

The 28-year-old clocked 49:00 at 15km and picked up the pace over the next 5km, reaching 20km in 1:05:14 and half way in 1:08:47, 16 seconds ahead of her split en route to her 2:17:18 course record. The chase group, featuring Japan’s Yuka Suzuki, Maeda, Mao Uesugi, Ayuko Suzuki, Mirai Waku and Honoka Tanaike plus China’s Zhang Deshun and Li Zhixuan, were two-and-a-half minutes back, following the two pacemakers through in 1:11:19.

Chepngetich, who also retained her Chicago Marathon title in 2022 in 2:14:18 for the second-fastest women's performance in history, went on to pass the 25km point in 1:21:32, maintaining her pace. The chase group, now including Ayuko Suzuki, Yuka Suzuki, Uesugi, Maeda, Waku, Zhang and Li behind the one remaining pacemaker, sped up and reached 25km in 1:24:21.

Chepngetich continued to race against the clock and she reached 30km in 1:37:51, three minutes ahead of Ayuko Suzuki and Zhang (1:41:00), who were starting to drop their challengers in the chase pack. Ayuko Suzuki then dropped Zhang, too, as she continued to pick up her pace.

Unlike last year when Chepngetich sped up in the second half, her pace began to slow but she was still on for a sub-2:18 performance as the clock showed 1:54:24 at 35km. Maeda had moved past Zhang into third, with Ayuko Suzuki clear in second place and now on sub-2:22 pace (1:57:40), still three minutes behind Chepngetich but 25 seconds ahead of Maeda.

Chepngetich hung on, with victory in her sights. She reached 40km in 2:11:07 and went on to win in 2:18:08, claiming the current largest first-place prize money in marathon running of US$250,000. Finishing 3:44 behind her was Ayuko Suzuki, her 2:21:52 runner-up time a PB. Maeda's 2:22:31 for third was also a PB that qualifies her for Japan's Olympic marathon trial race.

Zhang finished fourth in a PB of 2:24:05 and Uesugi fifth in 2:24:16.

“I am happy, I defended my title,” Chepngetich said on the event live stream. “The race was good. It was not easy for me to run alone but I am happy and I am proud of today’s success.”

Annie Bothma races to Durban International Marathon win

Durban - Annie Botma ran the race of her life to win the Durban International Marathon this morning and finally become the South African marathon champion.

The Western Province athlete beat off a late challenge from Ethiopian Chaltu Bedo Nagashu to win by five seconds as she set a Personal Best time of 2:30:31 in the distance.It was only her third marathon but Bothma ran like a seasoned professional with the guts to rush into the lead from the onset.

Back in 2019 Bothma was the first South African hone at the Cape Town Marathon but could not be crowned national champion because she was not running foe her province.She was determined to make amends thus tine around and she did so in style.

"I am delighted that I am national champion," she said at the end, although she felt let down by the lack of proper fuelling with the organizers apparently not allowing the elites to have their supplies at the points they wanted them.

Defending Durban International Marathon champion Shelmith Nyawira Muriuki of Kenya came in at third place.n the national championships, last year's winner Jenet Mbhele finished second behind Bothma having run a persinal best time of 2:37:08.

Nontokozo Mkhize was third in 2:40:53.

The men's race was a much more one-sided affair with Tebello Ramakongoana cantering to victory literally unchallenged victory.The athlete from Lesotho narrowly missed out on his country's national record as he ran a 2:10:11

Third at the Soweto Marathon last year, Ramakongoana got into the lead at about the 25km mark and never gave it up as he ran solo all the way to the finish.That he failed to dip below the targeted 2:08:10 was because he started at a much faster pace, Ramakongoana apparently refusing to listen to pacer Mbuleli Mathanga who was insteucted to run at a 3:05 per kilometre pace and going at a blistering 2:55 instead.But he had opened such a sizeable gap he was never goibg to be overtaken.

Central Gauteng Athletic's Simon Sibeko finished second some ten seconds later to replace Tumelo Motlagale as the ASA national marathon champion. Motlagale of the North West finished fourth overall behind Kenya's Corneluus Yego.

But he was not disgraced as he took second spot in the National Championships.

KwaZulu-Natal's .Bonginkosi Mavuso completed the podium placings.

The feel good story of this wet Sunday morning in Duban, however, was that of Bothma becoming national champion.

Chepngetich heads to Nagoya Women’s Marathon

Ruth Chepngetich spoke confidently at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon press conference, explaining that her main aim for the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday (12) will be to retain her title and improve on her own course record.

The 2019 world champion smashed the course record last year by more than three minutes, clocking 2:17:18. It was just 10 seconds shy of her PB at the time, but she went on to win the Chicago Marathon later in the year in 2:14:18, the second-fastest performance in history and just 14 seconds adrift of the world record.

The 28-year-old Kenyan didn’t suggest she’ll be taking aim at the world record again on Sunday, but it was clear that she intends to win.

“I’m happy to be back in Nagoya,” she said. “My condition is good, and my target for Sunday is to defend my title with a course record.”

Chepngetich has raced just twice since her victory in Chicago last October. She clocked 1:07:53 to finish third at the Jeddah Half Marathon in December, and then ran 31:39 to place second over 10km in Jaen in January. Both performances may be a bit shy of her PB form for those distances, but whenever Chepngetich takes to the start line for a marathon, more often than not she will be in form to win. Of the nine marathons she has completed to date, she has won seven of them.

But she will be kept on her toes by compatriot Nancy Jelagat, who set a PB of 2:19:31 in her last race, the 2021 Valencia Marathon. Although she hasn’t raced for more than a year, the Kenyan’s PBs of 30:50 for 10km and 1:05:21 for the half marathon underline her calibre.

Japanese hopes rest with Ayuko Suzuki, who represented her country at the Tokyo Olympics. After finishing second at Japan’s Olympic trial race and then placing 19th at the Games, she went on to smash her PB with 2:22:02 at last year’s Berlin Marathon.  

“I want to reach my fullest potential and improve my PB,” she said.

Fellow Olympian Honami Maeda, meanwhile, added: “I want to run under 2:24 and qualify for the selection race for Japan’s marathon team for the Paris Olympics.”

Other leading Japanese contenders include Mao Uesugi, Mizuki Tanimoto and Yuka Suzuki.

Australian duo Eloise Wellings and Isobel Batt-Doyle are also among the entries, along with China’s Li Zhixuan and Zhang Xinyan.

The Nagoya Women’s Marathon offers the world’s highest first prize of US$250,000. For the first time in four years, the race will have a mass field as the Japanese government finally lifted its Covid-related border restrictions last year.

Bronze medalist Wiseman Were targets August's global festival in Budapest

Bronze medalist Wiseman Were says he not only wants to compete at this year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest but also shine at the Olympics and African Championships.

Were, who placed fourth in the men's 400m hurdles race at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, says he wants to run fast times to win the competition.

Were said: ''My ultimate goal is to compete in Budapest. I have to work hard for it and it is a step-by-step process. It starts with the African Championships, Commonwealth Games, and All African Games before transforming to the Diamond League and Olympic Games.''

The medalist is hopeful despite not winning the gold at the Commonwealth Games and hopes to capitalize on the failure as a motivation to become even better.

“I thank God because it was my first indoor race and I did well but due to some challenges I finished fourth. The experience was enlightening as it was an eye-opener for me,” he said.

The bronze medalist believes by the fast times being set around the globe is a message for Kenyans to up their game.

He set his goal even lower this year after clocking 49.09 seconds in the 400m hurdles last year.

“My target this year is to run under 49 seconds in the 400m hurdles. I am targeting 48 or 47 seconds this year,” said Were.

Were clocked in 20.97 seconds in the men's 200m race at the second Athletics Kenya track and field meeting, which was held in February at Nyayo Stadium.

"I was here to build my speed in the 200m race to help me run even faster in the 400m hurdles and qualify for the World Championships," said the athlete. 

He is looking forward to the third leg of the Athletics Kenya track and field meeting which is set to take place in Thika this weekend.

Meanwhile, the 19th edition of the World Athletics Championships is scheduled to be held from August 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary.

Petros, Wanders and Kostro head elite fields for Hannover

Some of Europe’s top names in long distance running will compete at the ADAC Marathon Hannover on March 26th.

Germany’s multiple record holder Amanal Petros and European half marathon record holder Julien Wanders of Switzerland are on the start list for the traditional spring race while the European Championships’ silver medallist Matea Parlov Kostro of Serbia returns to the race where she clocked her personal best.

With a PB of 2:04:56 Kenya’s Jonathan Maiyo is currently the fastest athlete in the elite field while Rabea Schöneborn of Germany heads the women’s list with 2:27:03.

Organisers of the ADAC Marathon Hannover, who moved the race from the traditional April date to the end of March for the first time, expect to register over 20,000 runners for the 31st edition, including races at shorter distances. Last year’s Hannover marathon champion Hendrik Pfeiffer, who switched clubs recently and now competes for local club TK Hannover, will compete in the half marathon on 26th March since he will run the Boston Marathon on 17th April. The ADAC Marathon Hannover is a World Athletics Road Race Label event. Online entry for all races is still possible at: www.marathon-hannover.de

Amanal Petros recently became the first German male athlete in history to have broken the three main national road running records: He already held the best marks for the half marathon (60:09) and the marathon (2:06:27) and then added the 10k record with a time of 27:32 in Castellón, Spain. The 27 year-old, who was fourth in the European Championships’ marathon in Munich last summer, currently trains in Iten, Kenya. “I am looking really forward to run in Hannover for the first time. I am curious about the fast course,” said Amanal Petros, who is a training partner of Julien Wanders. “If my training continues to go well and weather conditions are good on the day I hope to run another personal best.” With such a result he would smash Hannover’s 2:08:32 course record.

Julien Wanders so far could not transform his enormous potential to the marathon distance. The 26 year-old European record holder at 10k (27:13) and in the half marathon (59:13) ran his debut in Paris in spring 2022. Suffering of stomach problems he had to stop three times but still finished in 2:11:52. Wanders then did not finish his second marathon in Valencia in December after running a first half of 63:22. With its flat course and very good pacemaking options the ADAC Marathon Hannover might well be the place where Julien Wanders can finally perform well in the marathon. “A time of sub 2:10 would be nice. I opted for Hannover after speaking with Amanal about the race,” said Julien Wanders.

It will be interesting to see what Jonathan Maiyo will be capable of in Hannover. The 34 year-old Kenyan clocked his personal record of 2:04:56 back in 2022 in Dubai. At that time it was a world-class time. Although Maiyo did not yet manage to run that fast again he showed a number of fine performances. In December he ran a solid 2:09:47 and took fourth place in Malaga.

Germany’s Rabea Schöneborn, the twin sister of Deborah Schöneborn, returns to the ADAC Marathon Hannover and currently is the fastest woman on the start list with a PB of 2:27:03. She was runner-up here a year ago with 2:27:35 and then showed a fine performance at the European Championships. Finishing in 12th position she won the European Cup with the German team in Munich.

The athlete who finished behind Rabea Schöneborn last year in Hannover then turned the tables at the European Championships and became a surprise silver medallist: Matea Parlov Kostro was third at the ADAC Marathon Hannover with a PB of 2:28:39 and then finished runner-up in soaring temperatures in Munich with 2:28:42. The 30 year-old recently improved her half marathon PB to 69:53 and could be in a position for a big personal best in Hannover.

With a PB of 2:27:05 Viktoriia Kaliuzhna of Ukraine is the second fastest woman on the start list. Due to the war in Ukraine she currently lives near Wroclaw in Poland. Kaliuzhna competed in the 2021 Olympic Games as well as the European Championships, but on both occasions did not finish in very high temperatures. She will now be eager to bounce back. Aleksandra Brzezinska will be full of confidence when she travels to Hannover. The Pole ran a PB of 2:28:09 in Valencia in December.

Eilish McColgan will tackle NYC Half on the road to London

In-form Brit is set to face Hellen Obiri, Molly Huddle, Senbere Teferi and Karoline Grøvdal in New York next week as Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo lead the men’s field

After breaking Paula Radcliffe’s long-standing British 10,000m record in California last weekend, Eilish McColgan’s next big race in the run-up to her marathon debut in London is the United Airlines NYC Half on March 19.

She will face Hellen Obiri, the former world cross-country champion and two-time Olympic medalist, plus three-time NYC Half winner Molly Huddle of the United States.

Senbere Teferi of Ethiopia, who holds the course record with 67:35, also runs, in addition to 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden of the US and reigning European cross-country champion Karoline Bjerkeli-Grøvdal of Norway.

McColgan’s British record is 66:26 from last year’s RAK Half, but Obiri’s best is 64:22 from the same RAK Half, Teferi ran 65:32 in Valencia in 2019 and Huddle has a best of 67:41 from 2016.

Obiri and McColgan clashed at the Great North Run in 2021 with the Kenyan breaking away in the latter stages to win by six seconds. But the Briton has been in terrific form lately with a 30:00.86 national record for 10,000m at the Sound Running Ten event in California.

Her marathon debut in London is set to take place on April 23 too.

McColgan is among a number of Brits set to race in New York City too with others being Jess Warner-Judd, Chris Thompson and Andy Butchart. Warner-Judd ran a half-marathon PB of 67:19 in Houston in January and will be looking to revise those figures.

2023 Vienna City Marathon features promising field for jubilee race

Vienna features promising mix for jubilee race

The men’s elite race of the Vienna City Marathon promises to present an interesting mix of athletes with different time goals on 23rd April. While there will be a group of Africans who aim to break the long standing 2:05:41 course record for a number of other runners the qualifying time for the World Championships this summer in Budapest is a major goal. 2:09:40 is the standard for the global championships and Norway’s Sondre Moen will be among those targeting this mark in Vienna.

Organizers of Austria’s biggest one-day sporting spectacle expect to register up to 35,000 entries for their event, including races at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon. With such a figure the 40th edition of the Vienna City Marathon (VCM) will almost reach the dimensions of pre-pandemic years. Entry for the VCM, which is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and the only one in Austria that features such a high standard, is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com.

There are hopes that the jubilee edition will be crowned by a course record. It was back in 2014 when Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke clocked 2:05:41. An athlete who could be capable of such a performance is Samwel Mailu, who ran his debut in last year’s Frankfurt Marathon although he was only entered into the race as a pacemaker. However the Kenyan carried on after leading for 30k and managed a fine 2:07:19 debut. He was runner-up in warm weather conditions.

While Mailu will be running in Vienna for the first time fellow-Kenyan Charles Ndiema returns to the Vienna City Marathon. He finished fourth here a year ago when he clocked his PB of 2:08:12. At least two other athletes are expected to join a leading group which targets the course record: Kenya’s Elvis Cheboi and Abe Gashahun of Ethiopia have run very fast half marathons of 59:14 and 59:46 respectively. While Cheboi will run his marathon debut in Vienna Gashahun will be eager to improve his marathon PB of 2:09:25. 

After a period with injuries and below par performances Sondre Moen intends to bounce back at the Vienna City Marathon. The main goal for the Norwegian record holder, who ran a European record of 2:05:48 when sensationally winning the Fukuoka Marathon in 2017, will be to qualify for the World Championships at the Vienna City Marathon. “I hope for a positive race in Vienna – physically as well as mentally“, said the 32 year-old Scandinavian. “I plan to run a controlled race with a negative split. Last year was one to forget because of injuries. Now I want to have a good race experience again.“ 

Another non-African runner who opted for the Vienna City Marathon to achieve the 2:09:40 qualifying time for the World Championships is Ser-Od Bat-Ochir from Mongolia. While the 41 year-old multiple national record holder ran the Mongolian marathon record of 2:08:50 back in 2014 in Fukuoka he broke 2:10 again in Otsu, Japan, two years ago where he ran 2:09:26. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir, who lives in Japan with his family and is sponsored by the Shin Nihon Jusetsu company, has already participated at ten World Championships.

He now wants to improve this record by qualifying for his eleventh start. Last year he finished 26th in Eugene. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir also has been an Olympic marathon runner five times, first competing at the Games in Athens in 2004. „I opted for Vienna because the race is known for producing fast times and the level of the elite field will suit me,“ said the Mongolian.

Andreas Vojta could be among others who are expected to join Sondre Moen and Ser-Od Bat-Ochir in the chase for the World Championships’ qualifying time. There are high hopes in Vienna that the 33 year-old will establish himself as a top Austrian marathon runner on 23rd April. “I want to be 100 percent ready when I will at the starting line. And I am looking for a time of 2:10,“ said Andreas Vojta.

The former middle distance runner, who competed in the 1,500 m at the London 2012 Olympics and at two outdoor World Championships, has an eye on the 2:09:40 standard as well. While he finished last year’s Vienna City Marathon in 2:23:21 after running as a pacemaker this will be his proper elite marathon debut.

Rosemary Wanjiru keen on the global show after superb Tokyo performance

Fresh from winning the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday, Rosemary Wanjiru hopes to be part of Team Kenya's win at the World Championships in Budapest in August.

Wanjiru won in a new personal best time of two hours, 16 minutes and 28 seconds ahead of Ethiopians Gamechu Tsehay (2:16:56) and Ashate Bekere (2:19:11) who were in second and third positions respectively.

Last year during the Berlin Marathon, Wanjiru ran the second fastest debut in the women’s marathon after clocking 2:18:00 to place second behind Ethiopia’s Tigist Asefa.

A seven-man strong pack went through 5km in 16:19 with Wanjiru enjoying the company of last year’s runner-up Ashete Bekere and her Ethiopian compatriots Tigist Abayechew, Worknesh Edesa and Gemechu, as well as Japan’s Mizuki Matsuda, through 10km in 32:34.

Japan’s woman-only national record-holder Mao Ichiyama, who ran 2:20:29 in Nagoya in 2020, had explained at the pre-event press conference that she fractured a rib in December and she dropped back at the 10km mark, running 23 seconds behind the leaders.

Matsuda was the next to lose touch but was still on a Japanese record pace as the speed picked up again, a sub-16:00 5km split taking the leaders to 15km in 48:32.

The women’s race was down to four by 20km, the tempo having eased slightly as Wanjiru, Edesa, Bekere and Gemechu reached that point in 1:04:44. Matsuda was just over a minute behind them, clocking 1:05:52.

The leading quartet remained together behind the two pacemakers through 25km in 1:21:07, but a few kilometers later that group of four, led by Wanjiru, decided to leave the pacers behind.

The tempo had slipped to 2:17 pace at 30km, covering it in 1:37:25, but Wanjiru and Gemechu forged ahead over the next couple of kilometers.

Wanjiru was running solo by 39km but upped her pace to a projected 2:16:20 finish passing the 40km mark in 2:09:14 and a 19-second lead over Gemechu.

Wanjiru continued to glance over her shoulder during the closing kilometre but she had nothing to worry about and she crossed the finish line well clear, evidently elated with her victory and big 2:16:28 PB.

In the men's category, it was a clean sweep for the Ethiopians with the first Kenyan Titus Kipruto finishing fourth in 2:05:32.

It was an Ethiopian clean sweep of the podium positions with Deso Gelmisa winning  in 2:05:22 with Mohammed Ese finishing second in a similar time as Tsegaye Getachew rounded off the podium in 2:05:25

Simiu aims to come out on top at the global Budapest show

Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medalist Daniel Simiu -ebenyo reckons he has the mojo to romp to the medal podium at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest Hungary.

 In an exclusive interview on Monday, Simiu, 27, pledged to pulverize the field at Budapest's National Athletics Centre on the banks of the Danube en route to a historic triumph.

The National Police Service officer, however, said he is yet to decide whether he will compete in the 10,000m or the 5,000m race.

"Whatever race I eventually choose, my goal is to win a medal. I'm keen to better my silver-medal achievement at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games," Simiu said. 

Either way, Simiu must prepare to flex muscles with Uganda's track sensation Joshua Cheptegei. 

Cheptegei is the reigning Olympic champion in the 5000m and silver medalist in the 10,000m, a two-time World champion in the 10,000m in 2019 and 2022, a World silver medalist in 2017, and the 2019 World Cross Country winner.

He also won gold medals in the 5000 m and 10,000 m at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

"I believe I can upset the form book and defeat him to bring home the gold medal," Simiu remarked.

This will be Simiu's second World Athletics Championship if he is selected for the Kenyan delegation.

Despite finishing second in the 5000m trials in 2019, the Athletes Integrity Unit ruled him ineligible to fly the country's flag at the championships.

 That was after he failed to fulfill the mandatory three out-of-competition tests as prescribed by law. 

Simiu made the squad to Oregon last year, finishing tenth behind Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Kenya's Jacob Krop, and Uganda's Oscar Chelimo.

Simiu described his experience in the World Cross-Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia, as a priceless lesson that will propel him to greater success.

"It was a nice experience for me to compete in cross country at the international level for the first time," Simiu said.

"Most of the time I have dropped out of the trials but this time I finally comprised the team. We did admirably well in the face of stiff opposition, and I hope to have the same confidence in Budapest," he explained.

He has promised a masterstroke performance in his subsequent cross-country performances.

"I will be competing in additional world cross-country championships. The competition in Bathurst was a fantastic warm-up for the upcoming track season.

Simiu defeated former World Half Marathon record holder Kibiwott Kandie at the 4th leg of the Athletics Kenya Cross Country Weekend Series in Ol Kalau, Nyandarua County, in November last year.

He finished in 29:29.1 seconds, six seconds ahead of Kandie, who crossed the finish line six seconds later.

Sheila Chepkirui eyes Boston after winning Semi De Paris

Reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medalist Sheila Chepkirui is keen to add another feather to her cap during next month's Boston Marathon in the United States of America.

Speaking after winning the Paris Half Marathon title in France on Sunday, Chepkirui admitted that the title was not won easily because she has to battle the cold conditions in France.

“The victory here is a precursor for the Boston Marathon next month. I have to train well to ensure I get the results,” said Chepkirui, the two-time national cross-country champion.

The Kericho-based athlete won the 21km distance after clocking 66.00 minutes ahead of Ethiopian Betelihem Yemer (66.45) and Kenyan Marion Kibor (66.45), who completed the podium. Both Yemer and Kibor ran their personal bests.

“Despite the chilly condition, things were not badly off for me because it was not windy,” she said.

In the men’s race, it was a 1-2 podium finish for Kenyan athletes with  Roncer Kipkorir emerging victorious in 59:38 minutes.

Kipkorir ran his personal best and course record after beating Josphat Chumo to second place in 59:53, also a personal best. Home runner  Jimmy Gressier was third in 61:29.

In Italy, former Atlanta Half Marathon champions, Dorcas Jepchirchir Tuitoek and Isaac Kipkemboi won the Rome Ostia race.

The Kapsabet-based Tuitoek ran away with the women's title in 66:21 minutes ahead of Kenya- born turned-Israeli Lornah Salpeter and Magdalene Masai.

The 66.21 minutes was Tuitoek's personal best time as Salpeter came second at 66:56 and Masai (67:07) third.

In the men's race, Isaac Kipkemboi led a Kenyan 1-2 finish as he posted his personal best of 59:47. Wesley Kimutai (59:47) took the second place with Ethiopian Tadese Takele Bikira was third in 59:56.

How I Won the World Cross-Country Championship at Age 83

Seventy years after his first cross-country race and 46 years after competing as an elite runner, the author competes—and triumphs—on a tough Australian course

Last weekend, in Bathurst, Australia, I did something I thought I would never do again: I ran once more in the World Cross-Country Championship. Not the main men’s open race, in which I competed for England in 1966 and New Zealand in 1977. Not at age 83. But for the first time, the World Athletics federation added Masters championships, and—almost like a dream—I not only participated again, but raced at the front of the M80 field and managed to outlast a stubborn Australian for the win.

If you believe that running after eighty is about leisurely slow toddling, wait till you’re up there, racing to your limit, and you make the sharp u-turn at halfway and see that you are being closely stalked by a lean lanky Aussie with M80 on his bib and a threatening scowl like Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon. 

He is called James Harrison, and he made me work for it. I have won and lost many hard races over the years, and this was one of the hardest. The only possible tactic was unrelieved pressure. I finally broke him three-quarters through the four-kilometer distance, on the second two-kilometer lap, as we gasped up a big steep rough-surfaced hill that broke many hearts that weekend. At last, I sensed him drop. It took tenacity, months of focused training (including hill repeats), and years of learning the wiles that true cross-country demands. 

This was a course where every decision counted about where you placed your next stride. Every sharp oxygen-draining uphill demanded that you keep momentum over the crest, every downhill was there for attack, not recovery, every tight turn required poise and pace. Those things don’t come easily after age eighty (and on two replaced knees in my case), but it was a World Championship of cross-country running, and we were there to take those tests. 

I won’t claim the sheer thrill of winning the race was the same as ever. But it was real, and it had a private significance. I ran below my best in the senior world championship in the past. Nothing can change those results, but it felt good this time to get it right. And the sense of achievement is something that few things in the last years of life are ever likely to equal.

World Athletics, under President Seb Coe (who learned cross-country in England in his early teens), has grown tired of holding its cross-country championships on boring flat safe horse-race circuits, like those I encountered in my days in the main race. They decided to take some security risks to revitalize the sport. American senior administrator David Katz now acts as course consultant for each World Cross-Country, and insists on the real thing. 

“Cross-country has one distinctive thing, the course. That has to be the talking point, and each one must be unique as the race moves around the world. The media and the public need to understand that cross-country is special in its challenges, not just another long race,” Katz said in Bathurst. 

The previous championships in 2019 in Aarhus, Denmark, set the world chattering about a course that included loops over the steeply-sloping grassed roof of the Moesgaard Museum. This time (after several Covid-related postponements) the Aussies gave us a course that was a raw slice of the Australian outback. On the side of Mount Panorama, it was broken and unpredictable, rusty dirt, grey raggedy scrub grass, and diabolical hills. Scattered blue gum trees provided the only shade. Each morning, you could find fresh kangaroo poop. 

They added some challenges to make it even more uniquely Australian. There was a “billabong,” of treacherous ankle-deep wet mud that caused many runners to skid and flop to a slimy downfall. (Some of the slower kids in the scholastic races lay down and daubed themselves heroically.) There was a dash through the straight vines of a winery, followed by tight turns, and, in honor of Bathurst’s motor-race circuit, a “chicane” where you had to steer through a forest of car tires. 

High on a dry hillside there was a stretch named “Bondi Beach,” deep shifting sand decorated with lifeguard flags and “Beware of Sharks” signs. An Aussie joke, yet for the runners, another testing change of racing rhythm, another response to the challenge of contours and terrain. No other kind of running does that. Cross-country is the closest our sport gets to true interaction with the earth.   

Added to all that was the Outback summer heat, 95 degrees for the main races on the Saturday late afternoon. In the different races, several runners were taken to hospital, and at least four passed out during the race, including, it seemed, the women’s favorite and race leader, Letesenbet Gidey (Ethiopia), who collapsed dramatically and glazy-eyed as she was passed by Beatrice Chebet (Kenya) within strides of the finish. 

As a serious evening storm approached, its clouds like dark riders, the men’s race was hastily moved forward, and 22-year-old Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo had to win his first major title while lightning flashed behind the mountain and brutal wind gusts sent runners staggering. Slower runners were caught in torrential rain.  Australia does nothing by half measures. 

For me and many others, Australia was an unexpected opportunity. Three months before the race, World Athletics and World Masters Athletics announced that they were combining to add masters championships, part of a new and excellent policy to make the event a full cross-country festival, as well as the world’s elite team and individual championships. Hundreds of spectators doubled as competitors. I met so many old friends out there, it was like a global runners’ reunion. 

In addition to the usual competitors from Europe, North America and Africa, there were teams from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and other Pacific nations, none of them obvious participants in a sport that is essentially one of cold winter.

I guess an 83-year-old who last ran the World Cross-Country in 1977 was another less-than-obvious participant. I never imagined it. I gave up cross-country for good, I believed, when my orthopedic surgeon confessed, after he watched me and the knee he had implanted struggle over a muddy course, that it gave him nightmares for weeks. 

But a lifetime of racing has taught me that you have to seize the moment. Before committing, I watched videos of the course, which like a good actor came across looking much more attractive than it was. When I actually saw the steep downhills, I thought I was out of my mind. But another thing I have learned is that in running, only one thing is absolutely certain—you won’t run well if you’re not in the race. 

I registered. I did the work. I seized my moment. I got the sheer thrill of winning a race. I was lucky in that the course’s surface proved (mostly) not too lumpy or too soft, and I was lucky in some top Europeans and South Americans not making the journey. In every race, you can only compete against those who show up. 

Young readers, please note. In January 1953, aged 13, I ran my first cross-country race, in my high school’s inter-house league, well back in the field. Seventy years a runner. You never know what a high school race might lead to. 

Being called world champion at 83 is a nice way to celebrate that small private anniversary—and at this age, I can surely be forgiven a memory lapse, if sometimes I forget to add “over-80.” It could also be a nice way to round off seventy years of running. Round off, except for the next race, that is.

(Roger Robinson ran the world cross-country championship for England and later New Zealand, and set a Masters record of 2:20:15 at the Boston Marathon.  He is regarded as the outstanding historical writer on running. He recaptures history from personal observation in When Running Made History (Syracuse University Press) and he researches vivid and accurate accounts of the sport’s best stories in his new book, Running Throughout Time: the Greatest Running Stories Ever Told (Meyer & Meyer). Available through Amazon and all online outlets and bookstores.)

Wanjiru and Gelmisa triumph in Tokyo Marathon

Rosemary Wanjiru surged to No.6 on the women’s world marathon all-time list, while Deso Gelmisa prevailed in a men’s race sprint finish at the Tokyo Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (5).

Kenya’s Wanjiru ran 2:16:28 for the seventh-fastest women’s marathon performance in history, winning by 28 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Tsehay Gemechu who also dipped under 2:17, herself becoming just the eighth woman to ever achieve the feat. Gelmisa, meanwhile, held off a strong challenge from his compatriots Mohamed Esa and Tsegaye Getachew to lead an Ethiopian top three in 2:05:22.

Contesting the second marathon of her career after a 2:18:00 debut for the runner-up spot in Berlin last year, long-time Japan based Wanjiru was always among the leaders.

A seven-strong pack went through 5km in 16:19, Wanjiru running with last year’s runner-up Ashete Bekere and her Ethiopian compatriots Tigist Abayechew, Worknesh Edesa and Gemechu, as well as Japan’s Mizuki Matsuda, through 10km in in 32:34.

Japan’s woman-only national record-holder Mao Ichiyama, who ran 2:20:29 in Nagoya in 2020, had explained at the pre-event press conference that she fractured a rib in December and she dropped back by 10km, running 23 seconds behind the leaders.

Matsuda was the next to lose touch but was still on Japanese record pace as the speed picked up again, a sub-16:00 5km split taking the leaders to 15km in 48:32.

The women’s race was down to four by 20km, the tempo having eased slightly as Wanjiru, Edesa, Bekere and Gemechu reached that point in 1:04:44. Matsuda was just over a minute behind them, clocking 1:05:52.

The leading quartet remained together behind the two pacemakers through 25km in 1:21:07, but a few kilometres later that group of four, led by Wanjiru, decided to leave the pacers behind.

The tempo had slipped to 2:17 pace at 30km, reached in 1:37:25, but Wanjiru and Gemechu forged ahead over the next couple of kilometres.

Wanjiru was running solo by 39km but upped her pace to a projected 2:16:20 finish at the 40km mark, passed in 2:09:14, and she had a 19-second lead over Gemechu.

Wanjiru continued to glance over her shoulder during the closing kilometre but she had nothing to worry about and she crossed the finish line well clear, evidently elated with her victory and big 2:16:28 PB.Gemechu also broke 2:17, finishing 28 seconds back in 2:16:56, while Bekere was third in 2:19:11 and Edesa fourth in 2:20.13.

The 2016 Olympic 10,000m fifth-place finisher Betsy Saina, racing her first marathon as a US citizen and as a mother, worked her way through the field to finish fifth in a PB of 2:21:40, while Matsuda was sixth in 2:21:44 and the top 11 all dipped under 2:30. One week after finishing fourth in the Osaka Marathon in 2:23:15, Australia's Lisa Weightman clocked 2:31:42.In the men’s race, a huge group featuring all of the favourites was led through 5km in 14:45. The field started to break up as the pace picked up slightly, 10km reached in 29:21 and 15km in 44:03, but 30 runners remained together, the group spread by five seconds, as 20km was hit in 58:54.

Those 30 athletes remained on 2:04 pace through half way.

The tempo maintained through 25km in 1:13:45 and 30km in 1:28:39, with athletes at the back of the pack unable to stick with it.

Japan’s Ichitaka Yamashita moved to the fore around 33km into the race and by 35km, reached in 1:43:47, the lead group was down to 12.

A group of six – Kenya’s Titus Kipruto and Canada’s Cameron Levins, plus Ethiopia’s Gelmisa, Getachew, Deme Tadu Abate and Esa – broke away by the final turnaround point at around 37km and Levins hit the front a short while later. He took the leaders through 40km in 1:58:54 but was unable to hold on as Gelmisa, Esa, Getachew and Kipruto started their surge for home.

Gelmisa, Esa and Getachew kicked again and in a three-way sprint to the finish it was last year's Paris Marathon winner Gelmisa who had the strongest finish.

Leaving himself just enough opportunity to celebrate on his approach to the tape, he won in 2:05:22, narrowly pipping Esa, who recorded the same time.

Getachew was three seconds back to complete an Ethiopian top three, while Kipruto finished fourth in 2:05:32.

In fifth, Levins took two seconds off the North American record, clocking 2:05:36 to improve a mark set by Khalid Khannouchi in London in 2002. Levins’ previous best had been the Canadian record of 2:07:09 he set when finishing fourth in last year’s World Championships marathon in Oregon.

Abate finished sixth in 2:05:38, while Yamashita was the leading Japanese finisher in a PB of 2:05:51 for seventh place as Japan’s Kenya Sonota also dipped under 2:06 and a total of 20 athletes went sub-2:10.

Koech, Wanjiru spearhead Team Kenya in Sunday's Tokyo race

Bernard Koech will lead a strong Kenyan contingent for the Tokyo Marathon this Sunday. 

Koech, who has a personal best of 2:04:09 set at the Amsterdam Marathon in 2021, where he finished second.

Kenya's Mike Kipruto Boit, Brimin Misoi and Vincent Raimoi are also contenders for the title.

The Kenyan quarter will, however, face a stern test from 2021 London Marathon champion Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia.

Lemma won the London Marathon in 2:04:01 and will have compatriots Tsegaye Getachew, Mohamed Esa, and Deme Tadu Abate for the company as he seeks to add another feather to his hat. 

Getachew has a personal best of 2:04:49 posted while winning the Amsterdam Marathon last year while Esa's PB is 2:05:05 recorded while placing fifth in Amsterdam in  2022. Abate's PB of 2:06:28 was achieved in Berlin, where he placed third last year.

Japan had entered the last three national record holders, Kengo Suzuki, Suguru Osako and Yuta Shitara but the withdrawal of Suzuki last month leaves two to battle for the honours. 

Osako is the fastest Japanese man in the field with a 2:05:29 set in Tokyo three years ago. 

Hidekazu Hijikata, Kyohei Hosoya, Ryu Takaku and Hiroto Inoue have all run 2:06 and another nine Japanese men on the list have run 2:07.

At the pre-race press conference, Japan's most consistent marathoner over the last few years, Hosoya said he is in great shape and will be going for the Japanese NR and at a minimum the top Japanese spot.

In the women's category, Rosemary Wanjiru will spearhead Kenya's quest for glory in the Japanese capital.

Wanjiru has a personal best of 2:18:00 posted when she finished second in the Berlin Marathon last year.

She will have fellow Kenyan and 2022 Toronto Marathon champion Antonina Kwambai for the company. Another Kenyan Betsy Saina will be among the athletes to watch. Saina is back from maternity leave and ran a promising 1:08:25 for the win at the Seville Half Marathon earlier this year.

Ashete Bekere of Ethiopia is the race favourite with a personal best time of 2:17:58 when finishing second at the event in 2021.

Others to look out for the title include compatriots Tigist Abaychew and Worknesh Edesa.

Dorcas Jepchirchir Tuitoek aims higher at Rome Ostia half marathon on Sunday

Dorcas Jepchirchir Tuitoek will be seeking another title in the Roma Ostia Half Marathon set for this Sunday in Rome, Italy.

Tuitoek has a personal best of 66:33, which she set at the 2019 Istanbul Half Marathon while finishing second.

The Atlanta Half Marathon champion is confident of a  podium finish as she seeks to lower her time in the Italian city.

“I am looking beyond this event because I want to use it as a springboard to one of the marathon major races later this year,” she said.

Tuitoek, who also won the Atlanta Half Marathon in 68:22, is optimistic of lowering her time as she prepares to venture into the full marathon," he added.

She said she is currently undergoing intensive training under Gianni Demadonna in Kapsabet and hopes to head to Rome with much fitness.

This will be her first race of the year on the road after competing in cross-country meetings across the country.

"I competed at the national cross country championships in Ruiru and I finished in position 12, which was good for me," she said.

In Rome, Tuitoek will be up against home girl Giovanna Epis among other top athletes.

The men's field will feature Kenya's Wesley Kibichii who has a personal best of 59:57 and Isaac Kemboi (60:11) among others.

However, the line-up includes top runners like Ethiopian Mogos Tuemay (60:11) and Italian citizen Danielle D’Onofrio (62:32). 

The 2023 edition of the Lisbon half marathon, will feature a squad capable of record breaking times

In a statement, Maratona Clube de Portugal, responsible for organizing the race scheduled for March 12, says that Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto and Ethiopian Girmawit Gebrzihair “promise their best records ever in Lisbon”.

In addition to Kipruto, holder of the third best time ever (57.49 minutes), world record holder for the 10 kilometers and winner of the New York half marathon in 2022, the race in the Portuguese capital will feature 11 more athletes with times below the hour, including Rodgers Kwemoi (58.30), Hagos Gebrhiwet (58.55) and Sabastian Sawe (58.58).

The Lisbon half marathon, which crosses the 25 de Abril Bridge, is the race that “holds” the world distance record (57.31 minutes), set by the Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, in the 2021 edition.

In the women's race, in which the world record belongs to the Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey (1:02.52 hours), the peloton will have three athletes with personal bests faster than the best time of the Lisbon race (1:06.06, by the Ethiopian Tsehay Gemechu), two of them within the historic top 10 in the distance.

The president of Maratona Clube de Portugal envisions “an exceptional race”: “We have a truly impressive group of athletes, both male and female, which could lead to the race record being beaten once again”.

Carlos Móia, considers that the fact that the limit number of registrations has already been reached – 15,000 in the half marathon and 15,000 in the 10 kilometer race - is “an evident sign of the confidence and relevance that the race assumes in the annual race calendar”.

Canadian Cameron Levins will be seeking new national marathon record in Tokyo

Canada’s Cameron Levins is racing the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday, he will be looking to improve his own national record of 2:07:09, which he set last summer during the Eugene World Athletics Championships.

Asked if he will be going after the 2024 Paris Olympic entry standard of 2:08:10 or the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships standard of 2:09:40, he told Athletics Illustrated, “I think we’re waiting to see what the pace options are before making that decision, but certainly looking for a personal best and not just standard.”

Levins set a new Canadian half-marathon record on February 12 at the First Half Half Marathon clocking a 60:18. He finished 4:03 ahead of his nearest competitor. Although that time, according to World Athletics’ points performance scale is almost, but not quite, as good as his marathon best, it was run in less than ideal conditions. For example, in Eugene, there was a highly competitive field to race with — to bring the best out of him. Additionally, in Vancouver, although not overly challenging, the weather was cool and windy. The general consensus is he could have run the First Half Half Marathon a little faster, yet. Perhaps right at the level of his national marathon record. So, we know from that performance he is in great shape.

Looking at his options in Tokyo, Levins has a fast course and runners looking for a fast time and prize money.

The field is led by Ethiopian Lemma Sisay who has run as fast as 2:03:36 back in 2019 at the Berlin Marathon. He has also run at least three other sub-2:07-marathons. As it has been four years since Sisay set his best, anyone of Kenyans Bernard Koech (2:04:09), CyBrian Kotut (2:04:47), Titus Kipruto (2:04:54), Ugandan Stehen Kissa (2:04:48), Ethiopian Deso Gelmisa (2:04:53) could challenge for the win. There are also several fast Japanese runners led by Kengo Suzuki with his 2:04:56. He holds the national record from Otsu, Japan two years ago. There are six others who have run 2:05 to 2:07 — right in Levins’ range.

The 24-year-old Kipruto finished second in the Amsterdam Marathon last October — less than five months ago. He was beaten only by Ethiopian Tsegaye Getachew by five seconds. Gelmiso, just 25 and Kipruto won the 2022 Valencia and Milano Marathons respectively. If the weather is ideal expect a couple of 2:03 marathons in Tokyo. Currently the forecast is trending in the right direction with projected highs of 13-16 degrees.

Prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Levins ran several marathons that ended in disappointment. These included the London Marathon in poor weather as well as Chandler, AZ, where he looked fresh at 32 kilometers into the race, running with the lead pack, only to fade to a 2:12:15 clocking. At the 11th hour, he boarded a plane for Fürstenfeld, Austria and ran a small marathon event just fast enough to qualify for the Olympics at 2:10:14. However, by the time he go to Sapporo, where the event was held, some 800 kilometers north of Tokyo, it was hot at 34 degrees celsius, and perhaps he had run too many marathons leading up. The standard was 2:11:30 at the time.

The 33-year-old Vancouver Island native has had big highs with breaking the Canadian marathon record three times, competing in two Olympic Games and at one time holding the national 10,000m record. Anything can and often does happen in a marathon event. Expect Levins to improve his own national marathon record and perhaps run 2:06 plus or minus a few seconds if all works out for him.

It was not long ago that the 43-year-old Canadian record was stuck at a modest 2:10:09 by Jerome Drayton from his run in Fukuoka, Japan in 1975. Excellent Canadian marathon runners Reid Coolsaet, Dylan Wykes, and Eric Gillis among others had led the Canadian Marathon resurgence. Levins has taken the mantle from there and has run with it to repeat records. The standard he has set and will likely continue to, will be a benchmark for up and coming Canadians to follow. Perhaps to put Canada back on the global marathon map.Levins recently signed with Asics as his new shoe sponsor. Until 2021, he was with HOKA and prior to that Nike with the now defunct Nike Oregon Project that was led by the now banned Alberto Salazar. Levins is now coached by fellow Vancouver Island runner Jim Finlayson.

Vienna City Marathon set for April 23 2023

The men’s elite race of the Vienna City Marathon promises to present an interesting mix of athletes with different time goals on 23rd April. While there will be a group of Africans who aim to break the long standing 2:05:41 course record for a number of other runners the qualifying time for the World Championships this summer in Budapest is a major goal. 2:09:40 is the standard for the global championships and Norway’s Sondre Moen will be among those targeting this mark in Vienna.

Organizers of Austria’s biggest one-day sporting spectacle expect to register up to 35,000 entries for their event, including races at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon. With such a figure the 40th edition of the Vienna City Marathon (VCM) will almost reach the dimensions of pre-pandemic years. Entry for the VCM, which is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and the only one in Austria that features such a high standard, is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

There are hopes that the jubilee edition will be crowned by a course record. It was back in 2014 when Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke clocked 2:05:41. An athlete who could be capable of such a performance is Samwel Mailu, who ran his debut in last year’s Frankfurt Marathon although he was only entered into the race as a pacemaker. However the Kenyan carried on after leading for 30k and managed a fine 2:07:19 debut. He was runner-up in warm weather conditions. While Mailu will be running in Vienna for the first time fellow-Kenyan Charles Ndiema returns to the Vienna City Marathon. He finished fourth here a year ago when he clocked his PB of 2:08:12. At least two other athletes are expected to join a leading group which targets the course record: Kenya’s Elvis Cheboi and Abe Gashahun of Ethiopia have run very fast half marathons of 59:14 and 59:46 respectively. While Cheboi will run his marathon debut in Vienna Gashahun will be eager to improve his marathon PB of 2:09:25.

After a period with injuries and below par performances Sondre Moen intends to bounce back at the Vienna City Marathon. The main goal for the Norwegian record holder, who ran a European record of 2:05:48 when sensationally winning the Fukuoka Marathon in 2017, will be to qualify for the World Championships at the Vienna City Marathon. “I hope for a positive race in Vienna - physically as well as mentally“, said the 32 year-old Scandinavian. “I plan to run a controlled race with a negative split. Last year was one to forget because of injuries. Now I want to have a good race experience again.“

Another non-African runner who opted for the Vienna City Marathon to achieve the 2:09:40 qualifying time for the World Championships is Ser-Od Bat-Ochir from Mongolia. While the 41 year-old multiple national record holder ran the Mongolian marathon record of 2:08:50 back in 2014 in Fukuoka he broke 2:10 again in Otsu, Japan, two years ago where he ran 2:09:26. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir, who lives in Japan with his family and is sponsored by the Shin Nihon Jusetsu company, has already participated at ten World Championships. He now wants to improve this record by qualifying for his eleventh start. Last year he finished 26th in Eugene. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir also has been an Olympic marathon runner five times, first competing at the Games in Athens in 2004. „I opted for Vienna because the race is known for producing fast times and the level of the elite field will suit me,“ said the Mongolian.

Andreas Vojta could be among others who are expected to join Sondre Moen and Ser-Od Bat-Ochir in the chase for the World Championships’ qualifying time. There are high hopes in Vienna that the 33 year-old will establish himself as a top Austrian marathon runner on 23rd April. “I want to be 100 percent ready when I will at the starting line. And I am looking for a time of 2:10,“ said Andreas Vojta. The former middle distance runner, who competed in the 1,500 m at the London 2012 Olympics and at two outdoor World Championships, has an eye on the 2:09:40 standard as well. While he finished last year’s Vienna City Marathon in 2:23:21 after running as a pacemaker this will be his proper elite marathon debut.