Running News Daily

Kenyan Evans Chebet eyes course record in New York Marathon race

Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet will be looking to extend his winning form during the New York Marathon which goes down on November 6.

Chebet will be battling it out with defending champion Albert Korir among other top names in the elite field.

Korir stormed to victory last year after clocking  two hours, 8:22 seconds ahead of Mohamed El Aaraby with 2:09:06 and Eyob Faniel came third in 2:09:56.

Four of the six Abott World Marathon Majors will be taking place this season. Berlin Marathon will be held on September 26, London Marathon on October 2, Chicago Marathon October 9 and New York Marathon in November.

In an interview with Nation Sport, Chebet said that he has started preparations to make his debut in the New York Marathon race.

He said that the race looks competitive, given that only two Kenyans will be lining up for the contest, but he will do his best.

“I have started preparations for my first New Marathon race. I understand the course is tough but I believe with good training I will be able to register good results,” said Chebet.

The athlete said that he will apply the same tactics he used to win the Boston Marathon during the New York race, and if possible,  run a course record.

But this could be a tall order because since Geoffrey Mutai registered the 2:05:06 course record in 2011, no athlete has run close to that time due to weather conditions.

“I have asked around and I have been told that the course is tough, and I have to prepare well for that. Marathon racing needs a lot of calculation and you just can’t run without thinking what awaits you in the last few kilometres,” added Chebet.

At the same time, he said that there is need for athletes to travel with translators because they can use Kiswahili language to express themselves during the pre-race conference and interviews after the race.

“I feel comfortable expressing myself in Kiswahili, and I know many athletes are struggling but I think it is high time we have translators when we compete abroad just like the way Ethiopians do when they talk in Amharic,” he said.

The big names in the New York Marathon include; the 2020 London Marathon champion Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata, Brazilian Olympian Daniel Do Nascimento, Japan’s Suguru Osako who was third at the 2018 Chicago Marathon, Dutcs Olympic silver medallist and national record holder Abdi Nageeye and four-time Olympian American Galen Rupp.

World Athletics Championships marathon champion Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola is also in the mix. He won the world  having won the World Championships marathon title in Oregon, USA on July 17.

Albert Korir won the last Abott Marathon Majors series after accumulating 41 points for the 2019-2021 season.

The Abott Marathon Majors series this season began with the delayed 2021 Tokyo Marathon race which world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge won on March 6 this year.  Thereafter, Chebet won the Boston Marathon title on April 18.

Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola is also in the mix having won the World Championships marathon title last month in Oregon, USA.

Tim Murphy founder of San Diego Elite Racing Inc has died at age 77

Tim Murphy, founder of San Diego’s Elite Racing, Inc., the man who reinvented running, not once but three times, succumbed to pneumonia Wednesday night (August 17, 2022) passing in hospice care at his home in San Diego, California. He was 77 years old.

Today, though smaller than it once was, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series remains the largest purveyor of running events in the world, with 29 events in 16 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and seven foreign countries. But a quarter century ago, who knew what lay ahead in the wild open spaces of the first Rock `n` Roll Marathon? 

Some observers even questioned the concept of rock bands strung along the marathon course altogether. What does rock`n` roll have to do with San Diego, much less with running a marathon, the ultimate test of endurance?

Well, on June 21, 1998 the world got its answer. With the snarl of a blistering guitar solo, the tight syncopation of a snare drum, and the slap of millions of accompanying footfalls, the second-wave running boom announced its arrival in San Diego with a carnival of music, endorphins, and sweat. It’s like Tim turned over the calendar two years early to introduce the new century.

“We created a theme marathon without intending to,” said Tracy Sundlun, Tim’s long-time partner at Elite Racing. 

NEW DEMOGRAPHICS 

No new major marathon had sprung up in the U.S. or the world since the Los Angeles Marathon arrived in 1986. In its first year, LA registered 10,787 runners, making it the largest inaugural marathon in history. Instantly, that number became Tim‘s goal for San Diego to beat LA.

Even before its first steps were run, though, there was the feel of a major marathon about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. Tim had conceived the idea years before while running the final lonely miles of the Heart of San Diego Marathon out along Friar’s Road to Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley. Wishing there were some kind of support along the road to help out, Murphy thought, wouldn’t it be great to have music to run to.

It took a long time for his idea to gestate, but the seed had been planted. 

After a decade of developing his reputation as an event innovator, beginning in 1986 with the Carlsbad 5000 just north of San Diego – the event that proved runners in a then 10k / marathon focused world would run a 3.1 mile race, while introducing “spectator running” where the professional field followed age and gender specific races over the same tight-looped course – Murphy’s idea of a musical marathon came to life, born out of two separate, but catalyzing events.

“When they opened the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland (1995), there was so much hype about it,” Tim told San Diego YuYu in 2004. “So I was running along one morning and I thought, “If I lived in Cleveland I would do a marathon that would start and finish at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and do a big concert afterwards.” 

One year later 273 San Diegans were among the record 38,000 entrants at the 100th anniversary of the Boston Marathon. 

“Afterwards, they had this get together and all they could talk about was why there wasn’t a major marathon in San Diego. And all the runners, some of them pretty important, just wouldn’t leave me alone about it. So I essentially dusted off the old idea I had for Cleveland and started.”

With the backing of a set of investors, led by Hollywood A-list producers Frank Marshall and wife Catherine Kennedy – “Jurassic Park”, “Indiana Jones” , “Jason Bourne” – along with celebrity ambassadors like basketball Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain, Tim promoted his concept relentlessly at race expos around the country, touting his new baby with posters and ads that said, ‘You missed the first Boston. Don’t miss the first Rock ‘n’ Roll!’

No longer a simple feat of speed endurance, the grueling marathon had been reinvented as a rollicking 26-mile long block party through America’s Finest City. 

Despite a 37-minute delay at the start due to some perceived traffic issues on the course –  which led to a water-dousing through the first aid station – the high-spirited music rocking the sidelines caused an immediate sensation.

Nearly 20,000 entrants from 30 countries and all 50 states passed the word, ‘You gotta try this one!” And that was before they got to the post-race concert that night featuring Huey Lewis and the News, Pat Benatar, and the Lovin’ Spoonful!

The makeup of year one’s field proved historic, as well. 50% of the field was women, far and away the largest such percentage of any co-ed road race of any distance to date, and a pivot-point in the history of the sport. Before RnR San Diego, the largest percentage of women in a major marathon had been just 23% at New York City. Most road races had only 10% to 15% women at the time.

Rock ‘n’ Roll’s runners were also slightly older than the norm, slightly wealthier, and slightly slower than the average marathon runners.

At a time when road race courses were designed to be minimally visible and impact their communities as little as possible, the initial Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon layout was designed to be an infomercial for the city, regardless of the potential inconvenience for some.

When city officials asked how long they would have to keep the streets closed, Tim based his projections on the New York City Marathon, saying, ‘we might have 50 or 60 runners who will take longer than six hours 30 minutes. But we’ll just direct them onto the sidewalk, so you can reopen the streets.’ As it turned out, 1500 runners took over seven hours to complete their 26.2 mile journey. 

But Tim Murphy wasn’t just in it for the large participation numbers, important as they were. He always had his eye on top talent, too, and urged elite athlete coordinator Mike Long to pull in a world-class field, like he did every year for the Carlsbad 5000 where so many world records were set.

Mike Long, the late Elite Racing athlete recruiter with Rock `n` Roll 1999 champs Tarus & Bogacheva

Nobody knew how fast RnR could be run until young Kenyan, Philip Tarus, busted a 2:10 opener for the men, with Russian women Nadezhda Ilyina and Irina Bogacheva battling just nine seconds apart at the finish for the women in 2:34. That told the athletes of the world, ‘This one is worth having a go,” especially after all the Suzuki products and prize money checks were handed out.

Not since the New York City Marathon’s first five-borough extravaganza in 1976 had a marathon come on the calendar with such dramatic impact: The largest first-time running event in history; the most ingenious show along the sidelines and at the finish ever produced; $18.6 million (net) raised by and for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training charity – the largest amount ever for a single-day sporting event; and to cap it off, world-class performances by its champions. 

Though the race lost over $1 million in its first year, it instantly became the number one economic impact event in Southern California, generating $39.3 million in its inaugural year, as two-thirds of its entrants came from outside the region. With Murphy’s persistence and the continued backing of his investors, Rock ‘n’ Roll eventually broke even in year three. Thus was the foundation set for what has become a global phenomenon, the so-called second-wave running boom.

Born and raised with two sisters in Denver, Colorado, Tim attended high school in Nebraska where he competed in the 880-yard run and threw the discus. He then spent the first part of his professional life toiling in the health care industry, selling hospital supplies on the road while moving across the country time and time again.  Finally, in the late 70s, he decided to abandon the rat race and settle in San Diego where his two sisters lived. 

Though he ran track in high school, he wasn’t a distance man. But once in San Diego and introduced to the area’s vibrant running community, like so many before him, he got hooked on the sport. Tim often trained up to 10 miles a day, which led him into the race organization business and the founding of Elite Racing in 1988. 

Always more of a behind the scenes workaholic than a flashy frontman, Tim did serve as interim race director for the troubled Chicago Marathon in 1989. But mostly he focused like a laser on the business side of Elite Racing. Tracy Sundlun, former head of New York City’s Metropolitan Athletics Congress, and a former collegiate and club track coach, joined as Tim’s partner in 1997, taking on  the role of political go-between and liaison with the sporting world. 

Through it all, Tim used his marketing and sales skills to build his race business from a fledgling local concern into the most successful for-profit organization in running. 

“We have lost someone who – I don’t think many of the insiders even grasp his importance, his significance,“ said Tracy Sundlun. “Besides Fred Lebow in New York City, Tim was the best retail marketer the sport has ever known. It makes me happy all the people who’ve reached out from all over the world when they heard news of his passing. Tim would’ve felt good knowing the people recognized what he built, what he reinvented.”

Beginning with the Carlsbad 5000 in 1986, Tim bucked the conventional norms of the sport. Nobody thought people would pay to run a 5K. Running at the time was a 10K and marathon trade. But Tim turned it into a 5K and half marathon business and the sport soon followed along.

Ethiopian great Tirunesh Dibaba breaks another world record at Carlsbad 2005 (14:51)

The success of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego changed Murphy’s fortunes for good. Over the next several years, Tim developed the brand into a seven event juggernaut that spread from San Diego to Virginia Beach, Nashville to Phoenix, San Jose, California to San Antonio, Texas.

Elite Racing was the first organization to stage more than one marathon in a year, and the first to put on events outside their own home city. Designed as a for-profit company in a not-for-profit industry, Elite Racing was the first organization to build a brand in the sport, though, initially they didn’t realize they were doing it. They were also the first to buy events and the first to sell to private-equity.

When the City of Virginia Beach, VA wanted to start a new marathon on Labor Day weekend in 2001, Tim made a site visit. He realized that with the heat and humidity of late summer in Virginia Beach, and not wanting to conflict with the fall marathons which had been so supportive of his races in San Diego in the summer and Nashville in the spring, there was  no way that a full marathon would work. So Tim convinced VB to create the first destination half-marathon, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon. Until then, half marathons were just local training races for marathons.

“Just like with Carlsbad in the 5K, nobody thought people would travel to run a half marathon,“ remembered Sundlun. “When we proposed Virginia Beach, we were one of Runner’s World Magazine‘s biggest advertisers. We said we were going to sell out at 12,000 for the Labor Day weekend race. People at Runner’s World said we were nuts. At the time, the largest half marathon was the Philadelphia Distance Run at 6000, the largest inaugural half marathon was on Long Island at 2900. 

“Runner’s World bet us a full, center-spread, double page ad that we wouldn’t hit our number. They didn’t even think vendors would come to a Labor Day weekend race in Virginia Beach. But we sold out by July and eventually got 14,990 entrants. Getting that check back from Runner’s World, that was really something.”

Deena Kastor headlined the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon in 2001, setting an American debut record as a prep race for her marathon debut in New York City that fall. Kenyan superstars Martin Lel and Paul Tergat both tuned up for fall marathon victories with wins in Virginia Beach. 

Records were always important to Tim. He would often have side bets with Mike Long about the outcome of races. Two-time Olympic champion and multiple-time world record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia broke the half marathon world record at Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona in 2006 (58:55). And with 16 World Records / Bests and 11 American Records, Carlsbad was always recognized as The World’s Fastest 5K. 

“Tim felt if you created special events with a team of people who were passionate about the space they were in, the money would follow,” Sundlun told me. “He also understood that an event was only as good as its weakest link. So he was laser-focused on every aspect of the event, from the expo to the medal to the course to the elite athletes to the give-a-ways to the ads to the water stations, you name it.

“We never had a meeting about what to cut, just about how to improve. Tim understood you had to invest and promote relentlessly. He was tireless in his pursuit of greatness. Good people would join him and he empowered them and got out of their way. But he refused to take no for an answer, and had a single-minded focus.”

Tim even bought television’s Road Race of the Month from Salmini Films in 1991, the series that aired on ESPN for over a decade featuring the best races in the country and around the world. Tim understood that with television as a promotional arm, he could sell more advertising and attract more runners. 

The string of happy days ended abruptly in July 2007, however, when Elite Racing’s beloved athlete recruiter Mike Long died suddenly of a heart attack. Mike’s passing seemed to take the spark out of Tim. 

Later that year he sold the business to Falconhead Capital for more than $40 million. Elite Racing essentially became the event division of the new Competitor Group, Inc., and Tim moved on. Eventually, after Tracy also left, CGI abandoned the elite aspect of running altogether, before leaving San Diego, as well.

At times, Tim could be a volcanic boss, as his business was his life’s passion. Yet he engendered a deep dedication and respect from his Elite Racing family, out of which 17 marriages were spawned (including my own with Toya), growing families, and lifelong friendships. Tim’s final years were spent quietly, visiting with friends and his two sisters who were with him at the last.  

R.I.P., Tim. You were a true visionary who has left a legacy that moved us all both body and soul.

Ferdinand Omanyala and Julius Yego lead protests over new World Athletics qualifying standards

The qualifying standards published on Friday by the World Athletics for the World Athletics Championships due for August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary next year, continue to illicit mixed reactions.

However, most athletes and coaches say it will be a tall order to achieve them.

World Athletics have shortened times for most track events as well as increased the distances in field events save for men's 400m and women's 800m where it has eased the the standards compared to the World Athletics Championships held last month in Oregon, United States. 

The men's qualifying time for Oregon was 44.90 seconds, but the time has been reviewed to 45.00 sec, while the women's time has been put at 1:59.80 from Oregon's 1:59.50.

The men and women's 20 kilometers race walk and marathon qualifying times have been reduced.

As was the case in 2019 and 2022, athletes will be able to qualify for the World Championships by achieving an entry standard or through their World rankings. 

The qualification period for the marathon and 35km race walk opened on December 1, 2021 and ends on May 30, 2023. 

For the 10,000m, 20km race walk and combined events, the window runs from January 31, 2022 until July 30, 2023. 

For all other disciplines, the qualification period is July 31, 2022 to July 30, 2023. 

Athletics Kenya head coach Julius Kirwa, Africa, Commonwealth Games 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala and Commonwealth Games javelin bronze medalist Julius Yego said that it will be a tall order to achieve some of the standards set.

"For instance, the 51.00sec set in women's 400m will be achieved by a handful of athletes. Africa will be most hit," said Kirwa, adding that women will be the most affected. 

Kirwa noted that only 34 women have achieved that time in 400m this year including one from Africa, Kenya's Mary Moraa, who posted 50.84 sec in June, which is outside the qualifying period. 

"I don't know the logic of the times and distances set but they will have to reconsider them," explained Kirwa pointing out that it's only Edward Zakayo who meets the 10,000m time of 27:10.00.

Kirwa said not even Daniel Simiu and Kibiwott Kandie who returned personal best times of 27:12.26 and 27:20.34 to settle for silver and bronze at the Commonwealth Games attained that time. 

"No athlete attained that time even at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon," said Kirwa. "It will simply discourage many athletes and that isn't growing the sport. It will continue to push many to road racing."

Omanyala said the bar is a bit too far for some athletes to meet.

"This year, we have only 25 going under 10 seconds and 11 are Americans. That means the rest of world has to put in the work," said Omanyala, who hopes to attain the set standards in the coming races.

"That means that Athletics Kenya has to put in more electronic races for our athletes to have a chance of qualifying," explained Omanyala. 

Yego noted that the move by World Athletics might have been informed by many athletes around the globe having  beaten that distance over the last few years in javelin.

"Most of them are coming outside Europe unlike before," said Yego, adding that it now calls for serious training program and many pre competitions.

"Africa will be the most disadvantaged because few athletes get the chance to compete in many events," explained Yego.

World Athletics has offered defending world champions wild card entry, as will the winners of the 2022 Diamond League, World Race Walking Tour and World Combined Events Tour.

The leading hammer performers on the Continental Tour will get wild cards but this is all subject to selection by the athlete's national federation. 

Area champions in selected disciplines and subject to certain conditions, top-five finishers at Platinum Label marathons during the qualification period and winners of Gold Label marathons held in 2023 shall also be considered as having achieved the entry standard. 

The number of athletes in some events has been adjusted, compared to 2022. Most noticeable is in the field events, where the number has been increased from 32 to 36. 

The mile – both in-stadium and road mile – will now be a qualifying event for the 1500m, while performances achieved on the road in the 5km and 10km will be eligible for qualification in the 5,000m and 10,000m, respectively.

In addition, the top eight athletes in the world cross country rankings not otherwise qualified through other pathways will be considered qualified for the 10,000m.

Fit-again Peres Jepchirchir to debut at Great North Run

Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir will make her return from injury when she debuts at the Great North Run Half Marathon on September 11 in England.

Jepchirchir, who resumed training three weeks ago, said the pain from the hip injury that locked her out of the World Athletics Championships in July in Oregon, United States, had eased.

“I feel much better now with the pain having subsided. My doctor advised me to return to training gradually and all is well as for now,” said Jepchirchir, ahead of the race that will start at Newcastle upon Tyne before ending at South Shields.

Jepchirchir was a late inclusion in the women’s marathon team for the World Athletics Championships, but withdrew days before the start of the event on July 15 with the advice from Team Kenya physician Victor Bargoria.

“It was disappointing, but I would rather not aggravate the injury since we still have another world event next year before my Olympic title defence at the 2024 Paris Summer Games,” said Jepchirchir, who hopes to use the Great North Run as part of her preparations for her New York City Marathon title defense on November 6 this year.

Judith Jeptum went on to claim silver for Kenya in Oregon, clocking a personal best of two hours, 18 minutes and 20 seconds, as Ethiopian Gotytom Gebreslase won the race in a Championship Record time of 2:18:11.

Another Kenyan Angela Tanui settled sixth in 2:22:15 as defending champion Ruth Chepngétich pulled out during the race with stomach problems.

Jepchirchir became the second Kenyan woman to win the Olympic title when she swept to victory in the streets of Sapporo, Japan in 2:27:20 seconds on August 7, 2021.

Kenyan women have won the last eight editions of the Great North Run with Hellen Obiri claiming victory last year in one hour, 07 minutes and 42 seconds.

Women’s world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei holds the Great North Run course record with her victory of 1:04:28 in 2019.

The 2020 event was canceled due to Covid-19.

Kenya's Hellen Obiri to train in US for New York Marathon

World 10,000 meters silver medalist Hellen Obiri plans to travel to America ahead of time before making her debut in New York Marathon race on November 6.

In an interview with Nation Sport, the double 5,000m world champion said that she will be heading to Colorado, USA to acclimatize.

Obiri said that she will be depending on her new coach Dathan Ritzenhein, who heads On Athletics Club, for guidance.

Ritzenhein is a former athlete who has previously competed in the New York Marathon.

Obiri, who has plans to relocate to the US, said that she is not moving yet.

“There is still some paperwork that I’m working on before finalizing my move to the US. But, I will be going to Colorado for training because I want to acclimatize before the race. I look forward to a good race, but the most important thing for me is to learn,” she said.

The World Athletics Cross Country Championships title holder, who has been training in Ngong, Kajiado County, said that when she stepped up to marathon racing, it was not easy because the training is different.

“Marathon training is different from what I was used to while competing in track races. At fast it was tricky, but I persevered and I am now used to it,” she said.

The Olympic 5,000m silver medalist said that she was inspired to switch to marathon by two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat.

“I was really inspired by Edna Kiplagat who has been doing well for long and is still competing. I have interacted with her, and when I learned that she was part of the elite field at New York Marathon, I felt encouraged that she will be racing with me,” said Obiri.

“Before the competition, I look forward to train with Edna in the US.”

The Istanbul Half Marathon champion said that she took a leap of faith to compete in full marathon after performing well in half marathon races.

Obiri clocked 64:38 to win this year’s Istanbul Half Marathon after having triumphed in the same race last year in 64:51.

The former 5,000m African champion has had a good season which climaxed in her winning a 10,000m silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA on July 16.

In New York, Obiri will be up against defending champion and Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, Edna, debutante Sharon Lokedi, Caroline Rotich and US-based Viola Lagat, who was second last year.

Other top names in the race are newly crowned world champion Ethiopian Gotytom Gebreslase and her compatriot Senbere Teferi, world bronze medalist Israel’s Lorna Chemtai Salpeter, USA’s Sara Hall and Aliphine Tuliamuk.

Ben Flanagan wins his third Falmouth Road Race

Kitchener, Ont. native Ben Flanagan has done it again, winning his third Falmouth Road Race in four years. Flanagan finished the seven-mile (11.3 km) course in 32:25, outlasting runner-up Biya Simbassa (32:32) for a second straight year in Falmouth, Mass.

With two Falmouth victories to Flanagan’s name, and his partner, Hannah, growing up in Falmouth, he was the race favourite heading in and was keen to defend his 2021 title. In a pre-race interview, Flanagan chatted about his familiarity with the course and how he was already dreaming of his celebration when he won his third.

Like in previous years, the 27-year-old broke the tape by jumping into it, holding up the “number three” with his hand. 

Flanagan again made his attack at the top of the Scranton Ave. hill at the 5.5-mile marker. Simbassa, who lives and trains in Flagstaff, Ariz., followed Flanagan’s move along with David Bett of Kenya. The Canadian 10K record holder ousted Bett and Simbassa on the final downhill to win, nine seconds shy of his personal best on the course: 32:16 from 2021.

Flanagan now joins an exclusive group of six runners to successfully defended their titles at Falmouth. The group of six features: Alberto Salazar (‘81 and ‘82), Frank Shorter (’75 and ’76), and David Murphy (‘84 and ‘85). Next year, he will have the chance to join Kenya’s Gilbert Okari as the only men to win three straight (2004-06)

The American women’s marathon record holder, Keira D’Amato, won the women’s 11.3 km race in a nail-biting finish (36:14). She managed to hold off a surging 2017 Boston Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat (36:28) to claim the women’s title in her Falmouth debut.

This race was a quick bounce back for the 37-year-old, who placed eighth at last month’s 2022 World Athletics Championships marathon for Team USA in 2:23:34. Earlier this year at the Houston Marathon, D’Amato set the U.S. marathon record of 2:19:12.

D’Amato will take another stab at breaking her American marathon record on Sept, 25. at the Berlin Marathon.

Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair title in 22:02, and Susannah Scaroni won the women’s division in 25:30.

Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei keen to defend London Marathon title

London Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei will be seeking to defend her title in this edition set for October 2.

Last year, the 2016 Africa 10,000m bronze medalist obliterated a strong field to clinch the title in a personal best time of 2:17:43.

“My main aim is to defend my title and also lower my personal best,” Jepkosgei said.

Jepkosgei revealed she has invested a lot in training and expects this to repay handsomely on the streets of London.

“My main focus this season was on this marathon and I have trained very well for it. I know I will perform well,” she said.

Jepkosgei insisted she is not worried about the competition, where she will face the likes of compatriots Brigid Kosgei and Mary Ngugi, the Ethiopian duo of Degitu Azimeraw (2:17:58) and Ashete Bekere (2:17:58), who finished second and third respectively last year. Bekere finished second at the Tokyo Marathon in March.

Kosgei is the fastest in the field with her world record/personal best time of 2:14:04, ran at the 2019 Chicago marathon. Ngugi has a personal best time of 2:21:32 attained at this year’s Boston Marathon.

Commonwealth Games 10,000m winner Eilish McColgan will make her full marathon debut while another Ethiopian, Yalemzerf Yehualaw (2:17:23), will be making her London Marathon debut. McColgan aims to replicate her mother — Liz McColgan — who won the 1996 edition.

“I enjoy running with elite runners. The race will be tough and that means I can post a good time,” she said.

The 28-year-old said she does not feel any pressure after training under her supportive husband/coach, Nicholas Koech.

“My coach has been a great support system for me and with that, I do not feel any pressure. He is also my adviser,” Jepkosgei said.

Meanwhile, Jepkosgei disclosed she is yet to make a decision on the 2023 World Championships in Budapest and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“After the marathon, my coach and management will sit down and decide what next,” Jepkosgei said.

Commonwealth Games 10,000m winner Eilish McColgan will also be making her London Marathon debut with the aim of replicating Liz McColgan’s (her mother) win in the 1996 edition.

Monthly KATA Time Trial series was run on the track with good success

The August Kenyan Athletics Training Academy (KATA) Time-Trial was held on the Track in Thika Kenya for the first time toady (August 17) with Peter Mwaniki and Fredrick Kiprotich winning the 10,000m and 5,000m respectively. The 5000m was added this time around. 

Running on the 400m training track at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Mwaniki transferred his winning from the road to complete the 25 laps in 29:24.4 followed by new addition Bernard Musau who finished in 30:02.8 while seasoned Zakariah Kirika maintained the third position clocking 30:17.9.

In the shorter 5,000m, middle distant runners and upstarts got motivated to running in their preferred distance.  Fredrick clocked 15:22.5 just edging out Boniface Mungai (15:23.9) with Alfred Kamande just behind clocking 16:11.9.

The August time-trial will now usher in the September race that will be the Second edition of the Double 15k (10k+break+5k) race as the Kenyan Athletics Training Academy marks it's first Anniversary. The September event will be held on 14th starting and finishing outside the Academy.  "All runners are invited to run in the second annual KATA Double 15k," says KATA Director Bob Anderson from his office in Mountain View, California.  "There were many world class times clocked a year ago."

10,000metres

1. Peter Mwaniki (bib 70) 29:24.4

2. Bernard Musau (82) 30:02.8

3. Zakariah Kirika (98) 30:17.9

4. Peter Mburu (79) 30:54.9

5. Nicholas Kitundu (72) 31:36.0

6. Evans Kiguru (85) 32:01.5

7. Anthony Wanjiru (80) 33:57.8

8. Joseph Nyota (66) 36:57.2

9. Caren Chepkemboi (76) 38:15.6

10. Susan Njeri (100) 38:58.5

5,000metres

1. Fredrick Kiprotich (500) 15:22.5

2. Boniface Mungai (77) 15:23.9

3. Alfred Kamande (67) 16:11.9

4. Gipson 17:19.8 (81) 17:19.8

5. Hannah Njeri (83) 26:02.3

Kenyan runner Wambui banned for seven years over positive test and cover-up

Kenyan runner Tabitha Gichia Wambui has been banned from competition for seven years after testing positive for norandrosterone and tampering with the anti-doping process.

Wambui argued that she was injected with the testosterone booster at hospital where she was being treated for "a headache and general body weakness".

However, an investigation from the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya showed that the 37-year-old did not attend the hospital on the same dates as her medical reports stated and the hospital also had no record of the outpatient number on the documents the athlete submitted.

This attempted cover-up resulted in the tampering charge, which Wambui later admitted.

The athlete was banned for four years for the failed test and four for tampering, with one year removed from the overall sanction because Wambui was judged to have admitted the offences early and accepted the sanction.

The beginning of Wambui's ban is backdated to September 19 2021 and all of her results from that date have been disqualified, including victory at the Poznań Half Marathon in Poland on October 17 last year.

All titles, medals, points, prizes and appearance money must also be forfeited by the Kenyan from this period.

September 19 was the date that her first urine sample was taken, in-competition at the Copenhagen Half Marathon, before a second sample was collected at the race in Poland.

The following day, the WADA-accredited laboratory in Oslo reported an adverse analytical finding for norandrosterone in the first sample.

Norandrosterone is a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) non-specified substance as it is a product of nandrolone, an anabolic androgenic steroid.

Wambui's ban comes just a month after her compatriot Lawrence Cherono, the eighth-fastest marathon runner of all time, was banned from competing at the World Athletics Championships in the United States.

Cherono had tested positive for trimetazidine which can be used medically to prevent angina attacks.

It was also the same drug the Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for before the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Kenya is one of seven Category A nations deemed by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to have the highest doping risk and threaten the overall integrity of the sport, along with Bahrain, Belarus, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria and Ukraine.

There are currently 49 Kenyan athletes listed as banned in the AIU database.

Great Britain's Eilish McColgan took women's 10,000m silver at the European Championships as Turkey's Yasemin Can claimed a superb win in Munich

Eilish McColgan, 31, won her first major title as she triumphed in the event at the Commonwealth Games 12 days ago.

Having also finished second in the 5,000m at Birmingham 2022, the Scot earned another silver as she ran clear of Israel's Lonah Chemtai Salpeter.

Can kicked clear with seven laps to go to win in 30:32.57. 

"I'm pleased. I'm obviously disappointed, I would have loved to become European champion tonight - but tired, tired legs," McColgan told BBC Sport.

A fortnight of soaring glories continued for Eilish McColgan as she fought off her extreme post Commonwealth Games fatigue, and the attentions of a high-class field, to claim a brilliant European 10,000m silver in Munich. The 31-year-old had been so weary before this race that she had spent the day in a deep slumber. Yet fuelled by caffeine and a desire for her third medal in 12 days, she produced another performance of immense grit and steel.

In blustery conditions, McColgan applied the template that had served her so well in Birmingham, pushing to the front early and applying a cobra-like squeeze for lap after painful lap. But this time the Kenyan-born Turkish athlete Yasemin Can proved to have a powerful antidote.

With seven laps remaining Can made a decisive move, breaking away before coming home the winner. But McColgan had enough in the tank to beat Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter for silver.

 “I felt very tired all this week,” McColgan admitted afterwards. “I hadn’t slept for several nights after the 10,000m in Birmingham and then I had to do it again in the 5,000m. And then all the media the following day when you’re up at the crack of dawn and on your feet all day – I’m not used to that.

“All I did today was sleep. My roommate just thought I was dead. And even though the housekeeper came in, I didn’t even hear it. I was just totally knocked out.”

However McColgan still packed a punch when it mattered. After a sedate opening kilometre, she decided enough was enough and kicked on. Soon the field was strung out and screaming. With 18 of the 25 laps remaining, only four athletes were left in contention. And while gold ultimately proved beyond her, this was another impressive performance.

“I didn’t want a last kilometre burn-up,” McColgan said. “But when the pace went up, I just didn’t quite have that zip. But it was probably to be expected. I’m not a superhuman and I have to respect that my legs were going to be tired.

“And I knew it was going to be tough with Can. I knew she was the one to beat tonight and she just was super strong. I couldn’t stay with her.”

Fellow Britons Samantha Harrison and Jessica Judd finished sixth and 10th respectively.

McColgan followed in the footsteps of her mother Liz - Commonwealth 10,000m champion in both 1986 and 1990 - as she recorded the biggest win of her career on 4 August.

In a hugely impressive season, McColgan also broke the European 10km, British half-marathon and Scottish 10,000m records earlier this year.

Though illness and injury hindered her World Championships medal aspirations in July, the 2018 European 5,000m silver medallist has returned to form emphatically - delivering one of the key moments of Birmingham 2022 as she out-kicked Kenyan Irene Cheptai in front of a packed Alexander Stadium.

In Munich's Olympia stadion, McColgan took it upon herself to increase the pace after a relaxed opening kilometre and by halfway only Can, defending champion Salpeter and Germany's Konstanze Klosterhalfen were able to remain in touch.

But Can, champion in 2016, made her stunning bid for gold with over a quarter of the race remaining, surging away from the competition to leave McColgan and Salpeter to chase.

While they could not close the gap, McColgan was able to move clear of Salpeter on the final lap, finishing in 30:41.05.

Defending Champions Set to Return to the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced today the return of its defending champions as the event continues to build on its comeback to global racing. Ruth Chepngetich (KEN), Seifu Tura (ETH), Tatyana McFadden (USA) and Daniel Romanchuk (USA) will be at the helm of this year’s elite field with a strong contingency of the world’s best athletes vying to dethrone them. The stage will be set for a fierce competition up front, highlighting Chicago’s long tradition of record chases, fast times, and gripping finishes.

“We’re thrilled to welcome our defending champions back to Grant Park this fall,” said Carey Pinkowski, Executive Race Director of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. “Chicago has a storied history of head-to-head competitions, world records and some of the best elite racing in marathon running. This year’s competition, which also includes American half marathon record holder Emily Sisson and American half marathon champion Conner Mantz making his debut, is going to bring much energy and enthusiasm to fans and spectators. We are ready for October 9.”

Defending Champions Return

Chepngetich, the 2019 World Marathon champion and the fourth fastest woman in the history of marathon running, started on a world record pace at the 2021 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, dropping her pacer eight miles in while racing against the clock. She decelerated over the second half of the course but had enough to take the crown in 2:22:31. Chepngetich, who is self-coached, kicked off her 2022 season with a win and a course record at the Nagoya Marathon (2:17:18). She recently dropped out the of the World Championships Women’s Marathon due to health issues but is ready to take to the streets of Chicago and defend her title.

Unlike the fast pace set by Chepngetich, Tura ran a controlled strategic race last fall in the elite men’s race, waiting until 38K to pull ahead and win the biggest race of his career so far. Tura, who holds a 2:04:29 personal best, clocked 2:06:12 to win last year. His 2022 season includes a personal best in the half marathon, 58:36, and a second place finish in the Paris Marathon. Following last year’s victory, Tura noted that he was not prepared for warm weather, but that he was “determined to fight to the very end.” Tura’s determination may make him just the fifth man in Chicago’s history to win twice in a row.

In the wheelchair competition, McFadden, whose nine titles make her the most decorated athlete in Bank of America Chicago Marathon history, returns to contend for her 10th win. McFadden boasts 20 Paralympic medals, including eight gold medals, 24 World Marathon Major wins, including four consecutive Grand Slams (first place in Boston, Chicago, New York City and London in the same year) and has broken six world records in track and field.

Romanchuk, a two-time Paralympian, completed the Bank of America Chicago Marathon hat trick with a victory last fall and returns to pursue a fourth title. Romanchuk rose to the top of road racing in 2018 and his campaign continues today. At the 2020 Paralympic Games, he took home a gold on the track and a bronze in the marathon.

Sisson and Mantz Headline Strong American Field

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has a long history of welcoming America’s best runners across its finish line, stretching back to Joan Benoit Samuelson setting the American record en route to her victory in 1985. Khalid Khannouchi dominated at the turn of the century with four victories, including both world and American records, Deena Kastor clutched the win in 2005, and Galen Rupp stole the show in 2017. Last October saw five American men and seven American women finish in the top 10, a feat that highlights the strength of U.S. distance running. This year’s field includes several top American runners, including Emily Sisson and Conner Mantz.

Sisson, a six-time national champion and the American half marathon record holder (1:07:11), could put the American Marathon record (2:19:12) in jeopardy as she races to break the tape in Chicago. Sisson stands out as one of the most dominant American women on the track and the roads, making her Olympic debut in the 10,000m at the Tokyo Olympics and her marathon debut in 2019 in London. Sisson ran the fastest ever marathon debut by an American on a record eligible course (2:23:08), and she set an Olympic trials record in the 10,000m on the track (31:09) in 2021, breaking a record that stood for 17 years. This October marks Sisson’s first appearance in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

Mantz, known for his front-running style and capacity to handle pain (referred to as the “Mantz pain chamber”), made a splash on the collegiate level, winning the NCAA Division I Cross Country championships in 2020 and 2021, and earning his first U.S. title in the half marathon in 2021. Mantz’s time in the half marathon, 1:00:55, ranks him ninth on the all-time American list of half marathon performances. Mantz, an exciting newcomer to welcome to the marathon distance, could conquer the American marathon debut record, 2:07:56, set in 2019. Mantz is coached by 1994 Chicago Marathon runner-up, Ed Eyestone.

The Elite Fields

In addition to Sisson, Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN), Vivian Kiplagat (KEN) and Haven Hailu (ETH) are among some of this year’s elite women hoping to prevent a repeat victory from Chepngetich. Chepchirchir, winner of the 2019 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, enters this year’s race fresh off a personal best, 2:20:10, set at the Seoul International Marathon. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon marks her Abbott World Marathon Major (AbbottWMM) debut. Kiplagat, winner of the 2022 Milan Marathon in a personal best, 2:20:18, ran valiantly in Chicago last year, attempting to stay on Chepngetich’s heels before fading to fifth place. Like Chepchirchir, Hailu will be making her first appearance in an AbbottWMM. Hailu made her marathon debut in 2020, set a personal best, 2:20:19, in 2021 to take third in Amsterdam, and claimed her first marathon victory in Rotterdam this past April.

Laura Thweatt (USA), Sarah Sellers (USA) and Sara Vaughn (USA) lead a strong delegation of American women. Thweatt holds a marathon personal best of 2:25:38, and finished eighth in both Chicago (2019) and New York (2021). Sellers initially turned heads in 2018 when she finished second in the Boston Marathon while running from the open field. Sellers smashed her PR to finish second at this spring’s Grandma’s Marathon in 2:25:43. Vaughn, a versatile runner who started her career on the track as a 1500m runner, made her marathon debut in 2021, winning the California International Marathon in 2:26:53. Vaughn’s time stands out as the fifth fastest debut ever by an American woman.

The women’s field also includes Diane Nukuri (USA), Ursula Sanchez (MEX), Carrie Verdon (USA) and local favorite Kristen Heckert (USA).

In the men’s competition, Tura will be chased to the line by compatriots Herpasa Negasa (ETH), Dawit Wolde (ETH), Asrar Abderehman (ETH), Ugandan Olympian Stephen Kissa and Kenyan Benson Kipruto.

Negasa had a career breakthrough in 2019 when he subtracted nearly six minutes from his marathon PR in Dubai to run 2:03:40. He comes to Chicago after a strong second place performance in Seoul, clocking 2:04:49. Wolde initially made a name for himself as a junior competitor on the track. His transition to the roads started in 2014, and he boasts a marathon personal best of 2:04:27, set in 2021 to finish third in Rotterdam. Abderehman made headlines in February when he broke the course record at the Zurich Seville Marathon, taking three minutes off his PR to run 2:04:43. Chicago marks his first appearance in an AbbottWMM.

Kissa, a 2020 Olympian in the 10,000m, stands out as an exciting athlete to watch. He brings years of track speed to the road, recently debuting in the marathon in 2:04:48. In addition to the Olympic Games, he also represented Uganda at the World Championships Half Marathon. The Chicago Marathon marks his first time racing in the United States and his first time racing in an AbbottWMM. Kipruto’s 2:05:13 personal best may not be the fastest in the field, but he has performed well at the marathon distance, winning the Boston and Prague Marathons in 2021 and finishing third in Boston this April. He also finished seventh in London in 2020 and won the Toronto Marathon in 2018.

The men’s field also includes sixth place finisher in 2021 and local elite Colin Mickow, Hiroto Fujimagari (JPN), John Korir (KEN), Frank Lara (USA) and making his debut, Patrick Tiernan (AUS).

Hodgkinson and Muir lead the British charge in the middle and long distances in Munich 2022

For Keely Hodgkinson, another silver lining would come as nothing close to consolation at the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships from 15-21 August, part of the wider multisport European Championships from 11-21 August.

Having finished in the runner-up position in the 800m finals at the World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games in the past three weeks - and in the Olympic final in Tokyo a year ago, for that matter – the 20-year-old Briton will be on a redemption run for gold in the Bavarian capital.

After missing out by a tantalising 0.08 in a titanic home straight tussle with Athing Mu at the World Championships in Oregon on 22 July, Hodgkinson had Commonwealth gold within her grasp on home ground in Birmingham last Saturday (6) until Kenya’s Mary Moraa came charging past halfway down the home straight.

It is a measure of the meteoric progress Hodgkinson has made under the guidance of Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows that major championship silver medals have come as a disappointment. It was only last year that she made her senior breakthrough, winning the European Indoor title in Torun at the age of 19.

First place in an outdoor European 800m final would be one better than her co-coach managed. Meadows finished second to Yvonne Hak of the Netherlands in Barcelona 2010 albeit after initial winner Mariya Savinova was disqualified for an anti-doping violation.

There have been two British winners of the two-lap event: Lynsey Sharp in Helsinki in 2012 - again retroactively - and the great Lillian Board in Athens in 1969. A third British success in Munich would be a poignant one, given the prodigiously talented Board’s tragic fate.

A 400m silver medalist at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, she was cruelly cut down by cancer before she had a shot at 800m gold at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. After traveling to Munich in search of a cure, she died in a clinic in the city in December 1970, 13 days past her 22nd birthday.

Second fastest on the 800m entry-list - both in personal and season’s bests - is Hodgkinson’s British teammate Jemma Reekie. The 24-year-old Scot finished fourth in the Olympic final last year but has been struggling for form this summer in the wake of glandular fever, placing fifth in the Commonwealth 1500m final last Sunday (7).

Three other women in the field have run inside 1:59 this year: Slovenia’s former 400m specialist Anita Horvat, who finished a surprise seventh in the World Championships; France’s Renelle Lamote, silver medalist at the last two European Championships; and Elena Bello of Italy.

Switzerland also boasts two potential medal contenders: in 18-year-old world U20 silver medallist Audrey Werro, who clocked 1:59.53 in that race in Cali, and Lore Hoffmann, who narrowly missed out on a place in the final in Oregon.

Ukrainians Nataliya Krol (formerly Pryshchepa) and Olha Lyakhova, who won gold and bronze in Berlin 2018, are also on the entry-list but neither athlete has broken the sub-2:00 barrier so far in 2022.

A fourth major 1500m medal in 12 months beckons for Muir

Hodgkinson’s compatriot Laura Muir defends the 1500m crown she gained in Berlin four years ago in buoyant mood, having collected world bronze and Commonwealth gold at the distance in successive weeks, together with Commonwealth 800m bronze.

The Scot’s closest challengers are likely to be Poland’s fast-finishing Sofia Ennaoui, who took silver behind Muir in 2018 and who showed a timely return to form with fifth place in the Oregon final, and Ireland’s Ciara Mageean, who was an impressive runner-up to Muir in the colors of Northern Ireland in last Sunday’s Commonwealth final.

Another Scot who struck gold on the Commonwealth stage in Birmingham, Eilish McColgan, is entered for both the 5000m and 10,000m in Munich.

A stunning winner of the 10,000m in Birmingham, and silver medalist in the 5000m, the 31-year-old is due to tackle her third championship double in less than a month, having placed tenth in the 10,000m and eleventh in the 5000m at the World Championships.

McColgan, who is preparing to make her marathon debut in London in October, is as indefatigable as her celebrated mother and coach Liz, the 1991 world 10,000m champion, but cumulative championship fatigue could well undermine her – particularly in the 5000m.

Norway’s Karoline Grovdal finished eighth in the World Athletics Championships final and the 2018 steeplechase bronze medalist, who also finished third in the 10,000m in 2016, could start the marginal favorite.

Weakened after a bout of coronavirus, Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen failed to make it beyond the 5000m heats in Eugene but should be in more robust form for her second home European Athletics Championships where she is planning to contest both the 5000m and 10,000m along with Turkey’s Yasemin Can.

Can completed a 5000/10,000m double in Amsterdam 2016 and will be contesting both events again in Munich. Other challengers to McColgan at the longer distance will be fellow Briton Jess Judd - who finished one place behind her, in eleventh, in the World Athletics Championships final - and reigning 10,000m champion Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel who won gold on a brutally hot and humid evening in Berlin four years ago.

Salpeter has set herself a challenging schedule as she will be attempting to defend her European title only one month after winning bronze in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. 

World Championships Medalists Gotytom Gebreslase, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, and Hellen Obiri to Join Women’s Field at 2022 TCS New York

Sara Hall, Emma Bates, Aliphine Tuliamuk, Des Linden, Nell Rojas, and Stephanie Bruce to anchor star-studded contingent of American women.

World Championships medalists Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel, and Hellen Obiri of Kenya will join previously announced New York City and Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir in the women’s professional athlete division at this year’s TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday November 6. All three will make their TCS New York City Marathon debuts, with Obiri making her 26.2-mile debut across any course, and will line up against a star-studded contingent of American women that includes Sara Hall, Emma Bates, Aliphine Tuliamuk, Des Linden, Nell Rojas, and Stephanie Bruce. The 2022 TCS New York City Marathon women’s professional athlete field is presented by Mastercard®.

Women’s Open Division

Fresh off her victory at the world championships marathon, where she finished the course in a championship-record time of 2:18:11, Gebreslase will make New York City her next stop. She will look to add a five-borough title to her resume, having previously won the 2021 Berlin Marathon and finished third at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon.

“Winning the World Championships was like a dream, and I am honored to run my next marathon in New York City,” Gebreslase said. “It’s home to the biggest marathon in the world, and many of the top athletes have run there. I understand it’s a challenging course, and I’m looking forward to seeing further success there.”

Two-time Olympian Salpeter, a Kenyan-born Israeli who won the bronze medal at the world championships marathon and was the 2020 Tokyo Marathon winner, will challenge Gebreslase once again. Obiri, a two-time Olympic medalist and seven-time individual world championships medalist, will make her highly anticipated marathon debut shortly after winning a world championships silver over 10,000 meters.

“I’m very excited to make my marathon debut at the TCS New York City Marathon,” Obiri said. “I have watched the race many times on TV and have seen my Kenyan colleagues compete there. I know New York is a tough course, but I hope my experience on track, road, and cross-country will help me navigate the ups and downs. I also plan to get advice and tips from coach Dathan Ritzenhein, who competed in the race several times in the past.”

In addition to Jepchirchir, the group will be racing against Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi, who will look to become the first athlete to win the United Airlines NYC Half, Mastercard New York Mini 10K, and TCS New York City Marathon in one year. Three other Kenyans will also be strong contenders for podium places, including the 2010 New York City, 2014 London and 2017 Boston Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, last year’s runner-up Viola Cheptoo, and newcomer Sharon Lokedi.

The American effort will be led by 10-time national champion Hall, who was the top world championships marathon finisher from the U.S. last month in Oregon, where she placed fifth. She is also the former half marathon national record holder, the runner-up from the 2020 London Marathon, and a two-time winner of the Mastercard New York Mini 10K. She will be joined at the Staten Island start line by Bates, who clocked a personal best to finish seventh at the world championships and was the runner-up at last year’s Chicago Marathon.

“From winning the Millrose mile to back-to-back Mini 10K wins, most of my favorite career moments have happened in NYC,” Hall said. “I’m all-in to add to that by having my best marathon yet at the TCS New York City Marathon. I can’t wait to be back racing my heart out in the five boroughs of my favorite city.”

Tokyo 2020 Olympian Aliphine Tuliamuk, and two-time Olympian and 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden, will also return to New York, as will national champion Stephanie Bruce, who will race the five boroughs for the final time before retiring. The deep U.S. women’s group will additionally include Nell Rojas, the top American finisher from the last two Boston Marathons, Lindsay Flanagan, the top American finisher from the 2022 United Airlines NYC Half, Annie Frisbie, last year’s seventh-place finisher, and her training partner Dakotah Lindwurm, who won Grandma’s Marathon in June. Emily Durgin, the sixth-fastest U.S. half marathoner of all-time, will make her marathon debut.

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri is moving to Colorado to pursue her marathon ambitions

When Hellen Obiri moves 14,000 kilometers from Kenya to Colorado later this year, she already knows she'll miss some of the comforts of home.

That includes Kenyan food and the country's staple of ugali -- a dense porridge made from maize flour.

"Kenyans, we like eating ugali," Obiri tells CNN Sport. "I will have to find where I'm going to make my Kenyan food over there (in the United States)."

A good ugali may hold the keys to successfully fueling the next steps of her distance-running career. Obiri, a two-time world champion over 5,000 meters, is racing her first ever marathon in New York later this year, ahead of which she will team up with a new coach and new training group in Boulder, Colorado. 

It's common for distance runners to make the move from track to road racing towards the end of their careers, but less common to do so by moving halfway across the world in the way Obiri has planned. 

At the start of this year, the 32-year-old joined On Athletics Club (OAC), an elite team based in Boulder and led by former distance runner Dathan Ritzenhein. She hopes to move to the US next month in advance of racing the New York City Marathon on November 6.

"We've been wanting to move to the USA for training and to live there, so for me it's not a difficult move," Obiri, who will be based outside Kenya for the first time in her career, tells CNN. 

"I think as an athlete and for my family, I want to move there to acclimatize well as soon as possible ... It will take me two weeks at least to get used to it and catch up with my training.

Boulder's high-altitude, rolling trails and temperate climate make it an ideal location for distance runners. There, Obiri will join a relatively new team in OAC, which was launched by the Swiss sportswear brand On in 2020.

Under Ritzenhein's guidance, Obiri has already started her marathon program and this week increases her training load from 180 to 200 kilometers of running per week. She begins the next chapter in her career having established herself as one of the best 5,000 and 10,000-meter runners in the world over the past five years. 

Just last month, she won a silver medal in the 10,000m at the World Athletics Championships -- clocking a personal best of 30 minutes and 10 seconds -- and has won 5,000m silver medals at the past two Olympic Games to go alongside her two world titles in the event. 

'It showed me how strong our bodies can be,' says amputee athlete Jacky Hunt-Broersma after running 104 marathons in 104 days

Her debut in New York will be the first indicator of how Obiri's track-running pedigree translates over the 26.2 miles of the marathon.

"I can't say I'm going to target this time or this time -- it's my debut," she says. "I can't say maybe I want to do sub 2:20, 2:25 because I know the New York Marathon is a tough course, especially the second half."

Starting on Staten Island, the challenging course undulates through New York's five boroughs before finishing down Fifth Avenue and into Central Park. 

"For me, I want to train well because it's my debut, and for sure, I'm looking forward to running a good race -- I'm looking forward to running my own race with no pressure and to finish well," Obiri adds. 

She says she will miss racing her favorite distance of 5,000m but won't fully hang up her track spikes with the switch to marathon running.

"You can't move up to the marathon without speed," Obiri explains, adding that she hopes to stay sharp by competing in 5,000m races in Kenya next year.

The immediate focus, however, is on getting settled with her family in the US. Obiri hopes, visa-depending, that her seven-year-old daughter, Tania, will move in time to watch the race in New York. 

"She's going to be so excited to go outside the country," says Obiri. "She actually watches most of my races and she's so excited about me winning some races over there.

"When I'm out at a race, she knows mommy's not around, mommy's going out there to do some work. She actually calls me and says: 'Mom, do your best and be number one.' She always wants me to be number one."

Obiri's daughter won't be the only one holding high expectations at the NYC Marathon. Kenyan athletes have dominated the event over the past decade with eight winners in the women's race since 2010, and those watching back home will be hoping Obiri can add to that legacy. 

But regardless of how she performs, when she winds her way through New York's five boroughs in November, Obiri will signal the start of a new stage in her running career and a new adventure for her family.

Anthony Cortes won his third official Double Racing event over the last eight months

Anthony Cortes (first photo) from Half Moon Bay, California won his third straight Double Racing event August 7 in San Francisco.  He clocked 25:21 for the Double 8k.

Double racing veteran Jose Pina was just 23 seconds behind in second place.  Anthony had won the 5k (15:59)  and Jose did close the gap by four seconds running at 4:59/mile pace but not enough to over take Anthony.  Times from the two legs of a Double are added together for scoring.

Participants in the Double 8k first ran 5k at 8:20am and then 3k at 9:35am.  The runner (male and female) who wins the first leg wears the yellow jersey in the second leg so everyone knows who they need to beat in the second leg.

In the female division 14-year-old Evey Powell (second photo with her mom in red cheering her on) from England blew away the field clocking 30:31. 7th best time ever. Her 12-year-old sister won the open 5k clocking 22:05 earlier in the day.

71-year-old Sharlet Gilbert from Richmond, California clocked 44:29 to win the 70 plus division.  This is the second fastest time for this divison.  She set the record in 2021 clocking 43:38 on the same course.

The best time ever for the Double 8K was clocked Sept 6, 2015 in Nyahururu, Kenya.  17-year-old Eligah Kariuki from Kenya posted 23:33.  Kristen Rohde (USA) holds the women's record clocking 27:34 in Palo Alto, Califonria Feb 19, 2017. 

At most Double Racing events there are also open races.  At this recent event there was also the Golden Gate 10k and 5k run/walk.

Nina Zarin’s from Arlington Va was the overal winner in the Golden Gate 10k clocking a blistering 35:59. First male was Noah Gonzalez clocking a solid 37:36.

18-year-old Dominic Robles won the Golden Gate 5k clocking a fine 16:54.

"What a fun morning we had in San Francisco August 7. The weather was perfect for our sold out field," said race director Bob Anderson.

This was an official Double Racing event sanctioned by the Double Road Race Federation (DRRF) which was founded in 2010 when the sport was created.  Over 150 events have already been held in six countries.  

There are four official Double Racing events: Double 5k (3k+break+2k), Double 8k (5k+break+2k), featured event Double 15k (10k+break+5k) and Double 21k (15k+break+6k).  Stats, records and more details can be found on the website DoubleRoadRace.com 

The next Double Racing events scheduled are: Palo Alto Californiua Dec 17 (Double 15k), Brisbane California (Double 15k) March 2023 and Golden Gate August 6, 2023.

"If you would like to set up an official Double Racing event get in touch," says Double Racing creator Bob Anderson. 

My Best Runs is the official sponsor of the DRRF.

Aliphine Tuliamuk will make marathon return at 2022 New York City Marathon

For Aliphine Tuliamuk, the decision to run in the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon was a no-brainer. The 33-year-old ran the event back in 2019, finishing 12th, and she never thought it would take three years before a return trip to Staten Island’s start line.

“It was not even, you know, a matter of if – it was just when can I get to New York? So, it was not even a decision. Easy,” explains the Kenyan-born American long-distance runner, who made a name for herself in February 2020 when she won the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

But the Covid-19 pandemic hit immediately after her Trials win, postponing the Olympics and canceling that year’s edition of the NYC Marathon. During the forced hiatus, she started a family with partner – now husband – Tim Gannon, welcoming daughter Zoe in January 2021. Injury struck later that year while she was training for the postponed Tokyo Olympics, and Tuliamuk withdrew about 20k into her Olympic debut with severe hip pain and hasn’t competed in a marathon since.

Her return to marathon competition has Tuliamuk fired up, both literally and figuratively.

“I’m faster than I’ve ever been before,” she recently told On Her Turf. “And it kind of makes me excited and nervous to see what (the) New York City Marathon brings, because this is going to be the first time I am actually going to complete a marathon since the 2020 Olympic Trials. That’s like, almost three years. So it’s going to be super exciting.”

Tuliamuk won’t have to wait until November, however, to enjoy a visit to the Big Apple. She’ll lace up her sneakers this Saturday, Aug. 13, as a “running buddy” to the young women who participate in the New York Road Runners (NYRR) Run for the Future program. The free, seven-week program introduces 11th- and 12-grade female high schoolers to the sport of running and culminates with this weekend’s NYRR Percy Sutton Harlem 5K.

“Running transformed my life into the life that I have today,” she explains. “I mean, without running I wouldn’t be where I am today. And to know that these girls did not have running experience before, they knew nothing about running, and then they were able to get into running through New York Road Runner feeder program, and now they will be graduating, and I get to run with them? I think that’s just incredible.”

The opportunity comes with an extra layer of “grateful” after Tuliamuk’s most recent injury. She sustained a concussion in February after slipping while training in icy, snowy conditions. She also suffered headaches and temporary memory loss, both of which subsided after about a week but left a lasting impression.

“It just gives you a perspective that like your life could literally, in a second, just turn and be something else,” she says. “This is just me being dramatic, but I could have forgotten completely. And the life that I had would have been something like a past life. I think after that, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to try to live life to the fullest.’ I’m going try to be present as much as I can, because you just never know.”

Three-time champion Philemon Rono will defend title at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Kenya native Philemon Rono will return to the 2022 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Canada Running Series (CRS) announced Tuesday. Rono holds the all-comers record of 2:05:00, from 2019, when he won the race for the third time. He has one goal for his return this year: to win.

“My aim when I come to Toronto is to do another fantastic job and to be known as the ‘King of Toronto,” he said. In 2020, Rono ran his second fastest time in Valencia in 2:05:37, and finished 6th in the 2022 Seoul Marathon in 2:07:03 in April of this year.

Rono trains in Kaptagat, Kenya, at double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge’s NN Running Team training camp. Some of Kenya’s most legendary distance runners live at the camp throughout the week and return to their families on weekends. The small-framed but mighty runner has a curious nickname. When not training or racing, Rono works as a police officer, so his teammates started calling him “Baby Police” and it stuck.

Rono is the third elite to announce his return to the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, along with Canadian Olympian Trevor Hofbauer and the fastest Canadian female marathoner in history, Malindi Elmore .

Rono has fond memories of Toronto, despite suffering an accident while warming up for his 2016 victory. A barrier he was using to stretch came crashing down on his head. After consulting his agent and a medic he went ahead and won the race in 2:08:26. 

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has earned a World Athletics Elite label, making it only the second race in Canada with the title. It is the final event in the CRS calendar for 2022. The race has served as both the Athletics Canada Canadian Marathon Championship and the Canadian Olympic marathon trials since 2017.

Galen Rupp will headline New York City Marathon

One of the best distance runners in U.S. history will make his debut at the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Galen Rupp will headline the men’s professional field, which is one of the strongest in recent history with 13 Olympians and six national record holders on Sunday, Nov. 6.

Rupp has competed at every Olympics since 2008, winning silver in the 10,000m in London 2012 and a bronze in the marathon in Rio 2016. He also won the 2017 Chicago Marathon and was the runner-up there last year.

“I am looking forward to making my debut in the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon,” Rupp said in a press release. “This will be my 12th marathon, so I have a lot of experience on my resume. I know a win at the TCS New York City Marathon would be right up there.”

An American man has not won the race since Meb Keflezighi in 2009. 

The reigning champion, Albert Korir of Kenya, will return to defend his TCS New York City Marathon title after taking the tape last year in 2:08:22 to finish one spot better and 14 seconds faster than his runner-up performance in 2019. His victory marked his first Abbott World Marathon Majors win. Korir had previous marathon wins at Elite-label races in Houston, Ottawa, and Vienna City.

Last year’s runner-up, Morocco’s Mohammed El Aaraby, and the 2020 London Marathon champion, Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata, will join Korir and Rupp at the start line. Kenya’s Evans Chebet will also be in the mix, looking to add another world marathon title. The defending Boston Marathon champion and has top five in Berlin, London, and Tokyo, and will be making his first start in New York. Tokyo Olympic silver medalist and Dutch national record holder Abdi Nageeye will also return to New York to better his fifth-place finish in 2021.

Other international stars include Brazilian Olympian and South American marathon record-holder Daniel Do Nascimento, who was eighth at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, and Japan’s Suguru Osako, who was third at the 2018 Chicago Marathon and fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Marathon. Both will be making their TCS New York City Marathon debuts.

Five-time U.S. Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, who has six career top-10 NYC finishes to his name, will make his final start at the 2022 marathon. The 45-year-old distance runner has announced he will retire from professional competition at the end of 2022. Abdirahman finished third in the NYC marathon in 2016. 

Amusan and Richards join list of double champions at Commonwealth Games

World champion Tobi Amusan and world indoor champion Jereem Richards had a successful Sunday (7) on the final day of athletics action at the Commonwealth Games, as they joined Elaine Thompson-Herah and Jacob Kiplimo as double gold medalists in Birmingham.

The Nigerian sprint hurdler started the day by winning her specialist discipline, the 100m hurdles, in a Games record of 12.30 (-0.2m/s) – the second-fastest wind-legal clocking of her career behind the world record of 12.12 she clocked at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.

She won by a clear margin from Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas (12.58) and England’s Cindy Sember (12.59), all of whom finished inside the previous Games record.

“I think my first five hurdles were rusty but then I got it together,” said Amusan. “I’m just thankful for the win.”

Later in the morning session, Amusan ran the lead-off leg for Nigeria in the 4x100m. She gave her team a strong start and handed over to 200m silver medalist Favour Ofili, who kept Nigeria level with England’s Imani Lansiquot. Rosemary Chukwuma than ran a storming third leg to give Nigeria a clear lead, then Grace Nwokocha anchored them to victory in 42.10, taking 0.12 off the African record they had set when finishing fourth at the recent World Championships.

England finished second in 42.41 and Jamaica, anchored by double sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, took bronze in 43.08.

Much to the delight of the home crowd, England took victory in the men’s 4x100m just moments before the women’s race. They won in 38.35 from Trinidad & Tobago (38.70) and Nigeria (38.81).

Later in the day, Commonwealth 200m champion Jereem Richards added another gold medal to his collection, anchoring Trinidad & Tobago to victory in the men’s 4x400m. The world indoor 400m champion teamed up with Dwight St Hillaire, Asa Guevara and Machel Cedenio to win in 3:01.29 with Botswana finishing second in 3:01.85. Kenya placed third in 3:02.41.

The women’s race was much closer with hosts England crossing the line in first place 0.01 ahead of Canada. But England was later disqualified for a lane infringement, giving Canada gold in 3:25.84 ahead of Jamaica (3:26.93). Scotland took the bronze medal.

Matthew Kimeli (28:38) And Fentyea Belayneh (32:06) Win Beach To Beacon 10k

Beach to Beacon returns after 2-year absence: ‘It’s great to be back!’

A carnival of calves, quads and cowbells came back to this seaside town Saturday, after an absence of 1,099 days.

More than 5,000 runners paraded over the roads of Cape Elizabeth on a warm and cloudless morning in the 24th edition of the venerable TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race. Because of the pandemic, the race was canceled in 2020 and held virtually in 2021.

“It’s great to be back!” said Joan Benoit Samuelson, the race founder who grew up in Cape Elizabeth and went on to win the inaugural women’s Olympic marathon in the Los Angeles Games of 1984.

Along the route, which winds onto Old Ocean House Road before returning to Route 77 and continuing onto Shore Road until entering Fort Williams for the finish along a well-watered strip of green grass in sight of the lighthouse, spectators were abundant if not as thick as in past years.

The folks near the Mile 5 marker who grill bacon were back, enticing runners with mouth-watering scents of breakfast. (Beach to Bacon, reads their sign.) Bands and music added merriment and encouragement.

“It was so fun,” said Amy Davis, a Wisconsin native who placed fourth among all women. “The crowds get into it and the community, and it propels you forward. You feel like you’re never alone. That was really cool.”

Davis, 25, is the daughter of Nan Doak-Davis, a former national marathon champion who competed alongside Samuelson back in the day.

Befitting the 50th anniversary of Title IX legislation that opened doors long closed to female athletes, the women’s field on Saturday featured a dramatic race led for long stretches by Standish native Emily Durgin, a graduate of Cheverus High in Portland and the University of Connecticut.

The 28-year-old Durgin, now living and training in Flagstaff, Arizona, was runner-up by nine seconds to Fentaye Belayneh of Ethiopia. In her American road-racing debut, the 21-year-old Belayneh covered the 6.2 miles from Crescent Beach to the Portland Head Light in 32 minutes, 7 seconds.

No American woman has won Beach to Beacon. The only American man to do so is North Yarmouth native Ben True, six years ago. On Thursday night, True decided for health reasons to remain home in New Hampshire.

True’s absence paved the way for Mathew Kimeli, 24, of Kenya to run away from the men’s field. Hampered only by a brief entanglement with yellow caution tape after he turned onto Shore Road in Mile 4, Kimeli crossed the line with arms upraised in a winning time of 28:39.

Belayneh and Kimeli each received $10,000 for their victories. Durgin took home $5,000 for second place and another $5,000 as the top American finisher.

Because her connecting flight was canceled Thursday night, Durgin rented a car with her boyfriend and drove to Maine from Philadelphia on Friday, stopping at her favorite Connecticut diner (in Vernon) along the way.

“It was less stress because I knew I was coming to a familiar place,” said Durgin, whose parents picked up their luggage from the Portland jetport. “If I was going anyplace else, I probably would have gotten back on the plane and gone back to Phoenix.”

Once on the course, Durgin said she was surprised by the relatively pedestrian early pace – the first mile passed in 5:12 – until she realized her competitors were playing it safe amid hot and humid conditions.

“Then I found myself leading the whole race,” she said. “This is the first time that I’ve seen myself in the lead. It was not a super-familiar feeling.”

Kimeli’s time was the slowest for a men’s champion in race history. Belayneh’s was the slowest winning women’s time since 2011.

“The race was humid, and a lot of slopes,” said Kimeli, who was forced to stop to remove the tape from his leg when he couldn’t shake free from it. “Thank goodness we were not in a group. Maybe I would fall down if we were in a group.”

Twenty seconds passed before the surprise runner-up, Athanas Kioko, passed beneath the final banner. A recent graduate of Campbell University in Georgia, the 27-year-old Kioko registered for the race on Monday, picked up his four-digit bib number Saturday morning after a travel nightmare rivaled only by that of Durgin, and picked off two runners in the final mile to beat every invited elite athlete save Kimeli.

Two flight cancellations Friday morning in Atlanta forced Kioko to accept a diversion to Chicago, endure a four-hour layover, and eventually wind up in Manchester, New Hampshire. After a brief night in a motel, some Kenyan friends from Boston picked him up at 4:30 a.m. on their way to Maine. He got his bib at Cape Elizabeth High School less than an hour before the race, hopped on a bus to the start and enjoyed a 10-minute warm-up before the gun fired.

“Due to traveling, my lower back was a bit painful,” Kioko said. “But right now, I’m not tired.”

The Maine resident category saw a pair of first-time winners. Biddeford native Sam Mills, 21, whooped with joy before crossing the finish line in 31:09. Aly Ursiny of Yarmouth, 34, a mother of two who moved here from Boston last winter, was the fastest Maine woman in 36:17.

Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot digs deep to deliver Commonwealth steeplechase gold

Abraham Kibiwot was made to sweat before winning the 3,000m steeplechase gold at the ongoing Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium on Saturday.

Kibiwott had to weather strong challenge from India's Avinash Mukund Sable to win in eight minutes and 11.15 seconds.

Mukund claimed silver in a Personal Best time of 8:11.20 as 2021 World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase Amos Serem grabbed bronze in 8:16.83.

Defending champion Conseslus Kipruto finished sixth in 8:34.98.

It was the third victory for Kenya at the Games with Ferdinand Omanyala (100m) and Jackline Chepkoech (3,000m steeplechase) having won gold in their respective events.

It brought to 12 the number of medals for Kenya; three gold, three silver and six bronze.

It was the first time Kenya failed to sweep all the podium places since 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games.

"I am happy to finally win after I got silver in 2018. It feels good," said Kibiwott adding that Kenya could have lost the title to the Indian if he had failed to inject in the pace.

"I know Mukund well from the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. He has beaten me once at some Diamond League race," said Kibiwott explaining that he is now at peace after the Tokyo Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships disappointment. "I won't rest until we have the Olympic and World titles back in Kenya," explained Kibiwott.

"I thank God for bronze. It was a fast race but I am happy Kibiwott's tactics worked otherwise it could have been bad. We thank God this far we have reached," said Serem.

"My lower back problem recurred midway through the race hence I couldn't push any further. I had to slow down," said Kipruto. "It's not a good performance but I am glad I finished the race. There's nothing much you can do with an injury."

Boniface Mweresa anchors Kenya to 4x400m Commonwealth Games final

The 2015 African Games 400m silver medalist Boniface Mweresa anchored Kenya’s 4x400m to victory in their heat to storm the final in athletics at the ongoing Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium.

Team Kenya head coach Julius Kirwa was forced to make changes at the last minute when Olympic and world 800m champion Emmanuel Korir, who was to compete, went missing.

Mweresa rallied from three places behind, taking down India Trinidad and Tobago to win heat two in season’s best three minutes and 06.76 seconds.

India settled second in 3:06.97 as Trinidad and Tobago came third in 3:07.22.

Defending champions Botswana won heat one in 3:05.11, beating Jamaica and Zambia to second and third places in 3:05.20 and 3:06.02 respectively.

It’s Wiseman Were who was the first man on the blocks to hand over the baton to William Rayan in third place before he stepped up, handing over the baton to William Mbevi in second place.

Mbevi fell back one place in the last changeover to Mweresa, who injected in some pace to swing to the lead at the last bend before winning.

The quartet of David Kitur, Samson Kitur, Simeon Kipkemboi and Stephen Mwanzia is the last to win the 4x400m title for Kenya during the 1990 Auckland Games in New Zealand.

Kenya had won three 4x400m titles back-to-back starting with the inaugural Edinburgh Games in Scotland before the 1974 Christchurch, New Zealand and 1978 Edmonton, Canada Games.

After the 1990 exploits, Kenya has only claimed one medal from the Games since then, the silver medal from the 2010 Delhi Games, India.

“We took it easy just to put our foot in the final before planning how we shall pitch for a medal. We hope that medal will be gold,” said Rayan. “We are really prepared and ready for the final.”

Rayan said staying focused and having a settled mind will deliver victory for Kenya.

Mbevi, who fell at the exchange was wheeled out of the arena for medical attention.

"I am not in a position to tell you where Korir went. We have been looking for him but couldn't locate him," said Kirwa.

However, Korir, who won his 400m heat but got disqualified for lane infringement, is drawn in the men's 800m final at the Silesia leg of the Diamond League on Saturday in Poland. 

Thompson-Herah and Omanyala take 100 meter golds

Elaine Thompson-Herah, the only one of Jamaica's "Big Three" women to show up at the Commonwealth Games, was rewarded with the 100 meters gold medal on Wednesday, while Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala powered to the men's title.

Thompson-Herah, twice the 100/200m sprint champion at the Olympics, finished third in last month's World Championship 100 final behind Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. She was originally only a reserve for the Commonwealths but when Fraser-Pryce opted out, she stepped in.

With Dina-Asher Smith, fourth in Eugene, also absent through injury, Thompson-Herah was the clear favorite for her first individual Commonwealth title.

She had looked a little tired in her semi-final but grabbed the early lead in the final and ran her usual smooth race to finish a comfortable winner in 10.95 seconds.

"Feeling good, I didn't have the best execution but nevertheless I had to dig for that one but I am still grateful to win my first Commonwealth Games," she said.

"I started in 2014 in the 4x100m. Then in 2018 in the 200m I came fourth and now I upgraded to a gold."

Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred was on her shoulder throughout for silver in 11.01 while England’s Daryll Neita recovered well from a terrible start to grab bronze in 11.07.

Omanyala, who set an African record of 9.77 seconds last year, served a 14 month doping ban four years ago. He failed to make the final at last month's World Championships after arriving in the United States hours before the heats due to visa problems.

Impressive in the semi-final he looked the favourite on Wednesday and duly controlled the final from gun to tape, flying out of the blocks and surging clear and looking more like a barrelling rugby prop than a sprinter to win in 10.02 seconds.

He is the second Kenyan to take the title after Seraphino Antao in 1962, when the event was still run over 100 yards.

South Africa's defending champion Akani Simbine took silver in 10.13 with Yupun Abeykoon from Sri Lanka getting the bronze in 10.14.

Eilish McColgan wins Commonwealth gold in a dazzling record performance

Scotland’s Eilish McColgan ran the race of her lifetime to win Commonwealth Games gold in the women’s 10,000m with her coach and mom Liz McColgan watching on (second photo). She ran a Commonwealth Games record of 30:48.60 to follow in the footsteps of her mother 32 years ago.

McColgan took the lead early on and began to inject some speed into the race after 6,000m. Irine Cheptai of Kenya followed suit, with the two athletes battling over the final 2,000m, surging back and forth. Cheptai put on a surge with two laps to go and McColgan held on. With 200 meters to go, the two were stride for stride, then McColgan pulled ahead, achieving glory in front of a (near) home crowd.

The sold-out crowd of 32,000 at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium roared as McColgan sprinted to her first gold medal at an international competition. She ran straight to her the arms of her mother, Liz, where the two shed tears of joy and triumph, while wrapped in the Scottish flag.

Cheptai, the 2017 world cross country champion, won the silver in 30:49.52 and her compatriot Sheila Kiprotich won bronze in 31:09.46.

This gold medal is a story of redemption for McColgan, who caught COVID-19 only weeks before her race at the 2022 World Championships last month.

The 31-year-old from Dundee, Scotland has previously won silver and bronze at the European Championships over 3,000 and 5,000m. She currently holds the British record over 5,000m, 5K, 10K and the half marathon.

McColgan will now shift her focus to training for London Marathon this October, where she hopes to become the first woman from Scotland to win the race since her mother did it 26 years ago.

Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo wins 10,000m gold at Commonwealth games

Kenya once again fell short of recapturing the men's 10,000m title at the Commonwealth Games as Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo won in a Championship Record time at the Alexander Stadium on Tuesday.

Kenyans Daniel Simiu and World Half Marathon silver medalist Kibiwott Kandie settled for silver and  bronze medals respectively.

Kiplimo clocked 27 minutes and 09.19 seconds to win as Uganda upheld their dominance, winning for the fifth consecutive time.

Simiu and Kandie returned personal best times of 27:11.26 and 27:20.34 respectively.

Wilberforce Talel is the last Kenyan to win the 10,000m title at the 'Club Games'.

Kiplimo is the fifth consecutive Ugandan to win the title. Simui and Kandie might have were happy to pull through with career best times.

“We had great team work but I guess Kiplimo’s good finishing kick was superior,” Simiu said.

“I tried to summon the rest with two laps to go but Kandie and Zakayo had drifted back.”

Simiu said he decided to hit the front with some energy left after the bell but it failed to work.

The victory by Kiplimo, the World Half Marathon champion, made the “Club” Games a family after his cousin Victor Kiplangat won men’s marathon on Saturday.

“My body simply failed to react. I knew I would best Kiplimo is the last two laps but I simply couldn’t move,” said Kandie. “I came here with the intentions of winning but at times it becomes difficult to explain some situations.” 

Simiu and Kandie now turn their focus to next year's World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, having hit the qualifying times at the Commonwealth Games. 

Kiplimo said he knew he had the gold medal when he went into the last two laps with the Kenyans.

"I am a good finisher and the race played well into my hands," said Kiplimo, who hopes to double up in the 5,000m.

Canadian Malindi Elmore will race TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The fastest Canadian female marathoner in history will be racing on Canadian soil this fall. Malindi Elmore has announced that she will be running the 2022 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 16. 

Enticed by the opportunity to lower her Canadian record, she is attracted to the fast and flat course on home soil. Elmore set the Canadian record with her 2:24:50 clocking at the 2020 Houston Marathon in what was only her second marathon.

“I definitely feel I haven’t had my best race yet,” Elmore said in a press release. “I think it’s going to line up with the perfect conditions to put together a fantastic build. That’s why I am excited to do Toronto.”

Although she lives and trains 5,000 kilometres away in Kelowna, Elmore knows that Toronto always attracts a high-calibre field. The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon has earned the distinguished World Athletics Elite Label, which puts the race alongside some of the world’s top marathons.

Elmore will not only have her eyes on achieving a personal best but also the Canadian women’s all-comers record of 2:22:16, held by Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai from the last time the marathon took place in 2019.

A year ago, Elmore finished ninth in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Only Canada’s Sylvia Ruegger has finished higher in an Olympic marathon. She was eighth at the boycotted 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“It was really special to finish in the top ten in the Olympics,” she said about her marathon achievement. She followed up her Olympic performance with an 11th place finish at the 2022 Boston Marathon in 2:27:58, which is the fastest time at Boston by a Canadian woman. 

“I do want to put together a really good buildup for Toronto,” said Elmore. “I would like to be able to get to the fitness level I had leading into Boston and Tokyo (Sapporo), and I hope that would put me below my Canadian record and PB.”

“Another goal, absolutely, I want to get on the podium. I would love to win a race. It’s fun to be the first person across the line.”

Elmore has currently been training at 150 kilometres a week alone, although Canadian Olympic triathlete, Joanna Brown, has jumped in for long runs. Another training partner of Elmore’s is the 2019 Canadian marathon champion and Tokyo Olympian Trevor Hofbauer, who lives two kilometres away from Elmore, and runs with her on easy days. 

Since 2017, the Toronto Waterfront Marathon has served as the Athletics Canada Marathon Championship and has doubled as the Olympic trials. During the 2021 event, participants raised over $3.08 million for 151 community charities.

Omanyala, Imeta through to 100m semis at Commonwealth Games

Africa champion Ferdinand Omanyala clocked 10.07 seconds to win the fifth heat and sail through to the semi-finals of the men's 100m during the Commonwealth Games Athletics at the Alexander Stadium on Tuesday.

Omanyala edged out Eseme Emmanuel from Cameroon to second place in 10.08 with the latter also qualifying.

Omanyala declared that he is going for victory on Wednesday.

“My body feels fine hence I will be going for two sub 10 seconds and the title. The track is fine and fast, not the one that makes you lactic in the 100m,” said Omanyala.

“I am excited and looking forward to tomorrow to see what time I will clock.”

Omanyala, who received the wildest cheers when being introduced, hailed the fans and ambience at the arena.

“It is simply amazing and what any athlete would want to have. Such receptive fans make me run fast.”

On Simbine’s challenge, Omanyala said he won’t be focusing on individuals but delivering good results.

“I know Simbine is around but I am confident and healthy, focusing on nothing short of victory. Tell Kenyans I am winning gold tomorrow,” said Omanyala, who is the fastest in the field with a personal best of 9.85 sec.

Defending champion Akani Simbine from South Africa clocked 10.10 seconds to win the second heat before making his intentions obvious.

" I am here to defend my title. I know Omanyala has promised a good challenge if we reach the final but I am always ready for that. It's what will make this event a thriller for the spectators," said Simbine, who welcomed the good atmosphere at the stadium.

Favour Ashe won the opening heat in 10 12 sec as Ojie Edoburun from England claimed third heat in 10.27sec.

Kenya's other competitor in the event Samuel Imeta is also through to the semis after finishing second in heat nine after posting a personal best of 10.12 seconds.

Rohan Browning from England won in 10.10sec.

"Clocking a personal best feels great for me. My body responded well and I think I should perform well and reach the final. It's my hope," said Imeta.

Commonwealth Games: Moraa storms 800m final

World 800m bronze medalist Mary Moraa of Kenya is through to the final of the discipline at the ongoing Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium.

Moraa Tuesday clocked one minute and 59.22 seconds to win the first heat, edging out the 2017 World 800m champion Halifax Nakaayi of Uganda to second place in 1:59.35 as both sailed through.

“It wasn’t easy to run sub two minutes after the World Championships in Oregon. There is pressure with such a quality field, but that is what brings out the best in me,” said Moraa, noting that virtually all the athletes from Oregon are in Birmingham save for the World champion Athing Mu from the United States.

Moraa waited on the line as she cheered her friend Natoya Goule, the 2018 Commonwealth Games 800m bronze medalist, to victory in the second heat, beating world 1,500m bronze medallist Laura Muir to second place in 1:58.84.

“Goule is a veteran and a good friend of mine. We share a lot and has been a good advisor on how to run 800m,” said Moraa, but cautioned that it will be a different game ball in the final.

“I am here for revenge against Hodgkison who beat me for silver in Oregon,” Moraa.

“I am here for a better medal than what I got in Oregon. Can only pray and hope to wake up well on that day.”

The women’s final is due on Saturday at 9.45pm Kenyan time.

However, Moraa's compatriot Jarinter Mawia, who is the reigning Africa 800m champion, finished fourth in the third heat to miss out on qualification.

“I think the weather in Oregon took toll on me. I had not recovered well. My body felt heavy,” said Mawia.

Natoya Goule from Jamaica won the second heat in 1:58.39 to qualify as World 800m silver medalist Keely Hodgkison claimed the third and last heat in 2:00.8 to also ease through to the final.

Get Ready to Run with Marathon Legends

Run with Abbott World Marathon Major Legends!

The AbbottWMM Global Run Club today launched Legends Week – a new free virtual Challenge taking place from August 15-19.

Runners must complete one challenge a day, for five days, to earn their Legends Week virtual badge and enter a prize draw for a special signed gift from five incredible athletes.

Each daily workout has been chosen by one of the legends to offer a mix of distances and training styles for everyone to enjoy.Edna Kiplagat, the Kenyan superstar who is a former World Champion, three-time AbbottWMM Series Champion and a Six Star finisher. She loves to add some speed and repetitions into her weekly routine and kicks things off with 4 x 1-mile repeats.Deena Kastor, a former American record holder and Olympic Bronze medalist for the marathon but also a 5km champion too! She set the 5km world record on the road at Carlsbad in 2002 (14:54) and she still enjoys racing them today.

Multiple Major winner Daniel Romanchuk is a master of many distances. Representing the United States, he claimed the gold medal and a new World Record at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in the T54 400m in 45:72, coming from behind to win by 0.1 second! His workout is 4 x 400m on the track or road.

British wheelchair racer Johnboy Smith the newly-minted 2022 Commonwealth Games Marathon champion, is also a Six Star finisher! Smith, who took second place in the 2017 New York City Marathon, completed his Six Star journey in Tokyo earlier this year. His challenge is a six-mile run to celebrate this success.

Japanese marathon legend Yuki Kawauchi who ran his final mile of that grueling 2018 Boston Marathon in 5:12! He survived rain, wind, and hail to take the finisher tape on Boylston Street for the Boston Marathon victory. We are closing the week with a 1-mile challenge to celebrate and appreciate that amazing feat.

This is a fun and free challenge to motivate runners before we move into a busy fall calendar with four Abbott World Marathon Majors in close succession. A chance to mix things up, test your limits and enjoy a break from the norm!

Participants can walk or run your way through these workouts:

Monday 15 Aug: 4 x 1-mile with Edna Kiplagat

Tuesday 16 Aug: 5km with Deena Kastor

Wednesday 17 Aug: 4 x 400m with Daniel Romanchuk

Thursday 18 Aug: 6 miles with Johnboy Smith

Friday 19 Aug: 1-mile with Yuki Kawauchi

Australian Jessica Stenson wins marathon at Commonwealth Games

Jessica Stenson’s smile was as bright as the Commonwealth Games gold medal she won on Saturday despite the gruelling nature of the Birmingham marathon course.

The 34-year-old, who claimed one of Australia’s five gold medals on Saturday, broke the hearts of her rivals in a pacesetting run for the biggest triumph of her career.

Stenson’s triumph, seized with great dare through the heart of Birmingham, is another defining moment in Australia’s proud marathon history.

After shaking Namibia’s defending champion Helalia Johannes and then Kenyan Margaret Muriuku with about 5km to run, Stenson strode purposefully uphill to Victoria Square.

Inspiring her was the memory of her idol Kerryn McCann, the 2006 Melbourne gold medallist who tragically died from cancer two years after her heroic final flourish at the MCG.

“I thought about Kerryn’s closing kilometres in that battle against the Kenyan woman as she entered the MCG,” she said. “All of that history really turns into strength that we can use to try and continue that history. I so badly wanted to do Australia and my support team proud today.”

Running 2:27.31 to win by 29 seconds, Stenson is the first woman to claim a medal in three Commonwealth Games marathons after bronze efforts in Glasgow and on the Gold Coast.

Within sight of the finish, Stenson had enough time to say “thank you” to supporters who had earlier cheered de Rozario to victory in the women’s T53/54 wheelchair marathon.

Stenson, who became the sixth Australian woman to win the marathon in the past 10 editions, was greeted at the finish line by her two-year-old son Billy.

“Your perspective shifts. I am doing this because I can. It is a privilege,” she said. “I feel fulfilled anyway and everything here is just a bonus. It sort of takes the pressure off. It is a bonus.”

Her triumph is one of resilience. She has bounced back from the near misses and is better than ever. Not even a recent bout of Covid-19 could deny her a career-defining moment.

Stenson said the enforced rest may have benefited her, for she felt strong throughout a marathon in which compatriots Eloise Wellings and Sinead Diver finished fourth and fifth.

Victor Kiplangat is the first Uganda man to win the Commonwealth Games marathon gold medal

Victor Kiplangat became the first man from Uganda to win the Commonwealth Games marathon on Saturday morning (30) after he dominated the race to win the title in a time of 2:10:55 with incredible reception at Birmingham 2022.

The 22-year-old went the wrong way late in the race, but his lead was so big, that his victory wasn’t compromised as he was able to follow the directions of a very attentive official and get back on the course.

Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania finished second with a time of 2:12:29 with the bronze medal going to Michael Mugo Githae of Kenya who ran 2:13:16.

Meanwhile, Liam Adams of Australia, who led the race for most of the early going ran well, in the end, to collect fourth at 2:13:23 and Jonathan Kipleting Korir of Kenya rounded out the top five with a time of 2:14:06.

Englishman Jonathan Mellor crossed the finish line in sixth place at 2:15:31.

On a nice and overcast morning, Simbu ran smooth and composed in the early part of the race as he tracked Adams, who went through the first 20km at 1:01:08 and 1:04:34 for the half-marathon.

However, they were not alone as four other runners followed him closely, much to the delight of the group of fans who came out on the streets to watch the race, take pictures, and also cheer on the athletes as they navigate the race course.

The group of six was split into a group of three at about 26km when Simbu, Kiplangat and Githae broke away for about 2km before the pace slowed back down and the pack became six again.

Kiplangat then injected another surge in the middle of the contest to break up the pack significantly, but he was stalked all the way Simbu, who did all he could to stay with the pace.

After 30km, Kiplangat led with a split of 1:32:45 with Simbu right there with him at 1:32:46.

However, just when you thought it was going to be a two men’s close encounter, Kiplangat injected another big and decisive surge in the race pace to open up a gap between himself and Simbu to take complete control of the contest as he moved past the 35km at 1:47:09 with a lead of 0.18 seconds over his Tanzanian rival.

The race was never close afterward as the Ugandan runner went on to dominate –building a lead of well over two minutes after 40km.

Kenyans race walkers Gathimba and Ngii eye redemption in Commonwealth Games

Africa 20 kilometers race walking champions Samuel Gathimba and Emily Ngii are hoping to redeem themselves at the Commonwealth Games scheduled for July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, England where the discipline is shortened to 10km.

The duo missed out on medals in the 20km Walk at the World Athletics Championships which ended on Sunday in Eugene, USA.

Gathimba, who came closest to a medal after finishing fourth in Eugene, has predicted a fierce battle in Birmingham.

"I arrived here (UK) on Tuesday night to a very cold Birmingham. I hope the weather will improve. I'll start training on Wednesday. I have never done 10km walk abroad, so this will be my first time. The challenge with 10km is it's like 'ugali sosa' (not the main meal), so it will be very fast.

I need to get my calculations right in order to win. Doing so will also help me get invited more to competitions," said Gathimba.

He timed one hour, 19 minutes and 25 seconds just a few seconds behind medalists Toshikazu Yamanishi (1:19:07), Koki Ikeda (1:1914) and Perseus Karlstrom (1:19:18).

Ngii struggled with a stomach ache from 10km-mark on her way to 30th place finish.

"I have improved a lot after getting treatment. I'm ready. It's the first time I'm competing in 10km outside Kenya and I'm ready to bring a medal bad home, God willing," said Ngii.

Walk coach Benjamin Mbusya also expressed optimism in the duo.

"Obviously, some competition has been reduced because not all countries that were at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon are in Commonwealth Games. But I can assure you that we will get some medals and gold is possible," he said.

Gathimba won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia and bagged the same medal at the Race Walking World Championships in Oman in March this year. 

Africa 100 meters champion Ferdinand Omanyala and women’s wheelchair basketballer Carolina Wanjira will be Kenya's flag-bearers as games start

Africa 100 meters champion Ferdinand Omanyala and women’s wheelchair basketball player Carolina Wanjira will be Kenya’s flag bearers during the opening ceremony of the 22nd Commonwealth Games on Thursday at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, England.

Kenya will be represented by 127 sportsmen and women at the Birmingham Games that will have a largest number of competitors, 5,054, drawn from 72 nations.

The competitors will fight for medals in 20 disciplines and eight para sports will feature, making it the biggest programme ever for Commonwealth Games.

Prince Charles will represent Queen Elizabeth II during the opening ceremony that will start at 10am Kenyan time.

The 3x3 basketball, cricket T20 and mixed synchronised diving are the sports that will feature for the first time at the Commonwealth Games that will see 280 different medal events.

Kenya has entered both the men and women’s teams in the 3x3 basketball.

Kenya’s best performance at the Games came during the 2010 Delhi, India and 2014 Glasgow, Scotland Games.

In Delhi, the country hauled 32 medals; 12 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze with all the medals coming from athletics except three; one gold in swimming and two bronze in boxing.

The golden moments came from legendary swimmer Jason Dunford, who claimed victory in the men's 50m butterfly.

The late Joshua Ndere Makonjio collected bronze in light heavyweight with Nicholas Okoth going for a similar medal in bantamweight.

Kenya hauled 25 medals; 10 gold, 10 silver and five bronze from Glasgow with all the medals coming from athletics except two bronze medals by Benson Gicharu (boxing) and Joyce Wambui Njuguna (weightlifting).

However, Kenya’s performance dipped at the previous 2018 Gold Coast Games, Australia where they collected 17 medals; four gold, seven silver and six bronze.

Determined Flora Duffy ready to defend Commonwealth Games title in Birmingham

The world has found itself on a rollercoaster ride since the last edition of the Commonwealth Games, and the same could be said for the great Flora Duffy’s triathlon career.

Champion on Australia’s Gold Coast back in 2018, the Bermudian then suffered an injury that would put her out of contention for both the 2018 and 2019 world titles, before returning with Olympic dreams only to have them put on ice by the pandemic. Duffy then delivered a 2021 for the ages by scooping the Olympic and world titles, and now she hits Birmingham as the world number two, back in sizzling form.

The stage is set for another classic Commonwealth Games battle as triathlon makes its fifth appearance on the schedule across a sprint distance course that starts and ends in Sutton Park either side of a fast, technical through transition 20km bike. The rivalries are fierce and Friday afternoon’s action will be relentless, and don’t miss Sunday’s Mixed Relay and PTVI Para Triathlon action, the official where-to-watch information will be available here shortly.

—The first Bermudian ever to win an Olympic gold, Flora Duffy’s place in the history books of her home island is already secured, but being the first triathlete to successfully defend their Commonwealth Games title would certainly warrant an extra chapter. It was another great Emma Snowsill who won in Melbourne back in 2006, and as Duffy looks to surpass the Australian’s record three world titles this year, another Commonwealth crown would further underline her credentials as the greatest the sport has ever seen.

She will have the current number one Georgia Taylor-Brown to contend with, though, as well as a partisan crowd getting behind the home-nation athletes. Taylor-Brown finished second behind Duffy in Tokyo and again at last year’s WTCS Abu Dhabi, but since then, victory in Yokohama and silvers in Leeds and Montreal have put the Brit in pole position in the world title chase, and her current form will make her a hot favourite again in Birmingham.

Teammate Sophie Coldwell has also been putting together some exceptional swim-bike-run form, and after hitting back-to-back WTCS podiums in Leeds she will love being back in front of the home crowds and can be explosive over the sprint distance.

Scotland’s Beth Potter hit her first WTCS podium in Hamburg and will relish another shot at a Commonwealth Games medal – four years ago she became the first Scot to compete at the Games in different events, grabbing 12th in triathlon having previously finished fifth in the 10,000m back on home soil at Glasgow 2014, and her star has been in the ascension ever since.

Nobody on the start list has more Commonwealth Games experience Andrea Hansen (formerly Hewitt), who was third back in Melbourne 2006, fourth in Glasgow and 13th on the Gold Coast, and she is joined by fellow New Zealanders Nicole Van der Kaay and Ainsley Thorpe in the quest for medals. 

The 2013 World Champion Non Stanford makes her return to the blue carpet for the first time since her top 10 finish at last year’s WTCS Abu Dhabi, representing Wales alongside Olivia Mathias and Issy Morris.

A strong Canadian trio of Dominika Jamnicky, the returning Amelie Kretz and Emy Legault will be looking to make a splash in both the individual and Mixed Relay, while Australia’s Natalie Van Coevorden, Charlotte McShane and Sophie Linn all have the potential to deliver eye-catching performances.

India’s Pragnya Mohan is among the names representing the emerging triathlon nations, as athletes from the likes of Mauritius, Namibia, Kenya and Trinidad and Tobago will also be ready to relish their moment in the spotlight against some of the biggest names in the sport.

Athing Mu Became the First American to Win the 800 at the World Championships

Athing Mu hasn’t lost an 800 in over two years, since February 2020. Today in Eugene, Oregon, the streak continued.

Mu’s 1:56.30 performance in the 800 meter final makes her the youngest woman to ever win both Olympic and World Championships gold.

“I’m thankful to be holding the momentum from Tokyo last summer,” she said. “But today was a rough day for me. I just wasn’t physically where I wanted to be.”

In the final 100 meters, Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain came up on Mu on the inside. Mu was running on the outside of lane one, which gave Hodgkinson a clear window to sneak through and pass. But Mu wouldn’t let up. As soon as she sensed how close Hodgkinson was she cut back in to the middle of the lane to prevent the pass. Hodgkinson, who is also 20, finished in second in a time of 1:56.38, which is her second silver medal in two years; she also placed second in the Tokyo Olympic Games last summer.

When asked about the potential tactical error, Mu said, “I didn’t want to automatically go to the inside. I don’t really pay attention to where I’m at in the lane.” Mu’s background is as a sprinter, and they’re taught to run on the outside of lane one. A distance runner would never do that.

Mary Morra of Kenya finished third in 1:56.71, a personal best. The three women all improved on Mu’s season best time of 1:57.01, which was the previous world lead this year.

Even though she won the race, Mu said she didn’t feel that great out there. This entire year she’s been winning by small margins, as though she does just what it takes to win. Last year there were a number of times when she wasn’t afraid to run alone off the front of the pack. It’s true that her times last year were faster: She ran 1:55 twice in 2021.

“I’ve gone through so many changes, so many adjustments this year,” she said. “Not everybody sees it, but it was a lotjust being able to come out here. Winning means a lot to me because I know what I’ve been going through.”

Mu cites her support system and her faith as the main reason for her steadiness. Her boyfriend, Brandon Miller, also competed in the 800 this week at the World Championships.

Looking to the future, she said, “For now, I’m just trying to take it day by day, race by race.”

Ingebrigtsen wins first world title with 5000m gold in Oregon

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigsten had an Olympic title, but he had never won a World Championships gold medal.

After being upset in the 1500m by Jake Wightman only a few days ago at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, a world gold still eluded him.

If he wanted to end his drought, he was going to have to topple a star-studded field in the men’s 5000m that included the world record-holder, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, who had earned gold over 10,000m earlier in the championships.

But Ingebrigtsen did exactly that, winging up the pace in the final kilometre to win in 13:09.24. Kenya’s Jacob Krop took silver in 13:09.98, while Uganda’s Oscar Chelimo earned bronze in 13:10.20, a season’s best.

Ingebrigtsen spent almost half the race towards the back of the pack and didn't make his move until after the field had covered two kilometres, going from 10th place into fifth. He remained near the front over the next few laps, then he moved into first with 600 metres left.

From then on, he never relinquished the lead. Ingebrigtsen led 11 men through the bell, less than a second spread among them. As the pack strung out and the finalists started to unleash their finishing kick, Ingebrigtsen held off all of them and extended his lead as he neared the line.

The Norwegian could even afford to take a couple of last looks behind him, before flashing a ‘No.1’ gesture to the fans on the homestretch.

“It feels amazing to win this gold,” said Ingebrigtsen. “This is already my fifth attempt to become a world champion outdoors and my third World Championships. So finally, I became the world champion.”

Cheptegei led through the first three laps, but by the halfway mark, he had dropped to eighth. Leading the pack was Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli and Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, who often took turns at the front early on. In pursuit were Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva, Ingebrigsten and USA’s Grant Fisher.

Through 4000m, just 0.75 separated the top 12. Krop had taken the lead, but the race remained conservative, with no one looking to push the pace, setting the stage for the raucous bell lap.

Ingebrigtsen and Krop passed through the bell first, holding their positions the rest of the way. However, Chelimo was still in ninth, and Fisher was in third, only 0.11 behind the top two. Chelimo remained in eighth until the final 200 metres, where he moved into fifth, still trailing Fisher and Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed.

As the three men came around the curve, with the bronze still up for grabs, Fisher hit the inside rail, causing the American to drop behind. Chelimo took advantage, as did Grijalva, and both men moved ahead. Chelimo’s kick was too strong for either Grijalva or Ahmed to handle, as he edged both men by less than 0.25.

Grijalva finished fourth, achieving the best finish for his country in any event at the World Championships.

“It feels amazing. I have always run a PB in the races,” said Grijalva. “I almost won a medal, the first for Central America.”

Krop said he knew the race would be tactical, but he was ready for it.

“They just made me push on the last lap and attack,” said Krop. “In the end, it looked like everybody wanted to get to the podium. I had my position and when I kicked, I wanted to maintain the spot, but Jakob had a strong kick too.”

For Chelimo, the bronze finish comes after a few disappointing outings recently.

“I had some difficult times in the past years, I was happy last year to qualify in Tokyo, but then I came last so I had to ask why,” said Chelimo. “But my coach told me that I am a champion. He said, ‘forget about the past, just continue racing’.”

Tsegay wins women’s 5000m world title after dramatic last lap

It was a 5000m race that came down to the final 100m, Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay using her 1500m speed to prevail in a thrilling sprint finish and gain her first global outdoor gold on the penultimate day of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.

The world indoor 1500m record-holder, who claimed the indoor title in that discipline in Belgrade in March, returned to the track five days after claiming 1500m silver behind Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon at Hayward Field and she had the 5000m title as her target. After a tactical test, she achieved her aim, clocking 14:46.29 as little more than a second separated the top three. Kenya’s 2018 world U20 winner Beatrice Chebet was right behind her, securing silver in 14:46.75, while Ethiopia’s Dawit Seyaum got bronze in 14:47.36.

Three years after placing runner-up to her compatriot Hellen Obiri – the two-time world 5000m champion who focused on the 10,000m in Oregon – Margaret Kipkemboi finished fourth in 14:47.71 and Ethiopia’s recently-crowned 10,000m champion, Letesenbet Gidey, was fifth in 14:47.98, one place ahead of Netherlands’ double Olympic champion Sifan Hassan in 14:48.12.

“The hard times were at the Olympics in Tokyo, because I was injured there” said Tsegay, who still managed to race for 1500m bronze at last year’s Games. “Not today.”

With a final 1500m of 4:14.59 and a last lap of 59.95, the 25-year-old pulled away from Chebet and Seyaum down the home straight, executing her plan.

“I have been training well for 1500m and this helps sprint on the home stretch,” added Tsegay, who claimed her 2014 world U20 1500m silver in Eugene. “I know that Sifan is a top athlete and she is also a 1500m runner, so she has the speed. When she came in front, I sped up even more and won the medal.”

It was that attack from Hassan at the bell that launched Tsegay into action. Always near the front, Tsegay led through the first 1000m in 3:14.21 ahead of Kazakhstan’s Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui, Seyaum and Gidey. Gidey and Tsegay continued to take turns at the front and Tsegay was to the fore as 3000m was reached in 9:02.79. The world 10,000m champion was a stride ahead with four laps to go as she and Tsegay continued to control the race, with Chebet right behind them.

Glancing over her shoulder with three laps remaining, Tsegay led the 10-strong group and Gidey moved ahead along the back straight. One lap later, Tsegay kicked ahead, but not by enough to shake off her rivals. With her eyes on the big screen, she could see Hassan move from seventh to fifth, and by the time they reached the bell the Olympic champion was on her shoulder.

The race was down to a six-strong battle for the medals. With Tsegay in front, Hassan moved ahead of Gidey as they ran down the back straight for the final time, taking the inside line to challenge Tsegay on the bend. Chebet was running wide, but holding her place. As they left the curve, Hassan no longer seemed the biggest threat, with Chebet providing the challenge. But no one could match Tsegay’s finishing speed and she strode ahead down the home straight, on her way to victory. Chebet held on for silver, as Seyaum came through for bronze.

“It was a matter of tactics,” said Chebet, whose CV includes the 2019 world U20 cross country title as well as her 2018 world U20 track win. “I was well positioned.

“Although I am young, I've run many races with elite athletes at the Diamond League. They are not new to me. This medal will make a good difference for me.”

For Seyaum, the bronze medal was welcome after years of injuries. “I hoped to get a place on the podium,” she said. “I hoped and expected to become a medallist in this event. For five years, I was having injuries, so this result is very special for me.”

And Hassan, who finished fourth in the 10,000m seven days earlier, explained how she was happy to be back on the international stage. “I started to train like two months ago and today, I did my best and I gave everything,” she said. “For me, it is important if I give everything and race smart, it does not matter what the position is.

“I think I really overworked last year, so I wanted to have a break mentally, because athletics is not only about running but also about motivation. I took an almost seven-month break. I am happy to be back, and I will try for more golds next year.”

3 Ways to Be a Better Marathoner, From the Fourth-Place Finisher at Worlds

Cam Levins took two minutes off his own Canadian record. He has thoughts

At the Tokyo Olympics last year, Cam Levins had a rough time of it. He finished in 72nd place—out of 76—in 2:28:43. 

Fast forward to July 17 in Eugene, Oregon, and Levins had a vastly different result at the World Championships marathon: fourth in 2:07:09, breaking his own Canadian record from 2018. 

“I would only have been happier if I was one place higher,” Levins, 33, said in the moments immediately after the race. “But it was the best race of my life. I couldn’t be disappointed with it.” 

It wasn’t by accident. Levins, who lives in Portland, Oregon, came away from his Tokyo experience, determined to overhaul his approach. 

“I needed to be better in every way, across the board,” he said. “I changed myself completely as an athlete last year to this year. Training harder and better in every conceivable way.”

A few hours after his race, Levins stood outside Hayward Field and explained his transformation to Runner’s World, while jubilant Canadian track fans stood by to listen, take photos, and congratulate him. 

How did Levins do it? And what can runners who aren’t in the elite ranks take from his lessons? He shared three tips. 

Take an objective look at training

Levins broke the longstanding Canadian record when he debuted in 2018, running 2:09:25. Then he had a series of sub-par races over the next three years. 

After Tokyo, Levins decided he needed to return to his high-mileage ways. (When he was an undergraduate at Southern Utah University, where he was a two-time NCAA champion, he was notorious for putting in 150–160 miles per week.) 

For this marathon, he got up to 170 miles per week in March and held it for several weeks, sometimes working out twice per day. (About once every three weeks, he’d do 5 x 2,000 meters in the morning, and 20 x 400 meters in the evening.) 

The point isn’t that Levins runs high mileage and everyone else should, too. Keira D’Amato, the American record holder in the marathon, rarely breaks 100 miles per week. 

Levins’s lesson is about channeling frustration into change. Last summer, “I think I was really disappointed in myself,” he said. “I think it's important to just take a look at your training and kind of think, ‘What am I missing?’” 

Don’t neglect strength 

Levins was getting injured frequently, and he struggled late in marathons. Since Tokyo, he has been religious about his strength training, which allows him to maintain his epic volume and finish strong in races. 

“I think it makes such a huge difference late in the marathon,” he said. “It's not like you've been breathing that hard. It’s your body. You’re so worn out from running that much.” 

His routine consists of four parts—single-leg exercises, mobility work, core strengthening, and deadlifts, and he does it with the help of David McHenry, a strength coach in Portland.

“Of everything I’ve done, that's been the single most important change that I’ve made,” Levins said. 

Marathoners need speed, too

Levins trained his track speed during the marathon build. He ran 27:53 for 10,000 meters on the track in April, and occasionally, he incorporated elements of mile speed into his workouts, he said. 

He’d do repeats as short as 200 meters and short, 30-second hill repeats, as a way of “recruiting different muscle fibers,” he said. Like strength training, it’s easy to neglect amid the long runs and marathon pace work.

It paid off: In Eugene, Levins ran his final kilometer in 3:01 and outlasted Kenyan great Geoffrey Kamworor for fourth place.

Kenyan-born Jeruto wins steeplechase gold, Chespol struggles

Kenyan-born Kazakhstan Norah Jeruto staged a brilliant performance  to win the women's 3,000 meters steeplechase final in the World Championships in Oregon, United States early Thursday morning.

Kenyan-born Bahrain star Wilfred Mutile Yavi appeared set to challenge Jeruto for the gold, but stumbled on the last water jump, allowing the Ethiopians to pass her.

Jeruto's victory means Kenya has lost another world title from 2019 Doha.

After leading for most part of the race, Yavi stormed to the lead after the bell but Jeruto would reclaim the lead immediately, tackling the last water barrier majestically to win in eight minutes and 53.02 seconds.

Jeruto, who failed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games last year as she was still chasing transfer of her allegiance, obliterated Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech’s CR from the previous 2019 Doha event by five seconds.

Yavi’s last water jump proved awful to cost her a medal as Ethiopians Getachew and Abebe zoomed past her to settle for silver and bronze.

Getachew came second in a National Record of 8:54.61 as Abebe cracked a personal best of 8:56.08.

Yavi, who was the fastest in the field, came fourth in 9:01.31 as Kenya’s Celliphine Chespol settled a distant 13th in 9:27.34.

It was the fourth title Kenya was losing from its tally in 2019 Doha after the women's marathon, men's 1,500m and men's 3,000m steeplechase.

The only title Kenya managed to defend her title is women's 1,500m by Faith Chepng'etich.

Britain’s Jake Wightman stunned the Olympic champion, the defending world champion and himself at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 running the race of his life to take the 1500m title

Britain’s Jake Wightman stunned the world on Tuesday night. Winding up to a world-leading PB of 3:29.23, the 28-year-old European and Commonwealth bronze medallist left Jakob Ingebrigtsen with no response as he surged down the home straight, eyes fixed firmly ahead. As the finish line neared, the Briton first raised his arms wide and then threw his hands to his head in disbelief, Norway’s Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen following him home in 3:29.47 and Spain’s Mohamed Katir coming through for bronze in 3:29.90.

“That’s my son,” came the voice over the loudspeaker, the race having been called by in-stadium announcer Geoff Wightman – father and coach of the winner, “and he’s the world champion.”

Left disappointed after a 10th-place finish at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Jake Wightman went back to work. He focused on building his strength over the winter, returning to some cross country racing and doing over-distance work as he refocused on Oregon.

Achieving his aim of staying under the radar through the rounds, he took his place on the Hayward Field start line with Ingebrigtsen to his left and Katir to his right. Kenya’s Abel Kipsang, who had the season’s quickest time going into the race, went straight to the front and led from Ingebrigtsen and Kenya’s defending champion Timothy Cheruiyot, with Wightman sitting in behind them. Ingebrigtsen, who broke the world indoor 1500m record with 3:30.60 in February, moved to the front with two laps to go, with Kipsang and Cheruiyot on his shoulder and Wightman tracking their every move.

At the bell it was Ingebrigtsen, Cheruiyot and Wightman, with Kipsang running wide on his shoulder. Judging the race to perfection, the Briton first surged past Cheruiyot, moving into the lead ahead of Ingebrigtsen with just over 200m to go.

As he left the bend, the anticipated kick from Ingebrigtsen never came. Glancing over his shoulder, the Norwegian looked like he knew he was beaten and settled for silver, followed by Katir and his Spanish teammate Mario Garcia, running a PB of 3:30.20 for fourth.

Wightman’s British compatriot Josh Kerr – the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist – finished fifth in 3:30.60, just ahead of Cheruiyot (3:30.69) and Kipsang (3:31.21).

“It probably won’t sink in until I have retired,” said Wightman, who has run 1:44.18 for 800m and clocked a 3000m PB of 7:37.81 indoors in February. “It’s mad. I had such a disappointing year in Tokyo last year. I don’t think people realise how crushing it was to go in with such high expectations and come away hoping for a medal but ending up 10th.”

His parents – both former elite marathon runners – were at Hayward Field to see him win, his father on the commentary mic and his mother, Susan, in the stands.

“Dad can be a bit of a robot on the mic sometimes,” smiled Wightman junior, whose time in Oregon is the third-quickest in World Championships history. “Some say robot, some say professional. I hope he broke that down today. My mum was in tears, so someone was crying.”

Reflecting on the race, he added: “The strength for me is that if I can get there with 200m to go, I will always make a move because it’s how I feel best running. As soon as the opportunity was there to go past, I just wanted to be leading the bend. The only perk of having a good 800m PB in races like that is if you are still there with 200m to go, which I haven’t managed to be in previous years.

“Even when I was coming down the home straight I felt strong, but Jakob is a beast and I never knew if he was going to come past.”

But he didn’t. Wightman's last lap was timed at 54.84, Ingebrigtsen’s was 55.24. In Tokyo, the Norwegian clocked 54.42 for the final 400m.

“I was feeling good, but I couldn't keep up with Jake in the last 200m,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I'm owning it. I am very disappointed by not winning, but I'm very happy for him. He is a great runner.”

He will now refocus on the 5000m, the heats for which take place on Thursday.

It was the 5000m that Katir contested at last year’s Olympics, the 24-year-old finishing eighth, but after setting national records at 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and 10km last year his decision to race the shorter event in Oregon paid off as he bagged the bronze with his second-fastest ever time.

Just behind him was European U23 silver medallist and NCAA runner-up Garcia, who runs for the University of Mississippi and achieved the fastest ever time by a collegiate athlete.

Cheruiyot has been some way off his best form this season and although making his presence felt in the early stages, he didn’t have the strength in the finish and faded out of medal contention.

Ethiopia’s Samuel Tefera won the world indoor title ahead of Ingebrigtsen and Kipsang in Belgrade in March but finished ninth in his semifinal in Oregon, missing out on the final.

Cam Levins shattered his own Canadian record in the marathon

It was a morning to remember for Canadian distance running at Alton Baker Park in Eugene on Sunday July 17.  Cam Levins shattered his own Canadian record in the marathon at the World Championships, running 2:07:10 for fourth overall behind winner Tamirat Tola in 2:05:35 and Mosinet Geremew (2:06:43), both of Ethiopia, and Bashir Abdi of Belgium (2:06:48). Levins beat his previous record of 2:09.25, which he set at the 2018 Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Cam Levins outkicked Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor for fourth in the men’s marathon in a new national record time of 2:07:10. 

After the race, an elated Levins said he realized after the Olympics that he “needed to be better in every way, across the board,” and that he had worked hard to improve his training in every way–and we all witnessed the results on the course. (In Sapporo last year, Levins faded in the extreme humidity, finishing 72nd in 2:28:43).

After a very sedate first 30 km, with runners still in a large pack, Levins could be seen near the front, though never leading. When Tola, the eventual winner, kicked hard after an hour and 40 minutes, no one went with him–but Levins continued to look comfortable in the chase pack of five or six runners, only becoming separated from Geremew and Abdi in the last few kilometres.

This is the best-ever performance in a world championship marathon by a Canadian male; Peter Maher’s 10th-place finish at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany was the previous best.

Soufiane El Bakkali is the king of the steeplechase after claiming world title

Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali believes he is the "king of steeplechase" after adding the world title to his Olympic Games gold.

The 26-year-old put on a tactical masterclass over the 3,000m course in Eugene to end Kenya's 15-year reign in the discipline at the World Athletics Championships.

In a repeat performance of his Olympic success in Tokyo last year, he stayed near the back of the leading pack for much of the race before making the decisive move in the last 200m to claim gold in a time of eight minutes 25.13 seconds.

"I am the king of steeplechase because I have gained confidence on the track. That's why I am the Olympic champion and now the world champion," El Bakkali told BBC Sport Africa.

Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma had to settle for silver once again, having finished second in Tokyo and in Doha three years ago, while Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto, the 2019 champion, ended with bronze.

Kenyan runners had won men's steeplechase gold in every edition of the World Championships since Brimin Kipruto's success in Osaka in 2007 and El Bakkali said his finishing speed had been the key to victory in Oregon.

"The course was very tactical, slow. We had very good runners like defending champion Kipruto," said El Bakkali, who beamed as he waved the Moroccan flag over his head.

"I positioned well in the last lap. I am very strong in the 400m and it worked out for me.

"After the semi-final I had a good look at the strategy of the Kenyan athletes. I was on my own, the only Moroccan in the race, but I did not limit myself to winning silver nor bronze. Instead I managed to come first in two world league meetings and now the World Championship."

Kenya's Kipruto upbeat despite bronze

Girma, after another second-placed finish, intends to reassess his training with an eye toward next year's World Championships in Budapest.

"The pace was very slow today, my tactic did not work and that [cost] me the gold," he said.

"I was trying to change the tactic but the pace limited me very much. I will go for gold next year and my training is starting from now on."

Dethroned world champion Kipruto, meanwhile, said he "did not execute the race as planned".

"I was running against athletes who have two years of consistent running when I was struggling," he added.

"It was never going to be easy. But I take the bronze positively."

Kipyegon now the greatest 1500m runner?

Meanwhile two-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya took 1500m gold in an astonishing time of 3:52.96 to regain her world title.

Kipyegon first took the crown in London in 2017 and becomes the first woman to win four global 1500m titles, with Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay second and Britain's Laura Muir in third.

Winning silver in Doha in 2019, having spent 12 months out of competitive running the year before when her daughter was born, meant crossing the line first in Eugene was even more fulfilling for the Kenyan.

"I knew it was going to be fast so I was really expecting that tight race," she told BBC Sport.

"I was not scared. I was like 'everything is possible' and I had to calm down, enjoy the race and I won.

"It feels very good to get back the world title that I lost in 2019 when I was coming back from giving birth to my daughter, who means the world to me."

Eliud Kipchoge wants us all to plant trees, Kipchoge has adopted and helped to rehabilitate 126 acres of forest in his native Kaptagat, Kenya

When he’s not training to win Olympic marathons or paving the way for future Kenyan cyclists by starting a cycling academy, the world’s greatest marathoner is taking steps to save the planet.

Kipchoge, who trains and lives in Kaptagat, Kenya, is hoping to adopt a forest in all 47 counties of Kenya. He has recently been involved in the rehabilitation of 126 acres of Kaptagat Forest, KBC digital reported. Kaptagat, where Kipchoge lives and runs at the NN Running training center, has been the initial focus of his reforestation initiative. In 2021, Kipchoge spoke at the UN climate change conference, and he’s been dedicated to environmental work and encouraging his fellow Kenyans to get involved. For years now, Kipchoge has been at the forefront of the efforts dedicated to the conservation and restoration of forests.

“I won my first world championship in 2003, and in 2021, I successfully defended my Olympic medal in the marathon. I’m lucky to say I have a long career, and today, I want to share the secret of my success with you because I believe you can apply it too and it will help you be successful in fighting climate change,” the champion said. While it may be surprising to hear that Kipchoge is a climate change activist, he says that it’s the legacy he hopes to leave. “Until a few years ago, I trained by listening to what my body was telling me and was successful and won almost every marathon I race in. But when I realized I wanted to leave a legacy, I knew I needed to do more.”

Kipchoge kickstarted his climate change action shortly after his INEOS 1.59 challenge in Vienna, where he made history by running an unofficial marathon record time in 1:59.40. Aware that eyes were on him, he seized the opportunity to create change by partnering with the government and creating a sub-two-hour tree planting competition among his fellow Kenyans. The athlete encourages everyone to mark life celebrations by planting trees. He says, “can we convert our birthdays and plant a tree? Can we convert our birthdays to walking for the noble cause of climate change? Convert our anniversaries and plant trees or walk? If you are celebrating 60 years, plant 60 trees. If your kid is 2 years old, run for 2 km and plant two trees to commemorate your day. We’ll make this world a green world in only one year.”

Kaptagat is a particularly unique ecosystem where nature, humans, and the economy are intensely interconnected, and years of deforestation had taken a toll on the area. Back in 2019, Kipchoge signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kenyan Forestry Service, allowing him to work towards his goal of rehabilitating the forest. With support from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF–Kenya), the project has been a success, and the athlete says he will continue his pursuit of adopting a forest in the other counties in Kenya, through the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation.

Kipchoge encourages other athletes, corporations, and citizens to continue planting trees and taking steps to save the forests. He says his initial inspiration to adopt the vast piece of land in his home county was because he is an athlete, and needs to breathe good air and run on soft ground. The only way he says he can achieve these standards is to preserve the environment. Kipchoge adds: “As an athlete, I train every single day, meaning I need to breathe clean air daily. This means that I need to conserve the environment and focus on it every day. Clean air in combination with performance in sports has made me think about conservation a lot more.”

His inspiration is working: a recent report showed that Kenyan forest cover is now at 12.3 per cent, ahead of  Kenya’s constitutional target of 10 per cent.

Kipchoge will continue to work diligently to adopt more forests throughout Kenya, and he speaks to all of us, worldwide, when he says “Every day is earth day for me. It is our only home and our only business — and only we can save it.”

Gold again for Faith Kipyegon as she wins 1500m in Oregon

Faith Kipyegon’s supporters were so confident she would win the women’s 1500m at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 that they put the Kenyan in an uncomfortable position.

“I was facing a lot of pressure,” said Kipyegon, the two-time Olympic champion in the 1500m. “Everybody was expecting something special from me. Everybody was like, ‘Faith, we believe in Faith,’ so it was a real pressure. But I managed it.”

In other words, their Faith was not misplaced.

With her trademark kick, Kipyegon regained the world title on Monday (18) that she first won in 2017. She claimed an unprecedented fourth medal in the event. And Kipyegon indeed did something special, clocking 3:52.96, the second-fastest time on US soil after her own 3:52.59 at the Prefontaine Classic in late May on the same Hayward Field track.

After crossing the finish line, Kipyegon, 28, kissed the track and blew kisses to the crowd on ‘Women in the Spotlight’ day.

The fast-paced race saw Kipyegon and three other runners quickly leave the rest of the field behind with a first lap in just under 59 seconds.

“I’m so grateful to have won the gold medal,” Kipyegon said. “This was my big target. I did do it. I was really looking forward to this championship. I was really, really prepared for this race.”

World indoor champion Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia was with her nearly every step until Kipyegon pulled away with about 300 meters to go. Tsegay took the silver in 3:54.52, upgrading from the bronze she won in 2019. She was also just a bit slower than she was at the Pre Classic, where she ran 3:54.21.

“I was expecting more from this race, but my opponents were more experienced and lucky so I have to be grateful for the silver,” said Tsegay, 25, who also will run the 5000m later in the week.

Great Britain’s Laura Muir, in her fifth World Championships final, at last secured a medal, claiming the bronze with a season’s best of 3:55.28. Muir, 29, finished six seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu, the largest gap in World Championships history between third and fourth.

Sofia Ennaoui of Poland ran a season best of 4:01.43 for fifth. The US placed two runners in the top 10: national champion Sinclaire Johnson was sixth, clocking 4:01:63, while Cory McGee was 10th with a time of 4:03.70.

The third Ethiopian runner, Hirut Meshesha was 12th in 4:05.86 after helping Tsegay push the pace for the first half of the race.

“To tell you the truth, I knew the Ethiopian lady was going to be fast,” Kipyegon said. “I knew she was a front-runner, and we ran really quick and I thank God I won.”

While the two Ethiopians controlled the early part of the race, Kipyegon stayed on their heels. Muir also clung to the lead group. “To be honest, I didn’t look at the clock at all the whole race,” she said. “After the first couple of hundred meters, I knew this was very, very fast. I thought it’s not going to help to look at the clock right now; it’s probably better not to look.

"For me, it’s all about racing. It’s not about times. I’m really pleased I stuck with it and went with them and it paid off.”

Kipyegon has placed first or second in every major championship since 2015. Three years ago, she was coming off maternity leave after having her daughter and placed second behind Sifan Hassan, whose 3:51.95 is the championship record. Kipyegon also earned a silver in 2015.

Hassan decided not to contest the 1500m this year.

After Kipyegon won her second straight Olympic gold medal, Muir called her “the greatest of all time.”

“I can say thank you so much,” Kipyegon said at the post-race press conference in Oregon, with Muir at her side. “I’m really grateful; she is really a nice lady. Before the race, I talked with her and I wish her all the best. Laura, let’s continue like this. This is the spirit of sports.”

Kipyegon added that she was happy that Muir, the Olympic 1500m silver medallist, won her first World Championships medal.

“She has been really fighting since 2017 in London and also in 2019 in Doha,” Kipyegon said.

The Kenyan said she will skip the upcoming Commonwealth Games and prepare for the Diamond League meeting in Monaco.

She wouldn’t speculate about possibly breaking the world record. “I can’t talk about it right now,” Kipyegon said. “Let me focus myself and see what is possible. I will be trying my best to lower my personal best and to run a good race.”

In the meantime, she will spend time with her daughter. “She is everything to me,” Kipyegon said.

Americans Hall, Bates, D’Amato Shine in World Championships Marathon A team effort pushed the Americans to three top-eight finishes

Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase ran the fastest, but Sara Hall, Emma Bates, and Keira D’Amato got the biggest cheers from the crowd at Monday morning’s world championship marathon in Eugene, Oregon.

Running in front of the home crowd, Hall, Bates, and D’Amato smartly hung back in the chase back for the first half of the race and then began to work their way up as some of the runners in the original lead pack began to blow up.

Hall (39, Crested Butte, Colorado) was the best of the bunch, surging throughout the final 8 miles of the race to place fifth in a season-best 2:22:10. She passed Kenya’s Angela Tanui (6th, 2:22:15) in the final mile but ran out of room in her pursuit of fourth-place finisher Nazaret Weldu of Eritrea (2:20:29). Hall’s finish was the best showing by an American woman in the world championships marathon since Amy Cragg earned the bronze in 2017 in London.

Bates (29, Boulder, Colorado) followed a similar strategy and wasn’t far behind in seventh in a new personal best of 2:23:18. D’Amato (37, Richmond, Virginia), who originally had gone out a bit harder only to get stuck in between the first two packs, eventually settled in with the chase pack alongside Hall, Bates, and British runner Jess Piasecki and Uganda’s Immaculate Chemutai.

Hall, Bates, and D’Amato received roaring cheers from the crowd along the course that sent runners between Eugene and nearby Springfield, especially along the finish chute on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. None had represented Team USA at a global outdoor championship before.

They were greeted at the finish line by American running legend Joan Benoit Samuelson, who won the 1984 Olympic marathon and served as the official starter of the women’s world championships race.

Gotytom Gebreslase Wins World Marathon Gold in Championship Record

With a strong downhill surge in the 41st kilometer, Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia won the 2022 world marathon title in 2:18:11. The time set a new championship record; the previous mark of 2:20:57 was held by Paula Radcliffe.

Judith Korir of Kenya, who led Gebreslase by half a step for most of the closing miles, finished second in 2:18:18, and Lonah Salpeter of Israel took the bronze medal in 2:20:18.

Sara Hall was the top American finisher, placing fifth in 2:22:10. Emma Bates placed seventh in a personal best of 2:23:18, and U.S. record-holder Keira D’Amato finished eighth in 2:23:34. D’Amato was added to the team at the beginning of the month after Molly Seidel withdrew because of injury. The three ran together through the middle miles until Hall, ninth at halfway, pulled away and started picking off former members of the lead pack.

Today’s 5-7-8 is the best team performance by a U.S. squad, male or female, since the marathon world championship was first run in 1983. They succeeded thanks to just the right mixture of aggressiveness and patience.

“I went out with the leaders, but then I could tell it was a little too fast,” Hall said. “So fortunately I had talked to Emma and Keira and been like,‘Hey, I’d love to work with you guys. I don’t want to mess up your mojo, but if we’re together somewhere I’d love to work together.’ So thankfully Emma and I found each other.

"I was checking our splits and we were running plenty fast out there, so I didn’t really want to run faster than that,” Hall continued. “It was awesome to get to work with [Emma] for so much of the race.”

Bates, who was the top American at Chicago last October, said, “My coach and I had decided that I go out in 70-minute pace for the first half. Which I had never done before, that’s close to my PR for the half marathon. We knew I could be in 2:20 range, fitness-wise.

“I went out with Sara. We were planning on working together before the race, so it was great the first lap to be with each other and then the second lap. Sara took off the later portion of the second lap. So proud of her today for going after it. She really pulled me along that first bit.

“I’m very happy,” Bates continued. “I always want more, we always want more. But to be top 10 in the world is something really really cool, especially on U.S. soil. And to run a PR doing it, it’s something that I won’t forget.”

Well past 30K, Hall was still acknowledging cheering spectators (including Olympian and fellow Flagstaff resident Rachel Schneider).

“I think this is the most fun I’ve ever had in a marathon,” Hall said. “I wanted to smile as much as I could early on, ’cause you know its gonna turn to a grimace eventually. But I was even smiling that last lap. I’m really thankful for everyone that turned out, ’cause I knew that this would be so special. I don’t know if I’ll ever get the opportunity to run a championship like this in the U.S. again.”

How the Race Was Won

Within the opening kilometer, it was obvious that the script for yesterday’s men’s marathon—a huge lead pack running cautiously for the first half—would be ignored. Headed by three Kenyans and three Ethiopians, the leaders took off at 2:17 marathon pace. D’Amato started with the pack but dropped back in the fifth kilometer; in the 12th kilometer, a chase pack led by Bates and Hall caught D’Amato, who then tucked in.

Toward the end of the first of three 14-kilometer loops, the chase pack got within 11 seconds of the leaders. Korir then spurted ahead just before an aid station. That reestablished a quicker tempo for the leaders, and the chase pack’s hope of joining the leaders was permanently ended.

The first significant event occurred in the 19th kilometer, when defending champion Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya stepped off the course, apparently looking for tall grass in which to make a pit stop. Sensing an opportunity, Gebreslase and fellow Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh surged on a downhill stretch. Subsequent kilometers of 3:05 and 3:09 (an average of roughly 5:00 mile pace) pared the group to four. They passed halfway in 69:01; the chase pack, including the three Americans, hit halfway in 70:17.

Toward the end of the second lap, Korir again surged approaching an aid station. Her teammate Angela Tanui briefly lost contact for the second time, clawed her way back, but was then dropped for good. In the 27th kilometer Yeshaneh started grabbing at her side and was left by the eventual gold and silver medalists.

Korir and Gebreslase ran within inches of each other for most of the third lap; the Ethiopian was usually just off of Korir’s right shoulder. Korir occasionally motioned to her rival to either help with the pace or back off a bit. It was hard to tell who was feeling more feisty or fatigued.

Or at least it was until the overpass over Route I-5. After cresting the summit, Gebreslase leaned into the long, gradual descent toward the finish. She almost immediately had two, then three, then five seconds on Korir. Gebreslase, who won Berlin last fall, had judged her effort perfectly. For the second day in a row, an Ethiopian won the world title in a championship record.

Letesenbet Gidey’s 10,000 Meter World Championship Win Was a Nail-Biter

The 30-minute race was decided in the final second. Four runners barreled down the homestretch toward the finish, their form breaking down, stride getting sloppy. It was ultimately Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey who maintained her mechanics just enough to cross the line first in Saturday’s 10,000 meter world championship final. She out-leaned the other three women—Kenya’s Hellen Obiri and Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi and the reigning Olympic champion in the event from the Netherlands Sifan Hassan—to secure victory in 30:09.94, just 0.08 seconds ahead of Obiri who finished second. 

“My legs tied up. I tried to get her, but I couldn’t,” Obiri said of the finish, keeping her answer plain and simple. Because that’s what racing is—plain and simple.

The first 9,900 meters weren’t very dramatic. World-class 10Ks on the track usually go the same way. Everybody runs together at the start and people gradually fall off the back of the pack when they can’t handle the pace. Today was no different. The pace was honest (15:19 through 5K) and then even more honest, with fewer women in contention every lap. It makes sense that so many athletes fell off the pack: The leaders ran 14:50 over the back-half 5K.

Most athletes don’t want to be in the driver’s seat. Leading the race is vulnerable. Karissa Schweizer, who was the top American today, said she loves when the pace is fast and she just has to go along for the ride. “My coach always says my biggest skill is following,” she said. “I just latched on. My goal was to never run by myself and I did that.” 

The reigning Olympic champion in the event, Sifan Hassan, was also vying for the title down the homestretch. Coming off the final turn it looked like she had more momentum than anybody. Gidey was certainly the favorite; she’s the current World Record holder in both the 5,000 and the 10,000. A Hassan win over Gidey would’ve been extraordinary—but not necessarily unexpected. Hassan loves to flirt with the history books. Last year in Tokyo, for example, she attempted an unprecedented distance triple crown: She told everybody she wanted to win gold in the 1500, 5,000, and 10,000. She came pretty close. She won gold in both of the long events and placed fourth in the 1500. When it was all said and done, she’d raced six total times with all the qualifying rounds.

Hassan was exhausted—so exhausted she didn’t run for eight months. “I’d trained so hard for so long,” she said. “After Tokyo I crashed. Mentally crashed. I didn’t even care about running.”

Hassan came off the track and the media expected her to be upset. The double Olympic gold medalist had to watch three other women step up onto the podium, so she must be upset. “That was fantastic,” was the first thing she said. “I’m standing here so happy. It’s amazing how I ran.” 

Hassan’s first race of the season was last week in Portland. She ran a 5,000 by herself in 15:13, close to a minute slower than her personal best. There were rumors that she’d been injured, that she was out of shape, that she’d scratch from the World Championships. Clearly, none of it was true. 

Schweizer has a similar story. She finished ninth today in 30:19, a 30-second improvement to her personal best. She had Achilles surgery in October and said the recovery period that was required of the surgery was the reset she needed to race at a high level this summer. 

Though Schweizer said she was constantly in pain, she trained through it for close to two years. “It really wasn’t sustainable, just for my mental health. I was going out and just not enjoying my runs,” she said. “Being able to get that surgery done, I realized how much pain I was actually in. I was kind of limping out of bed, limping to start my runs. Not anymore.” 

Schweizer was disappointed with her finish in Tokyo last summer and said today proved she’s moving in the right direction. “Coming into this meet last year I was very overwhelmed. I feel like I got pushed around and then I left disappointed,” she said. “This year I wanted to be in contention with two laps to go, and I feel like I did that. If my best is ninth place today, then that’s what it is. If I just keep showing up, hopefully one day my best will be a medal.” 

Tamirat Tola from Ethiopia runs championship record to take world marathon title in Oregon

Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola, world silver medallist in 2017, is the world marathon champion of 2022 after a masterful and ruthless run at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 saw him come home more than a minute clear in a championship record of 2:05:36 on Sunday (17).

His teammate Mosinet Geremew won a protracted battle for silver, pulling clear of Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Bashir Abdi over the final kilometre to finish in 2:06.44, with the Belgian taking another big bronze in 2:06.48. 

Missing the medal podium by one place was the unlikely figure of Canada’s Cameron Levins, who had the consolation of setting a national record of 2:07:09 ahead of Kenya’s three-time world half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, who clocked 2:07:14. 

"It was a dream come true," Tola said. "I learned from my mistake in 2017 (World Championships) and I made sure it did not happen again." 

On that occasion, Tola’s attempted run for home 10km from the end was thwarted as Kenya’s Geoffrey Kirui overtook him to win gold. This time there was no faltering on the 30-year-old Ethiopian’s part. 

In what was the first event of day three at the championships in Oregon, Tola took more than a minute off the record of 2:06:54 set by Kenya’s Abel Kirui at the 2009 edition in Berlin. 

But that was no more than an adornment for him on a day when he ran with apparent certainty from start to finish, never being far from the lead in a race that proceeded without undue vigour towards a halfway time of 64 minutes – comfortable territory for today’s elite marathon runner. 

Conditions on a course consisting of three 14km loops running through Eugene and Springfield – home of The Simpsons – were an overcast sky and temperatures rising, not dramatically, from 13C at the starting time of 6:15am. 

But there were no big city marathon pacers here. This was a championship race, with all the uncertainty that has traditionally involved. While the first half offered hope of success for many who were among the event's fastest, that hope was suddenly and ineradicably quashed by the eventual winner in the telling final quarter of the race. 

Tola shaped what had been a largely inchoate procession of surging and slacking when he took off between the 33rd and 34th kilometres. It was not a drill. 

By the 34km marker his lead was seven seconds. At 35km it was 12 seconds, at 36km it was 17 seconds and at 37km it was 26 seconds. With 5km to go, the gold was gone and the drama of the race resided in which of the chasing group of four – Abdi, Geremew, Levins and Kamworor – would share the podium. 

Geremew’s big move, when it came with a kilometre remaining, was as decisive as that of his compatriot. Very suddenly he was a silver medallist in waiting and Abdi seemed to be looking back down the field a lot in the closing stages, perhaps seeking his training partner Abdi Nageeye, who had so vigorously encouraged him to keep going in pursuit of a medal in Tokyo last summer. 

As it happened, Nageeye was one of eight runners who failed to finish, in company with Ethiopia’s defending champion Lelisa Desisa, who was not thought to be in good form and who confirmed that speculation as he struggled out of contention by the halfway point. 

The race had begun with bad news for Japan, whose charismatic national record-holder Kengo Suzuki did not start. 

America's Galen Rupp, who had run this course innumerable times as a former alumnus of the University of Oregon, was seeking to add another global marathon medal to the bronze he won at the Rio 2016 Games. But after hitting the front briefly at the halfway point, taking the field through 22km in 66:58, he dropped away to finish 19th in 2:09:36. 

Cheptegei leaves rivals with no response to retain world 10,000m title in Oregon

Just like the Olympic final in Tokyo, there was a mass queue of runners still in contention as the bell sounded in the men’s 10,000m final at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.

On that occasion there were seven men remaining in the hunt for gold. This time there were eight.

There was another subtle difference as the 25-lap event built up to just as thrilling a crescendo as the women’s final the previous day. 

In Tokyo the slender Ethiopian Selemon Barega refused to budge from the front, keeping ahead of Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei with a 53.9 final lap.

In Eugene, having controlled most of the race from halfway, Cheptegei hit the front again at the sound of the bell and stayed there. The fastest man in history at 5000m and 10,000m was not going to relinquish the title he toiled to gain in Doha three years ago.

Barega moved on to his shoulder down the back straight and looked set to pounce with 200m to go, but as Cheptegei led round the final bend and into the finishing stretch the world indoor 3000m champion had nothing in the tank.

Like Sifan Hassan in the women’s final, Barega faded out of the medals. Like Barega’s compatriot Letesenbet Gidey, Cheptegei gritted his teeth and kept his feet on the gas. The 25-year-old could afford to open his arms in celebration as he crossed the line 0.47 clear of his closest pursuer in 27:27.43.

In doing so, Cheptegei became only the fourth man to win back to back 10,000m world titles, following in the footsteps of Ethiopians Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele and Britain’s Mo Farah. His final lap was faster than Barega’s in Tokyo: 53.42.

"I knew that if I could get into the last fight, I could control it and I could speed it up," said Cheptegei, who won the world U20 title back at Hayward Field eight years ago. "It was very emotional for me to come back to the USA where I started my international career in 2014. Now, I want to continue my dominance in long distance running and I hope I will manage it."

The surprise silver medal winner, in 27:27.90, was Stanley Mburu. The world U20 silver medallist at 5000m in 2018, the 22-year-old Kenyan had quickly regained his composure after falling on the opening lap.

As in the Olympic final, Jacob Kiplimo took the bronze medal, Cheptegei’s compatriot clocking 27:27.97 to resist the challenge of home favourite Grant Fisher. The spirited US challenger had to settle for fourth in 27: 28.14, with Barega fifth in 27:28.39.

There were Ugandan flags fluttering in the stands as the 24 runners took their place on the start line, the loudest cheer coming for Fisher, who settled into second as Spain’s Carlos Mayo led through 400m in 66.70.

Mayo remained in front through 800m in 2:12.72, 1km in 2:46 and 2km in 5:51, with Fisher maintaining in second spot and Cheptegei keeping a watching brief on proceedings in third.

After Mayo passed 3km in 8:20.08, Cheptegei’s teammate Stephen Kissa took over at the front but without upping the pace.

Indeed, the speed slowed to 2:51 for the fourth kilometre, prompting Barega to show his face at the front for the first time with 13 laps to go, reaching halfway in 14.01.32.

Kiplimo was first to make a notable injection of pace, stretching out the field with a 64.46 lap. When Cheptegei moved through on to his compatriot’s heels, Barega was alert to the potential threat, surging back up into third.

Cheptegei then took over at the front but slowed the pace to steady laps of 67 seconds. All the while, Barega breezed along, eyes fixed on the target on Cheptegei’s back as 15 men remained in contention. 

With two laps to go, Mburu made the long run for home but at the bell there were still eight contenders. It was then, after a fleeing appearance at the front by Barega’s teammate Berihu Aregawi, that Cheptegei regained control – this time for good.

Two-Time Olympic Medalist Galen Rupp Takes on the World on Home Ground

The best U.S. male marathoner takes on the world at home; also, men’s 10K and women’s 100 finals.

Day 3 of the track and field world championships starts early and ends late, with must-watch races (men’s marathon and women’s 100-meter final) bookending the action. 

But you also won’t want to drift away midday; otherwise, you’ll miss the always-exciting men’s 10,000-meter final. (Fingers crossed it matches the excitement of the women’s final on Saturday.) There are also lots of key qualifying races for finals later in the week.

Here’s a quick guide to the day’s key events

Imagine that you’re one of the best marathoners in U.S. history, and that the world championship course will run through your college town. You’d be pretty psyched, right?

That’s the situation on Sunday for University of Oregon alum and two-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp. His buildup for this once-in-a-lifetime race has been far from ideal—he dropped out of his most recent race, the New York City Half in March, because of a herniated disc, and he had COVID in June. Nonetheless, the second fastest American in history told us earlier this month that he’s confident about his fitness and will, as per usual, fight for the win or podium as long as possible.

He’ll need confidence, fitness, and a little luck to meet that goal. Among his competitors: two-time NYC Marathon champ Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya; the reigning Olympic silver and bronze medalists (training partners Abdi Nagayee of the Netherlands and Basher Abdi of Belgium); defending world champ Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia; and Desisa’s compatriots Mosinet Geremew (second at 2019 worlds and holder of the best PR in the field) and Seifu Tura (who relegated Rupp to second at Chicago last October).

And those are just the biggest of the big names. Still, a Rupp podium appearance is possible. He and the rest of the field got a prerace bit of luck when 2019 Boston winner Lawrence Cherono of Kenya received a provisional doping suspension on Saturday. Also, world championship marathons tend to have a lot of dropouts. If a top-tier marathoner is having a bad day, it can be tempting to cut one’s losses and aim for one of the lucrative fall marathons. (Prize money for all events at worlds is paid eight deep, with $70,000 for first and $5,000 for eighth, but there are no appearance fees.) The Eugene course is a good one for this sort of DNF. It’s three 14K loops, so quitting after two circuits gets you a hard run but one that’s easy to rebound from.

T he course is also flat, and the weather is forecast to be favorable (temperatures in the 50s, with mild humidity). Times could be fast. Unlike in hotter summer global marathon championships, there should be less incentive for the top contenders to dawdle and thereby open opportunities for slower entrants.

The U.S. squad is rounded out by Army First Lieutenant Elkanah Kibet and financial analyst Colin Mickow, who both train around demanding professional responsibilities. Especially at the first world championships on U.S. soil, they, like Rupp, will be highly motivated to leave it all out on the streets of Eugene.