Running News Daily

More Than 100 Professional Athletes to Race Boston 5K

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kenyan athletes Lagat Ivyne and Rutto Asbel secure the victories in women and men's category at the Run Rome The Marathon

The marathon of Rome, which took place today among the wonders of the eternal city, was a record-breaking event and dedicated to water. The Acea Run Rome the Marathon, in fact, is the first marathon dedicated to water and water saving. The 2024 edition was won by the Kenyans Asbel Rutto, in the men's competition, and Ivyne Lagat, in the women's competition.

The men's podium was completed by the other two Kenyans Brian Kipsang and Sila Kiptoo, while the Kenyan Lydia Simiyu and the Ethiopian Emebet Niguse finished second and third. Deputy general manager operations Giovanni Papaleo presented the award for Acea.

This year the Marathon has chosen "run for water" as its hashtag, to underline the profound connection that unites sport and water and the importance of water resources in protecting people's health and the health of planet Earth.

Along the over 42 kilometers of the race, Acea guaranteed many refreshment points, with around 60 thousand liters of water available to the athletes and over 100 thousand biocompostable glasses, with a view to the circular economy. It was a record race for the number of participants, for the number of foreigners and blessed by the record of the route.

The Rome marathon took place in one of the richest cities in the world in history and art but also in fountains and aqueducts, therefore an ideal place to affirm water as the identifying theme of one of the most important running events at a national level and international.

At the starting line this morning, over 19 thousand registered for the marathon alone, more than 40 thousand people who also ran the "Acea Run4Rome" solidarity relay and the 5 kilometer "Fun Run" city race. Four records have been achieved since the 2024 edition: record number of participants for an Italian marathon, record number of foreign participants, over 10, the record number of official pacers in the race, 200 of which over 100 foreigners from 15 nations and finally the record number of group training sessions, Get Ready, which were 5 in Rome and over 30 around the world, including the United States and Canada. A race route over 42 km long, renewed compared to last year, which from the historic center, starting and finishing on Via dei Fori Imperiali, crossed various points of the capital, among the wonders of the city.

Last kilometer, the arrival is thrilling, tears and heart pounding, the time needed to complete the Colosseum tour for the second time, which the marathon runners have achieved a spectacular finish line on the Imperial Forums with the Colosseum behind them which will also dominate in a unique souvenir photo in the world.

Ethiopia's Dinkalem Ayele and Kenya's Brigid Kosgei became victorious at the 33rd Lisbon Half Marathon

After covering the race's more than 21 km in 01:00.36 hours, Dinkalem Ayele emerged victorious, surpassing German competitor Amanal Petros by 20 seconds and Kenyan Dominic Kiptarus by three seconds.

Brigid Kosgei finished the women's race alone in 1:05.51 hours, crossing the finish line in front of the Belém Cultural Center in the Belém neighborhood. Ethiopia's Bosena Mulatie, who placed second with a timing of 1:09.00 hours, and Tigist Menigstu, who finished 14 seconds ahead of her country mate, completed the women's podium.

In front of her two kids, Kosgei who seemed to be warming up for next month’s women showdown at the London Marathon was in ecstasy and confirmed her status, sealing the win before the 10km mark to finish with a comfortable on the streets of Lisbon for the World Athletics Elite Label road race.

“This was preparations for London Marathon next month. I am happy and I appreciate what I have ran today. I am also grateful to the organizers for a good race,” Kosgei said.

The 2024 Lisbon Half Marathon included competitors from several nations, and over 30,000 people enrolled for the weekend's events, 10,000 of which were foreigners.

Hope for Geoffrey Kamworor and Alexander Mutiso as Kenenisa Bekele expresses London Marathon uncertainty

Geoffrey Kamworor and Alexander Mutiso might have to worry less about Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bakele at next month’s London Marathon after he admitted he is far from ready.

Ethiopian long-distance running legend Kenenisa Bekele has voiced doubts about his potential success in the upcoming London Marathon following his seventh-place finish at the New York Half Marathon on Sunday.

Bekele clocked 1:03:59 for seventh place in a race won by Kenya’s Abel Kipchumba, who timed 1:00:25, with Morocco’s Zouhair Talbi (1:00:41) and Ethiopian Yemane Haileselassie (1:01:37) completing the podium.

The race was part of Bekele’s pre-London preparations but he looked to have bitten more than he could chew in the streets of New York.

Reflecting on the challenges encountered during the New York race, Bekele acknowledged the demanding nature of the course and emphasised the need for additional preparation to assess his fitness levels.

"The course was tough. This race was important to see how my shape is so I think I need more preparations," Bekele remarked.

Despite his determination to excel in the London Marathon on April 21, Bekele admitted that he is still in the process of building up his form and fitness for the upcoming challenge.

"I am still on the build-up because my big goal is success in London but this race was important to see my shape so I think I need more preparations," he explained.

Acknowledging the importance of both time and positioning in the London Marathon, Bekele emphasised his commitment to being fully prepared for the prestigious event.

"Not only time but the position is really important in London. I think I will be ready. I have a couple of weeks to prepare and try to be ready to do something," he asserted optimistically, despite his reservations.

As Bekele looks ahead to the London Marathon, he faces the challenge of fine-tuning his preparation and performance to meet the high expectations set for himself.

The Ethiopian great will be up against a formidable cast in London that includes Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor, two-time New York Marathon champion and second in London last year, and Alexander Mutiso, who finished second in Valencia last year.

He also has Ethiopian compatriots Tamirat Tola, the New York Marathon champion, and Mosinet Geremew, the seventh-fastest man in history.

This is also part of the two-time Berlin Marathon champion’s preparations towards the Olympics although he still not sure if he will make Ethiopia’s marathon team to the Paris Games.

“They can select based on time, and position is also very important,” Bekele said when asked about his chances of making the Olympics team.

“It will depend on the competitors and they have their own method of selection. There are many Ethiopian marathoners so they have their own plan. I think my chance is 50-50 so I have to try my best.”

Bekele has been to London six times, managing second place in 2017 after third a year earlier, but could only finish sixth in 2018 and fifth in 2022. He, however, had a setback in 2020, when he was forced to withdraw with a calf injury, before failing to finish last year’s race.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kejelcha goes No.3 all time with 26:37 10km in Laredo

World indoor mile record-holder Yomif Kejelcha stormed to a 26:37 10km win in the northern Spanish town of Laredo on Saturday (16). 

With that performance at the World Athletics Label event, the Ethiopian 26-year-old achieved the third-fastest men's 10km of all time. Only Rhonex Kipruto with his world record of 26:24 set in Valencia four years ago and Berihu Aregawi with his 26:33 run in Laredo last year have gone faster.

Racing under ideal weather conditions on a 15ºC windless afternoon, Kejelcha was perfectly paced by his fellow Ethiopian Addisu Yihune, himself the reigning world U20 5000m champion. They went through the opening kilometres at a steady 2:38 pace, the tempo needed to attack the world best.

Meanwhile, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei travelled a few metres behind in the company of his own pacemaker, his compatriot Naman Kipyeko, but the world 5000m and 10,000m record-holder began to lose ground some six minutes into the race. By the third kilometre, Kejelcha became a virtual victor as he had built a seven-second gap on the Ugandan, with 7:54 and 8:01 their respective times at that point.

Despite being well on schedule to challenge the world record, Kejelcha overtook Yihune before reaching the fourth kilometre and from then on it was a solo run by the two-time world indoor 3000m champion, who went through halfway in a promising 13:10. Cheptegei ran nine seconds in arrears in the company of Yihune. 

Over the second half, Kejelcha maintained a frantic rhythm in the 2:38/2:40 per kilometre range to increase his advantage on Cheptegei.

Over the closing two kilometres, Kejelcha could not maintain the pace on his own and despite his huge effort he romped home 13 seconds shy of the coveted mark and four seconds off the Ethiopian record. As for Cheptegei, the 27-year-old finished in 26:53, his third-quickest time and 15 seconds slower than the then world record of 26:38 he set in Valencia in December 2019. 

Surprisingly, the 20-year-old pacemaker Yihune completed the race in a massive lifetime best of 27:28.

“I came to Laredo to break the world record but it was not possible,” said Kejelcha. “I felt some discomfort in my hip around the eighth kilometre and could not maintain my speed.”

As for Cheptegei, the Olympic 5000m champion confirmed his main goal was to get the Olympic 10,000m standard of 27:00 and he expressed his happiness at having reached that target two weeks before he competes at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade.

Klosterhalfen prevails 

Held alongside the men’s race, the women’s event featured Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen as the favourite. The European 5000m champion dropped out during her last race, the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, three weeks ago and was trying to bounce back in Laredo with the main target of getting the qualifying time for the 10,000m at the Paris Olympics (30:40). 

Running in a group alongside male athletes, the 27-year-old started at a brisk pace and covered the opening kilometres at a tempo of around 3:00 per kilometre to go through halfway in 15:07, well on schedule for her target. Kenya’s Purity Gitonga travelled in second, five seconds back, and Spanish 3000m steeplechase record-holder Irene Sanchez-Escribano was third in 15:32.

Over the second half of the race all the main contenders slowed down their speed as Klosterhalfen began to falter dramatically inside the closing kilometre. That saw her lose any chance of achieving the entry standard for Paris but she still achieved a PB of 31:07.

Gitonga finished runner-up in 31:24 and Sanchez-Escribano ran a massive lifetime best of 31:35 for third.

Yimer and Wereta secure Ethiopian double in Seoul

Jemal Yimer prevailed after a sprint finish in the men’s race, while Fikrte Wereta claimed a clear women’s race win to secure an Ethiopian double at the Seoul Marathon on Sunday (17).

It was a first World Athletics Platinum Label road race win for both athletes, two-time world half marathon fourth-place finisher Yimer continuing his marathon journey with an almost three-minute PB of 2:06:08 and Wereta also running a lifetime best of 2:21:32.

The men’s race saw a big group remain together until after 30km, when Yimer formed part of a breakaway group of seven. The 27-year-old had been happy to sit back in the pack up to that point, passing 10km in 29:43 and 20km in 59:54.

The pace remained consistent as he reached 25km in 1:14:37 and 12 athletes were still running together at the 30km mark, hit by the leaders in 1:29:35.

Yimer’s compatriot Guye Adola, the 2021 Berlin Marathon champion, had looked in control to that stage, as he and Kenya’s Mike Kiptum Boit continued to switch the lead. But Adola couldn’t maintain the pace and he was among the athletes to drop back over the next couple of kilometres.

A group of seven forged ahead and six athletes remained together as 35km was reached in 1:44:27.

Yimer still had four others for company as he hit 40km in 1:59:19 alongside his compatriot Balew Yihunie Derseh plus Boit and his Kenyan compatriots Edwin Kiptoo and Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo.

But after doing much of the leading, Boit could only watch as Kilimo, Kiptoo and Yimer strode ahead.

Timing his kick to perfection, Yimer waited until the final corner to make his move. Glancing over his shoulder, he left Kilimo and Kiptoo behind and punched the air as he crossed the finish line.

He won in 2:06:08, with Kilimo a second behind him and Kiptoo a further second back.

Boit held on for fourth place in 2:06:20, while Derseh was fifth in 2:06:22.

In the women’s race, a nine-strong group running alongside male runners was on sub-2:20 pace for the opening kilometres but the tempo eased as the leaders reached 10km in 33:28, led by Kenya’s Celestine Chepchirchir.

Bahrain’s Desi Jisa Mokonin, looking to regain a title that she won in 2019, also took turns at the front and led as 15km was reached in 50:25 and 20km was passed in 1:07:29.

The main contenders remained together as an eight-strong group hit 30km in 1:41:05 and like in the men’s race, it was at around this stage that a significant move was made.

Jisa and Wereta were joined by Kenya’s Visiline Jepkesho and Ethiopia’s Betelihem Afenigus Yemer in a breakaway group and Wereta looked comfortable as she took her place at the front, with her challengers in single file behind her.

Wereta, Jisa and Yemer passed the 35km mark together in 1:57:42, with Jepkesho 11 seconds back at that point, and then Wereta attacked. She had built a lead of 23 seconds by 40km, passed in 2:13:54, as she was chased by Jisa (2:14:17), Yemer (2:14:43) and Jepkesho (2:15:01).

Wereta continued to stretch her lead and had an advantage of 47 seconds by the finish, which she crossed in 2:21:32. 

Jisa secured the runner up spot in 2:22:19, while Jepkesho passed Yemer in the closing stages to claim third place – 2:22:52 to 2:23:20. Ethiopia’s Yebrgual Melese was fifth in 2:23:43.

Gebreselama and Fisher win as records fall in San Juan Capistrano

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brigid Kosgei sets lofty ambitions at Lisbon Half Marathon as big bonus awaits

Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei is keen to make history at the Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday as she seeks to use the race to tune up for next month’s London Marathon.

Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei is keen to break her half marathon personal best during the Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday.

The former marathon world record holder is using the Lisbon Half Marathon to gauge her level of preparedness for the London Marathon set to take place on April 21 and she feels she can lower her half marathon personal best of 1:04:49.

"I'm really happy to be here again. I wanted to run this race because I want to test my speed for London Marathon in April,” Kosgei said on Friday.

“I come here to see how my body respond. I'm feeling good, I'm happy, did a good preparation. The course is very fast and I hope to have a good race on Sunday. If the weather is good, I will try to break my personal best in half marathon.”

The 30-year-old is no stranger to the Portuguese capital having won the 2016 Lisbon Marathon but she will come up against a stellar field on Sunday, in want has been termed the fastest half marathon in the world.

Seeking to upstage her is compatriot Vivian Cheruiyot, the 2018 London Marathon champion, whose last race was the Valencia Marathon in 2019 when she finished fourth.

There are also Kenyans Betty Chepkemoi, Pauline Esikom and Vivian Melly, Ethiopia’s Bosena Mulatie, fourth at the 2023 Istanbul Half Marathon and Senayet Getachew, the 2023 Junior World Cross-Country champion, who will be keen to upstage her.

The men’s field has attracted 10 athletes with the best marks under one hour. Abraham Kiptum will be returning and he is the biggest highlight, with a personal best of 59.09.

He will face a stern test from Ethiopians Solomon Berihu (59.17) and Dinkalem Ayele (59.30), but also compatriots Brian Kwemoi and Bravin Kipkogei Kiptoo (both with 59.37).

American Leonard Korir, third in the last month's US Olympic Marathon Trials, will also be in the race.

Korir achieved the needed spot in the podium, but not the time to guarantee the place in Paris. That's why he chose Lisbon to try to run a fast time, and maybe break the American record (59:43).

"I heard so many good things about the race, I heard that it's super fast. There were some guys that run fast here, like Jacob Kiplimo. I wanted to run something faster, and I told myself 'let me try to go to Lisbon',” said Korir.

“I heard the organisation is very good, the course is very nice. I just want to see if I can run a quick time, to see how my body feels before running a marathon in the near future,” added the 37-year-old American.

Lisbon Half Marathon oragnisers have set aside a €150,000 (Ksh22,044,775) bonus for new world records with the times to beat being 57:31 set by Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, at this same race in 2021, and 1:02:54 by Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey in Valencia.

Competitive fields look to make a statement in Seoul

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leading entries

Women

Yebrgual Melese (ETH) 2:19:36

Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN) 2:20:10

Desi Mokonin (BRN) 2:20:47

Sisay Meseret Gola (ETH) 2:20:50

Visiline Jepkesho (KEN) 2:21:37

Fikrte Wereta (ETH) 2:22:07

Sintayehu Tilahun (ETH) 2:22:19

Janet Ruguru (KEN) 2:23:00

Margaret Agai (KEN) 2:23:28

Sifan Melaku (ETH) 2:23:49

Munkhzaya Bayartsogt (MGL) 2:28:03

Marina Khmelevskaya (UZB) 2:29:28

Ayano Ikeuchi (JPN) 2:33:29

Men

Guye Adola (ETH) 2:03:46

Joel Kemboi Kimurer (KEN) 2:05:19

Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:35

Laban Kipngetich Korir (KEN) 2:05:41

Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 2:05:42

Derseh Kindie (ETH) 2:05:51

Gebru Redahgne (ETH) 2:05:58

Mark Kiptoo (KEN) 2:06:00

Felix Kandie (KEN) 2:06:03

Mike Kiptum Boit (KEN) 2:06:08

Ashenafi Moges Weldegiorgis (ETH) 2:06:12

Edwin Kiptoo (KEN) 2:06:52

Kibrom Desta Habtu (ETH) 2:07:05

Balew Yihunie Derseh (ETH) 2:07:12

Timothy Kipkorir (KEN) 2:07:53

Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:08:01

Feng Peiyou (CHN) 2:08:07

Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo (KEN) 2:08:08

Olonbayar Jamsran (MGL) 2:08:58

Huang Yongzheng (CHN) 2:10:49

Gantulga Dambadarjaa (MGL) 2:11:18

Jemal Yimer (ETH) 2:11:31

Evans Kipchumba (KEN) debut

Cheptegei and Kejelcha will seek the 10k World Record in Laredo

One more year, the Laredo 10k will once again bring together some of the fastest distance runners in the world looking to continue flying. The circuit of this Cantabrian town is among the flattest on the planet, a true 'oasis' for participating athletes to seek to beat their records.

In this 2024 edition, which will be held on March 16, the holder of the World Record of 5,000 and 10,000 meters will participate, it will be the main attraction for the race that will be held this coming Saturday.

The town usually goes all out with the race and creates a spectacular atmosphere to carry the runners along. Joshua Cheptegei, who has a personal best of 26:38 (Ugandan National Record), will have to deal with another 'beast' of the track and asphalt like Yomif Kejelcha, with a mark of 12.41 in 5,000 and 26.49 in 10,000. The Ethiopian has a very good time to beat his 10k PB, which is from 2013 (28:13). But he will not be satisfied with that alone and will try to battle Joshua for victory.

Klosterhalfen, in females

Former athlete Juan Carlos Higuero has reported that in the women's race there will be another reference from the world background such as the German Konstance Klosterhalfen. She has 31:01 in the 10,000 (German National Record) and 32:24 in the 10k. She also has a National Record in the 5,000.

Brigid Kosgei fine tuning for London Marathon at Lisbon Half Marathon

Former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei will be keen to gauge her form at the Lisbon Half Marathon ahead of her return to the London Marathon.

Former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei is the star attraction for the Lisbon Half Marathon, where she intends to have a great build-up for the London Marathon.

The 30-year-old will use the 21km race scheduled for Sunday, March 17 to gauge form and pace for the marathon that takes place in the capital city of England.

In addition to Kosgei, there will be other big names in the ladies' elite in Lisbon, with six more women with personal bests under 68 minutes.

Bosena Mulatie (65.46), Tigist Menigstu (66.20), and Betty Chepkemoi Kibet (66.37) will be hoping to stop Kosgei who suffered an injury last season and was forced to withdraw from the London Marathon.

Pauline Esikon (67.15), Vivian Melly (67.35) and Zewditu Aderaw Gelaw (67.25) are the other highlights beyond Kosgei.

The men’s field has attracted 10 athletes with the best marks under the hour. Abraham Kiptum will be returning and he is the biggest highlight, with a personal best of 59.09.

He will face a stern test from Ethiopians Solomon Berihu (59.17) and Dinkalem Ayele (59.30), but also compatriots Brian Kwemoi and Bravin Kipkogei Kiptoo (both with 59.37).

Meanwhile, several European athletes like the Norwegian Sondre Nordstad Moen (59.48), the Germans Amanal Petros (60.09) and Hendrik Pfeiffer (62.05), the Irish Stephen Scullion (61.08), Hélio Gomes and Rui Pinto have also confirmed participation. Brazilian Daniel do Nascimento, with a personal record of 61.03, will also be present, in what is his first race with Nike.

Abdi Nageeye won the NN CPC Loop Den Haag

Abdi Nageeye won the half marathon as part of the 48th NN CPC Run The Hague on Sunday, setting a Dutch record. The Netherland’s best road athlete won the opening classic half marathon race completing it in 1.00.21. In doing so, despite bowel and hamstring problems, he improved his own record by three seconds.

Ethiopian Charlie Kedir (1.00.48) and Israel’s Tadesse Getahon (1.01.01) joined Nageeye on the podium of honour. Khalid Choukoud, ambassador of the NN CPC Loop Den Haag in his hometown, finished in sixth place as the second Dutchman in 1.03.31. He was 25 seconds ahead of Tom Hendrikse.

Among the women, Susan Chembai from Kenya triumphed in a PR of 1.07.12. Lornah Kiplagat’s course record (1.06.56) remained out of reach. Germany’s Katharina Steinruck captured second place (1.09.58). Finishing third, was Dutch competitor Anna Luijten. The reigning national champion in the half and full marathon, improved her time, completing in 1.10.39. A year ago, she set her personal record of 1.12.12.

Nageeye was not the only athlete to run a Dutch record at the NN CPC Loop Rotterdam. So did 76-year-old Rietje Corstens from Bergen op Zoom. In the women 75+ category, she set a time of 1.59.22.

Abraham Tadesse sets new course record at the 2024 Zurich Marató Barcelona

This Sunday, the 45th Zurich Marató Barcelona started its new course at a record pace.

Fifth male record for the race in five years

For the fourth consecutive year, the men’s and women’s records of the Zurich Marató Barcelona, have been broken. In the men’s category, the Eritrean athlete with Swiss nationality, Abraham Tadesse, managed to beat the previous best time of this race (2:05:01), five seconds below the time set in 2023 by Marius Kimutai (2:05:06). In second place was the Kenyan Collins Kipkurui Kipkorir (2:06:41) and third was his compatriot Edmond Kipngetich (2:07:21). The three athletes who completed the podium ran together at the head of the race until the 35th kilometer. Then Tadesse broke away to enter the finish line alone.

Tadesse said, “I wanted to win Barcelona again and I have achieved it. I won the half-marathon of this city in 2015 and today, nine years later and almost 42 years old, I can assure that nothing is impossible, age is just a number. I was able to set the course record and I would like to come back to this race to try to finish in 2 hours and 4 minutes”.

The women’s race

In the women’s race, Ethiopian athlete Degitu Azimeraw won in 2:19:52, eight seconds behind the course record set last year by Zeineba Yimer Worku (2:19:44). In second place, her compatriot Shuko Genemo Wote, crossed the finish line (2:21:35). Meseret Dinke Meleka, also Ethiopian and athlete of On, was the third finisher (2:22:58). The Ethiopian women led the women’s elite group throughout the race, until just before 30K, when Azimeraw took the lead alone towards the finish line.

Degitu Azimeraw, “I am very happy to have won in Barcelona. I really liked the course. I will try to repeat next year because it is a course that I think can be run even faster and I would like to beat the course record next time”.

Also, this Sunday the 46th Catalan Marathon Championship was celebrated in the 45th Zurich Marató Barcelona. A championship in which Artur Bossy won in the absolute male category (2:19:11) and for the absolute female category the winner was Jessica Tipán (2:48:21).

Ando achieves first career marathon victory in Nagoya

Yuka Ando became the first Japanese winner in three years at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon, taking the title in a PB of 2:21:19 at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday (10).

Before today, Ando had completed 10 marathons in her career, and had reached the podium in Nagoya on three previous occasions. But today’s performance marked the first marathon victory of her career.

After a chilly start with temperatures of about 5C, Ando and fellow Japanese duo Ayuko Suzuki and Rika Kaseda formed aleading pack alongside 2022 world champion Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia and Asian champion Eunice Chebichii Chumba of Bahrain.

The lead group reached the halfway point in 1:09:56, inside 2:20 pace, but the tempo dropped slightly in the second half. Chumba and Gebreslase opened up a bit of a gap on the leading Japanese contenders. Suzuki started to fall back as Ando and Kaseda ran side by side as they tried to chase the leaders.

Gebreslase dropped out at about 36km, leaving Chumba in front. Ando caught up with the leader at about 39km and they ran together for a couple of kilometres before Ando kicked ahead in the final 800 metres.

Ando went on to cross the line in 2:21:18, consolidating her position at eighth on the Japanese all-time list. Chumba finished second in 2:21:25, and Suzuki placed third in a PB of 2:21:33.

Ando, who would have had to have broken the Asian record of 2:18:59 to make it on to Japan’s team for the Paris Olympics, was delighted with her run.

“There are many people who have helped me to get this far, and I’m filled with gratitude,” she said. “I can’t go to Paris, but I’m really happy that I won. It was really hard when I fell behind the lead pack, but I was able to catch up by running, only focusing on going forward.”

Rise of the “Illegal” Running Shoes

Super trainers are fast, fun, and maybe a little risky. Here’s what to know about these max-cushioned shoes. 

Banned shoes emerged courtside long before they found their way onto a marathon course. Legend has it that nearly 40 years ago, Michael Jordan laced up a pair of red-and-black high-tops in violation of the NBA’s approved uniform colors. 

In 2010, the league cracked down again—this time, for reasons besides aesthetics—on a pair of basketball shoes that were shown to increase a player’s vertical-jump height. Today, Nike’s Air Jordan brand is a household name and multibillion-dollar business, and shoemaker Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) has since released additional banned styles (Superfuture and Concept X) of its performance-boosting kicks.

Though some speculate these bans were mostly crafty marketing, the same can’t be said about the wave of “illegal” shoes that is flooding the roadways on the feet of runners. Super shoes have proven a true performance boon to both elites and recreational runners on race day. Now the tech has trickled down to shoes for daily runs, ushering in super-thick, though still permissible, shoes that have created their own category: super trainers.

What Is a Super Trainer?

Technically, a formal definition doesn’t exist. But we’ll establish some general parameters.

Super trainers share many of the same qualities as super shoes built for race day: a tall stack height, efficient midsole geometry, high-powered super foam, and usually some sort of plate. But these trainers aren’t meant for racing, like a Nike Vaporfly or Saucony Endorphin Elite—they’re designed for everyday mileage.

Super shoes for racing have to balance cushioning and propulsion, but still be lightweight. Super trainers, though, can have beefier constructions that help to extend their life spans. For example, shoe brand On guarantees only four marathons from the Cloudboom Echo 3—that’s little more than 100 miles. Super trainers can handle more mileage, and should have the typical 300- to 500-mile range of a normal running shoe.

To do that, they may have more outsole rubber for durability. Their uppers are usually softer and thicker than a racing shoe’s, as well, with comfortably cushioned ankle collars and tongues. They tie up with sturdier laces and offer a more forgiving fit overall, closer to what you’d expect from a workhorse daily trainer. And, since super trainers aren’t made to toe a starting line, brands can pile on midsole foam in excess of the 40mm limit imposed by World Athletics.

But they’re more than just extremely cushioned running shoes. Super trainers have additional mechanisms and “super foams” geared toward running efficiency and energy return, explained below.

Anatomy of a Super Trainer

If we break down a super trainer into its key components, we see a recurring theme: a stack of super foam in the ballpark of 40mm (or more), a carefully sculpted midsole shape for propulsion, and a plate that harnesses those pieces and holds it all together. This is the tech that puts the “super” in super trainers; it needs to interact with the foot and the rest of the kinetic chain in specific ways to deliver the intended ride and energy return. 

Here’s what’s happening inside the midsole under your foot, and how these elements work to boost your stride. 

1. Rocker Geometry

When we talk about a rocker sole, we’re describing the curvature of the bottom of the shoe’s sole. Both the heel and the toe curve upward, away from the ground, to give the shoe a more rounded base. The result is a shape like that you’ll find on a rocking chair. This is needed because the shoes are so thick, they don’t bend under the forefoot for a smooth transition during your gait cycle. 

Shoe developers can also manipulate the inflection points of the rockers around a runner’s pace and foot strike to potentially manipulate transition time. Usually, you’ll find the most aggressive rocker designs in racing shoes. Still, pronounced rocker soles on super trainers are essential to make transitions comfortable. 

→ How do rocker soles work?

Rocker soles in shoes function to mimic the natural rockers of the foot to make us feel more efficient. The foot has three functional rockers—the heel (first), ankle (second), and forefoot (third)—that we use while walking and running. The heel bevel in a shoe prepares the foot to contact the ground and smooths out the shoe’s ride when you land. Forefoot rockers assist movement during toe-off, which generally means the toes and ankle joint don’t have to work as hard. 

For some runners, a stiff rocker sole can decrease demand on the calves by transitioning effort upward to the knee and hips. A runner’s experience will depend on their specific biomechanics, where the rocker is placed, and how their footstrike contacts it.

2. Super Foam

Polyether Block Amide, or PEBA, is a common foam compound for super trainer midsoles. (A popular trade name for the material is Pebax, made by a company called Arkema.) It’s the basis for foams like Nike ZoomX, Saucony Pwrrun PB, Puma Nitrofoam, and Asics FF Blast Turbo. Many of those brands leverage the same foam used in their top-tier racing shoes for their super trainer models.

Right now, PEBA-based foams lead the way for energy return. While current research and our own testing indicates that supercritical EVA and TPU blends are also impressive, PEBA has the edge more often than not. Why? It’s lighter than TPU and far softer and bouncier than supercritical EVA. Some iterations are firmer than others, depending on which brand’s flavor you try.

→ How does foam work?

Cushioning serves to absorb shock upon landing and provide overall comfort while running, but it can also return energy to the runner and stabilize the shoe. PEBA foams are especially lightweight, so brands can pile it on—both in thickness and in width—without the same weight penalty applied when using EVA or TPU materials. The additional width is just as important as the height. These shoes often need a wide platform of midsole material to remain stable.

Every brand’s PEBA-based foam compresses at a different rate, with varying amounts of responsiveness, so each offers a unique benefit based on the runner. For example, runners who land with lots of force can bottom out and crush a foam that’s too squishy, so they may prefer a firmer platform. A harder midsole can offer more support without any additional stability elements. On the other hand, a softer foam can provide more comfort, and research suggests that it may have a protective benefit for lighter runners. 

Keep in mind that dozens of pieces within a shoe, as well as countless runner-specific characteristics, come together alongside a super foam to deliver its specific ride and response. It’s not always possible to parse each element individually.

3. Plates

Not every super trainer has a plate in its midsole, but it’s increasingly common. That’s because—regardless of whether it’s made from TPU, EVA, PEBA, carbon fiber, or a mix—a plate stiffens the midsole and can add support. It may also give the ride some extra pop, but it largely functions to stabilize the shoe. The Adidas Adizero Prime X 2 Strung, which has a heel stack height of 50mm, requires two stiff carbon-infused plates.

Some shoes need less support and utilize pliable materials with thinner rod constructions or forgo full-length plates for ones that extend only halfway along the midsole.

→ How do midsole plates work?

While plates can add propulsion, research suggests that the true hero is the foam itself. A plate mostly serves to “facilitate motion and add stiffness to the sole to balance out the softer compliant foams,” says Matt Klein, DPT and founder of the Doctors of Running website and podcast.

He explains that the effects of stiff-plated shoes are not clear-cut. “Everything we know [about super trainers] is applied from super shoe and maximal shoe research. These shoes shift work up to the knees and hips. The ankles may do less, but that doesn’t always apply. If the shoe is too stiff, the ankles will actually end up doing more work. But once a midsole gets so thick, it may not need a plate; the amount of material naturally stiffens the ride.”

What Are the Benefits of Super Trainers?

Simply put, these shoes are so much fun to run in. They can lend a bounce to your stride that feels like bounding on a trampoline. And since the springy sensation and high energy return can help you move more efficiently, running fast feels easier.

Plus, a review of 63 research studies concluded that these trainers can also help attenuate shock and dampen some of the hard impacts from training. So, runners recover from hard efforts more quickly; they’ll lace up the next day feeling fresher and less sore than if they’d worn regular running shoes. And for those eager to increase mileage, this may allow some runners to increase their weekly workload with less fatigue and fewer aches and pains.

“These have the benefit of having similarities to super racing shoes. These shoe types certainly increase the capacity of work you can do, so I suspect those running higher miles will probably benefit most from these,” Klein speculates.

But, the recovery boost from super trainers can make it tempting to tack on too many miles too soon or overcook the pace on easy days. “Just because you are less sore does not mean you are at a lower risk for injury. You can still get injured with overdoing things,” Klein says.

Our wear-testers report that they’re able to run faster paces with less effort in super trainers, but it’s still important to keep easy jogs relaxed. Double-check your training log and pull back on the reins if you notice spikes in mileage or intensity outside your typical training volume. 

Are There Any Risks to Super Trainers?

Though they feel great, super trainers can have an impact on our natural gaits and biomechanics. “One of the injury risks for this shoe type is that it is so different from normal mechanics and footwear. The current evidence from super shoes and super-max stack-height shoes is that we tend to stiffen our legs in taller, softer shoes,” Klein says. “This is not bad short-term, but some evidence suggests long-term super-max stack-height shoes can actually increase joint loading due to that stiffening.”

“I suspect running in them a ton will cause less joint motion, as the body will stiffen up to find stability as shock absorption isn’t needed. This may be great for a recovery run/faster run, but trying to transition back to normal shoes can take time if you only run in these and super racing shoes.” Klein recommends making the transition slowly to avoid injury and keeping more than one pair of running shoes in your rotation. 

“I do suspect that with the workload being shifted up to the knee and especially the hip, there may be an increase in injuries in those areas. The hip still has to work harder being on a softer, less stable surface. So, those with hip instability and strength issues may want to avoid super shoes, at least until these issues have been addressed,” Klein says. New runners should focus on building strength and experience before experimenting with super trainers.

There is little doubt that these shoes have effects at the point where our feet meet the midsoles as well as farther along our kinetic chains. Super trainers shift more of the workload of running to the hamstrings, which means that you won’t engage the calves and lower leg muscles as much. Moving some of that effort to larger muscle groups can be beneficial for some runners, like those who are struggling with calf or Achilles tendon injuries. But those who have a nagging hamstring strain may need to be wary. Whether or not it’s your goal, those upper leg muscles will receive more of a workout.

At the very least, one thing can be said for sure. It’s that all the foam underfoot is going to put a lot of distance between your foot and the ground. This limits the amount of ground feel you receive from the shoe. It can be easier to wipe out if you’re hopping a curb on a night run. And on rain-slicked sidewalks or technical trails, it can be tough to steer a thick and bulky midsole. If you’re prone to ankle rolls or need a keen sense of where and how your foot is landing whenever you touch down, a super trainer might not serve you well.

Will I Really Get DQ’d in a Race?

It depends. If you’re an elite runner, absolutely. But if you’re going for a 3:10 BQ, it’s unlikely. Ethiopian runner Derara Hurisa won the 2021 Vienna Marathon in 2:09:22 but was disqualified when race organizers found he’d raced in the Adidas Adizero Prime X, a different shoe than he’d declared on his prerace form. Another runner at a fall 2023 half marathon was disqualified after winning in the same shoe. 

Our Favorite Super Trainers

Running shoes aren’t cheap. Maxed-out midsoles with top-end shoe tech only add to the bill. Most super trainers will cost you $180 at least, and there are options to be had for well over $200.

Nagoya Women's Marathon winner to pocket Ksh 35 million

The Nagoya Women's Marathon will be coming up on Sunday offering the highest prize money with the winner set to walk away with Ksh 35 million ($241,500US).

The 2024 Nagoya Women’s Marathon is certainly one of the marathons in the world that offers the highest prize money.

The winner of the race will walk away with more than Ksh 35 million with every finisher also being awarded a beautiful, specially designed pendant from a global luxury jeweller, Tiffany & Co., as a memento of their achievement.

As per the race organisers, the prize money for the subsequent places will be determined separately based on the competition results.

Meanwhile, this year’s field has attracted Gotytom Gebreslase who will have the course record in her sights when she races in the marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race.

The 2022 world champion set her Personal Best time of 2:18:11 when winning that title in Oregon and she went on to secure silver at last year’s World Championships in Budapest.

This will be the Ethiopian’s first marathon since then and she goes into it targeting at least a lifetime best, if not the course record of 2:17:18 set by Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich in 2022 – that time being the second-fastest-ever women-only marathon behind the 2:17:01 run by Mary Keitany in London in 2017.

“My goal for Sunday is to run under 2 hours and 18 minutes, and if the weather and pacemakers are good, I will try to break the course record of 2:17:18,” she said at the pre-event press conference.

She will face a stern test from Bahrain’s Eunice Chebichii Chumba, who finished seventh in the Olympic Games marathon in Sapporo, and Romania’s Delvine Relin Meringor who ran her national record of 2:20:49 when finishing third in Barcelona a year ago and she went on to place 12th in the Berlin Marathon in 2:23:25.

Violah Cheptoo will be Kenya’s sole representative in the race, hoping to retain the title that was won by Chepng’etich during last year’s edition of the race.

Elite Runners Gear Up for Thrilling Showdown at 2024 Los Angeles Marathon

Event organizers are optimistic about witnessing one of the fastest men's races in the history of the Los Angeles Marathon.

The spotlight will be on Kenya's Dominic Kipyegon Ngeno when the 2024 edition of the Los Angeles Marathon takes place on March 17.

Ngeno clinched the third spot at the Eindhoven Marathon in the Netherlands last October, achieving a personal best of 2:07:26 and is set to lead the elite field  in what promises to be a thrilling race.

Ngeno's compatriot, Moses Kiptoo Kurgat, arrives in Los Angeles boasting a personal best of 2:08:40, following his recent triumph at the 2022 Kuala Lumpur Marathon, where he clocked an impressive 2:11:05. The duo's presence adds an extra layer of excitement to the event, showcasing Kenya's dominance in long-distance running.

Eritrean runners Tsegay Tuemay and Tesfu Weldegebreal, who have been honing their skills in Flagstaff, Arizona, are also set to make their mark. Tuemay, with a personal best of 2:09:07, claimed victory at the McKirdy Micro Marathon in New York last October in a time of 2:11:04. Meanwhile, Weldegebreal, with a half marathon personal best of 62:48, is gearing up for his marathon debut.

Other contenders vying for the top spot include Cosmas Kiplimo from Kenya, boasting a 2:09:44 personal best and a third-place finish in the Geneva Marathon (2:10:44) in Switzerland last October. Sammy Rotich, a Kenyan who secured victory at the Austin Marathon (2:14:25) and achieved a personal best of 2:10:08 at Grandma's Marathon in 2022, will also be a force to be reckoned with. Ethiopia's Belay Tilahun Bezabh, winner of the 2019 NYC Half Marathon and with notable performances in Hamburg and Dalian Marathons, completes the formidable lineup.

Given the impressive credentials of these elite runners, the event organizers are optimistic about witnessing one of the fastest men's races in the history of the Los Angeles Marathon. 

The current fastest time ever recorded in Los Angeles is Ethiopia's Markos Geneti's remarkable 2:06:35 effort in 2011 on the Stadium to Sea course. The Stadium to Stars route's course record is held by Ethiopia's Bayelign Teshager, who clocked 2:08:26 in 2020, setting the stage for an exciting showdown among these elite athletes.

Gotytom Gebreslase hopes to break Nahoya course record

In advance of the highly anticipated race scheduled for this Sunday, March 10, 2024, the Nagoya Women’s Marathon held a pre-race press conference for the invited elite athletes today in Nagoya, Japan.

Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH), 2022 Oregon World Champion and 2023 Budapest World Championships silver medalist said, “My goal for Sunday is to run under two hours 18 minutes, and if the weather and pacemakers are good, I will try to break the course record of 2:17:18.” Her competitor Eunice Chebichii Chumba of Bahrain, 2023 Asian Games Champion said, “My preparation has been going well, and my focus will be to improve my personal best of 2:20:02.”

For Japanese athletes, the Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2024 will be the last chance to win a place in the Paris Olympics team by beating the new national record of 2:18:59 just set by Honami Maeda this January.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympians Ayuko Suzuki will aim to break the target of 2:18:59 so she can compete in the Olympics again to show what she really can do, adding that she was ready to turn the support of the local spectators of her hometown Aichi into strength. Sharing the same goal with Ayuko, Rika Kaseda commented that she had prepared for a high-speed race and would challenge herself to keep up with the pace of other fast athletes to grab the last ticket for Paris 2024.

In addition to these top elite athletes, many recreational runners will join the Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2024 from home and abroad, making it an exciting race with 18,000 participants. All finishers will be presented with an event’s exclusively designed Tiffany & Co. pendant and a New Balance T-shirt as the finisher prize.

Sunday’s race will be streamed live free of charge to 37 countries and regions (Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, and United States of America) on the race’s official website at https://womens-marathon.nagoya/en/broadcast.php. Stay tuned for the race to start at 9:10 a.m. on Sunday, March 10, 2024, Japan time.

Beatrice Chepkoech reveals ambitious plans to end Olympics medal drought

World 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech has explained how she is planning to end her Olympics medal drought after disappointing outings in previous editions.

World 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech is keen to win the only medal still missing in her collection, the Olympics.

Chepkoech has won gold at the World Championships (2019) as well as silver in 2023, another silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the year she won one of her back-to-back Diamond League trophies, World Cross-Country gold and she is back from claiming bronze at the World Indoor Championships.

Besides, she is also the world record holder over the distance, but the Olympics has eluded her, finishing fourth at the 2016 Rio Games before seventh place in Tokyo five years later and she is keen to right those wrongs at the 2024 edition in Paris.

“This is so far a very wonderful year for me. I have struggled with injuries in the past but now I am back to my best and ready for the Olympics where I want to win a medal,” Chepkoech told Capital Sport.

“I ran in my first Olympics in 2016 in Rio and Paris will be the third time for me to compete. I want to mark it with a medal in the 3,000m steeplechase because that is the only medal I am yet to clinch.”

Chepkoech won her first Indoor medal on Saturday night, marking a significant achievement with a new National Record and a Personal Best time of 8:22.68, with American runner Elle St Pierre claiming victory in a new championship record time of 8:20.87, narrowly outpacing Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay, who secured a silver medal with a time of 8:21.13.

The 32-year-old wasted no time after the event as she jetted into the country and headed straight to the African Games trials at Nyayo Stadium where she won the 5,000m in 15:29.69 on Wednesday to clinch her ticket to the event slated to begin in Accra, Ghana on Friday.

Embu’s Mary Mananu clocked 15:45.45 to finish second behind Chepkoech with Sandrafelis Chebet of Lemotit Athletics camp completing the podium in 16:01.33.

“I want to run in the 5,000m at the African Games because I am looking to better my endurance and then afterwards, I want to work on my speedwork as well,” added Chepkoech.

Former World Cross Country Champion Irine Cheptai runs marathon debut in Hamburg, Katharina Steinruck chases special record time

Irine Cheptai, Kenya’s World Cross Country Champion from 2017, will run her debut marathon in Hamburg on 28th April. This was announced by the organisers of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, who released some of the top women’s contenders and presented Germany’s Katharina Steinruck during a press conference.

While Steinruck will chase a special family record on the fast Hamburg course it is Winfridah Moseti who heads the current women’s start list. The Kenyan has a personal best of 2:20:55. 14,000 runners are expected to compete in Germany’s biggest spring marathon on 28th April. Online registration for the race is still possible at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de

Irine Cheptai has been very successful on the track as well before she focussed more on road running. In 2021 she was sixth in the Olympic 10,000 m final in Tokyo and a year later the Kenyan won the 10,000 m silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Then she showed very promising half marathon races, culminating in a 64:53 PB in Valencia where she was second. With this time Cheptai was the fourth fastest half marathoner in the world in 2023. 

Hamburg has seen great debut marathons in the past. In 2013 it was Eliud Kipchoge who won with a course record of 2:05:30. Two years ago Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw ran an unofficial world debut record of 2:17:23 which still stands as Hamburg’s course record. There are two more debutants on the women’s start list who could do very well on 28th April: Kenya’s Nelly Jepchumba has a half marathon PB of 67:00 while Roselida Jepketer of Bahrain has run 68:40 for the half. 

Winfridah Moseti ran a huge personal best of 2:20:55 when she was runner-up in last year’s Frankfurt Marathon. While the Kenyan will want to build on this performance Frankfurt’s third place finisher will be among her rivals in Hamburg: Sharon Chelimo improved to 2:22:07 last October. Ethiopia’s Kidusan Alema and Canada’s record holder Natasha Wodak, who have personal records of 2:22:28 and 2:23:12 respectively, will also run their spring marathon in Hamburg.

Katharina Steinruck will be very much in the national focus when she hopes to break her mother’s family record. It was exactly 25 years ago when Katrin Dörre-Heinig, the bronze medallist of the 1988 Olympic marathon in Seoul, won the Hamburg Marathon with 2:24:35. For many years this was the German marathon record. “It is my aim to break my Mum’s record and it would be great if I could do it in Hamburg,“ said 34 year-old Katharina Steinruck, who is coached by her mother and improved to 2:24:56 in Osaka at the end of January. “Katha“ Steinruck returns to the race for the first time since 10 years and has good memories.

In 2013 and in 2014 she clocked personal bests of 2:34:20 and 2:33:56 in Hamburg as a young athlete. Ten years later running around ten minutes faster will be the goal. And there could not be a more fitting race than the Haspa Marathon Hamburg to break the family record. 

World record in danger! Three of the top four fastest women confirmed for London Marathon

The world record will be in danger with three of the top four fastest women in the history having been confirmed for the 2024 London Marathon.

World marathon record holder Tigst Assefa will brace up for a tough battle at the 2024 London Marathon that has attracted three of the top four fastest women in history.

The strong field assembled for the assignment on Sunday, April 21 will be keen to ensure that the women’s world record goes down one more time after being lowered during the 2023 Berlin Marathon.

The record was set by Assefa, who became the new world record holder when she ran an incredible 2:11:53, obliterating the previous best mark of 2:14:04 set by Brigid Kosgei during the 2019 Chicago Marathon.

Assefa and Kosgei will now clash for the first time with Kosgei going for the world record which she noted belongs to Kenya.

Others with eyes on the record include Ruth Chepng’etich, the fourth-fastest woman of all time (2:14:18), Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya), the reigning Olympic champion, and Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia), the 2022 TCS London Marathon champion.

Pacemakers will be tasked with keeping the leading women on track for the women’s-only world record, which is possible at the TCS London Marathon as the elite women run a separate race to the elite men and masses.

Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the TCS London Marathon, said: “We are in a golden age of women’s marathon running.

“When Paula Radcliffe ran her incredible world record of 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon, we had to wait 16 years for Brigid Kosgei to beat it.

“But since then, a further four women have run faster than Paula’s time including Tigst Assefa, who lowered the world record even further with her stunning run in Berlin last year.

“Despite this, the women’s-only world record of 2:17:01, set by the great Mary Keitany here at the London Marathon in 2017, has amazingly stayed intact.”

He added that however, he suspects that with Assefa, Kosgei and the likes of Chepng’etich, Jepchirchir and Yehualaw in the field, the world record is going to be under serious threat at the 2024 TCS London Marathon.

Geoffrey Kamworor out to challenge six Ethiopians for the 2024 London Marathon crown

Multiple World Cross-country champion Geoffrey Kamworor will try his luck one more time at the 2024 London Marathon, going up against some of the greatest marathoners from Ethiopia.

The men’s elite field at the 2024 London Marathon will see Geoffrey Kamworor take on former clubmate Kenenisa Bekele.

Kamworor will be keen to improve on his second-place finish during last year’s edition of the event while Bekele will seek to have a great build-up toward the Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Bekele, widely regarded as one of the greatest marathoners the world has ever known, will be looking to cement his name further in the streets of London.

He recently changed his management and will be keen to impress them after finishing fourth at last year’s Valencia Marathon. He will also be looking to bounce back after failing to finish the race during last year’s edition of the race.

Meanwhile, the elite men’s race is headlined by reigning TCS New York City Marathon champion Tamirat Tola who will also be looking to continue his hot streak in the streets of the English capital.

The seventh-fastest man in history Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia (2:02:55) and Kenya's Alexander Mutis, who was runner-up at the 2023 Valencia Marathon in a time of 2:03:11, have also confirmed to be on the start line on Sunday, April 21.

From a British perspective, Emile Cairess returns after becoming the third-fastest Brit in history when he ran 2:08:07 on his TCS London Marathon debut last year.

He will be joined by Callum Hawkins, who has twice finished fourth at the World Championships and will be making his first appearance at the London Marathon since setting his PB of 2:08:14 at the 2019 event.

David Bett Kiprotich wins the San Blas Half Marathon

David Bett Kiprotich did not climb the famous El Ajoguillo hill first, which almost always helps predict the winner of the San Blas Half Marathon. However, Kiprotich broke that routine by conquering the international test this Sunday, where the runners who won the local branch set new personal bests for the distance.

Kiprotich won with an advance in the descent after El Ajoguillo, the famous hill sector located at kilometer 15 of the 21-kilometer test. He climbed second in that sector and on the descent he overtook Kenyan Peter Njeru, who had been first since kilometer five and was unable to maintain his position in the final six kilometers of the race.

Meanwhile, Arnaldo Martinez from Coam and Paola Figueroa from Guaynab won the national category with new personal times, in addition to a top 10 for Martinez on the arrival list.

The pride of the town of San Blas crossed the finish line in ninth place overall.

“Push. I knew I could win the race because I trained well,” said Njeru, who crossed the finish line with a time of one hour, three minutes and 18 seconds (1:03:18). He escorted Mulatie to the finish line with 1:03.26.

Some 12 runners from the continent of Africa ran in Coamo, which registered a record number of 2,100 runners and which, as always, had the support of the Coamenos motivating the runners on both sides of the route to the finish line, which is located one block away. from the recreation square.

Among those Africans, Kenyan Yoyland Chemutay dominated the second half of the race and was the winner of the women’s event with a time of 1:14.19. She was followed by the Ethiopian Mercuria Alem.

Martinez, who ran the first kilometers with the group of Africans, finished with a time of 1:08.11, which is a personal best. His best time was 1:09.54. The Coameno felt satisfied, although he believes that he could have made a better record.

“It was a personal best, although it is not the time I expected. But I’m happy. I know that little by little I am reaching the positions,” Martinez said.

Martinez finished in ninth position overall. He was the second non-African in the top ten after Chilean Hugo Gatrileo.

Jose Gonzalez and Kenneth Figueroa finished second and third in the national category with 1:09.19 and 1:09.39, respectively.

For her part, Figueroa finished first after an advance in El Ajoguillo with a time of 1:19.34, which is also a personal best.

His best time was 1:21, he said.

“I improved a lot and I owe it to my coach, because last year was tough with injuries. But this year I am better, stronger,” said the 26-year-old runner, mentioning her coach Jose de los Santos Alvarez Mesa.

She was followed in the national category by Paola Ramos with 1:24.40 and Barbara Quiles with 1:26.24.

New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish shocks field for gold in men’s 1,500m final

Geordie Beamish of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, pulled off an incredible upset to take gold in the men’s 1,500m on the final day of competition at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

Beamish was not expected to win, with the 1,500m not being his main event. However, he bided his time and entered the final lap in eighth place before surging down the final straight to become New Zealand’s first world indoor champion in the 1,500m event, clocking a personal best of 3:36.54.

“I trusted my closing speed against anyone,” said. Beamish to Canadian Running post-race.

Cole Hocker and Hobbs Kessler of Team USA claimed silver and bronze, respectively, with times of 3:36.69 and 3:36.72.

The door was open for a new champion in the men’s 1,500m with the absence of Jakob Ingebrigtsen due to injury and reigning world (outdoor) champion Josh Kerr, who ran and won the 3,000m distance instead.  

When asked if Beamish would run the 1,500m in Paris instead of the steeplechase, he declined. “I don’t think I can run a 1,500m in 3:29,” he said. “I enjoy the steeple a lot, and I think I have my best chance to medal in that event.”

Vancouver’s Kieran Lumb finished 13th in the 1,500m final. “I’m disappointed,” says Lumb. “I felt I was going to really do something special today, and that wasn’t the case.”

Beamish’s medal capped off a day to remember for New Zealand after Hamish Kerr earlier won gold in the high jump. The small Oceanic island nation finished with four medals (two gold, two silver), their most ever at an indoor world championship.

In the women’s 1,500m final, it was Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu who came out on top in a time of 4:01.46. This is Hailu’s first global title. Her best finish before Glasgow was a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics in the same event. Americans Nikki Hiltz and Emily MacKay ran personal bests to win silver and bronze. Canada’s Lucia Stafford finished 11th in 4:08.90.

Mary Ngugi, Emmanuel Wafula dazzle at 49th Roma-Ostia half marathon

Kenyans dominated the 49th Roma-Ostia Half Marathon, with victories in both men's and women's categories on Sunday.

Former world half marathon silver medalist, Mary Wacera Ngugi, showcased her enduring class and resolve by clinching victory at the 49th edition of the Roma-Ostia Half Marathon held on Sunday in Rome, Italy.

At 35, the seasoned athlete, who also holds the title of 2021 Boston Marathon silver medalist, entered the race with a personal best of 1:06.29, recorded eight years ago at the Houston Half Marathon. 

Ngugi outpaced her rivals to secure top honors with a commendable time of 1:07.38.

Caroline Korir rounded out the top three, crossing the finish line in 1:09.01, and solidifying the podium positions. 

Ngugi’s victory is not just a personal achievement but also a testament to her commitment to nurturing young talent through her initiative, the Nala Track Club. 

Based in her hometown of Nyahururu, the club aims to empower young girls by providing them with opportunities to engage in athletics, thereby fostering a new generation of champions.

In the men’s category, the competition was equally intense, with Kenya’s Emmanuel Wafula emerging victorious in his debut over the distance, clocking an impressive time of 1:01.10. 

The race was a nail-biter until the very end, with Ethiopia's Yegzaw Bayelign finishing a mere one second behind Wafula. 

Kenyan Kimakal Kipsambu secured the third spot with a time of 1:01.20, while compatriot Asbel Kiplimo finished fourth in 1:02.57.

Elle St. Pierre Upsets World Record-Holder to Win First World Championship Title

A year after giving birth, St. Pierre won gold in the 3,000 meters at the World Indoor Championships.

On Saturday, March 2, Elle St. Pierre threw down an electrifying kick to beat two-time world champion Gudaf Tsegay for gold at the 2024 World Indoor Championships. Running for Team USA, St. Pierre won the women’s 3,000 meters in 8:20.87, breaking the American record and championship record. Ethiopia’s Tsegay finished second in 8:21.13, and Beatrice Chepkoech ran a Kenyan national record when she placed third in 8:22.68, rounding out the podium of a thrilling race at Commonwealth Arena in Glasgow, Scotland.

The event began with Tsegay setting an aggressive early pace. With the 5,000-meter world record-holder out in front, Chepkoech, St. Pierre, and Jessica Hull of Australia followed. Running patiently, St. Pierre maintained contact in fourth place for much of the race. Together, the pack passed through the first 1600 meters in 4:29.

By 2,000 meters, the top four created a gap between the rest of the field. With two laps remaining, Tsegay attempted to break away from her rivals but she couldn’t shake Chepkoech and St. Pierre, who looked ready to strike at any moment.

At the bell, St. Pierre began to make her move to the front. To the cheers of a roaring crowd, the 29-year-old passed the Olympic bronze medalist on the homestretch. St. Pierre is the first American in history to win gold in the event. She is now No. 3 on the world all-time list two years after earning silver at the 2022 World Indoor Championships.

“It’s a dream come true,” St. Pierre told reporters after the race. “I don’t think it’s fully sunk in quite yet, but it feels amazing to be here with my family and my teammate, Emily [Mackay], and my coach in Scotland.”

In the mixed zone, St. Pierre said she expected a fast race but knew she could use her miler speed to close well if she put herself in position with the leaders, and that’s exactly what she did.

The victory took place two days before her son, Ivan, celebrates his first birthday. St. Pierre said not racing much last summer allowed her to build up mileage, resulting in a stunning postpartum comeback. “Having a baby has only made me stronger,” she said.

St. Pierre’s increased strength was evident three weeks prior to the World Championships. At the 2024 Millrose Games on February 11, the two-time world indoor medalist broke her own American record when she won the women’s Wanamaker mile in 4:16.41.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics fast approaching, St. Pierre looks poised to make a major leap from her 10th-place finish in the 1500 meters at the Tokyo Games.

Kerr delights Glasgow crowd with world indoor 3000m win

Just before the bell sounded in the men’s 3000m final, Josh Kerr made his move, sweeping through to join Selemon Barega at the front of the field with one lap of the track remaining.

Could the Scot who brought down Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Norwegian prince of the middle distances, in the last 200m of the stunning men’s 1500m final at the outdoor World Championships in Budapest last August do the same to the defending 3000m champion back on home ground at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24?

Indeed, he could. And then some.

The noise threatened to raise the roof in the Glasgow Arena as the pride of Glasgow kicked again halfway down the back straight. Barega, the Olympic champion at 10,000m, was unable to respond.

As Kerr rounded into the home straight, the gold medal was in the bag. He still dipped for the line but with 0.61 to spare.

The time, 7:42.98, was a statistical irrelevance as the double world champion savoured his victory ahead of his US rival Yared Nuguse, who came through to snatch silver in 7:43.59, Barega fading to third in 7:43.64.

Kerr had become the first British man to win the world indoor 3000m title and only the third Scottish athlete to strike world indoor gold in any event.

He wasn’t even born when the Bellshill Bullet Tom McKean hit the bullseye in the men’s 800m and his training partner Yvonne Murray did likewise in the women’s 3000m in Toronto back in the mists of 1993.

Fittingly, McKean and Murray were both in the house to join in the celebrations as Kerr soaked up the applause wrapped in a Scottish Saltire flag.

“For Scotland and for the UK, this is a huge championships,” said the Tokyo Olympic 1500m bronze medallist, who has been based in the United States in Albuquerque since the age of 17.

“I needed to be at my best. It was a hard-fought race.”

It was indeed and Kerr fought the smartest, judging his effort to absolute perfection, as he had in that wonderful world outdoor 1500m final seven months ago.

He was happy to sit back in the pack as Barega and his Ethiopian teammate Getnet Wale toyed with the pace at the front, injecting fleeting surges.

The field remained bunched with 800m remaining, at which point Kerr coolly drifted up into second, behind Wale. It was the perfect position to react to any major move.

That came with 500m remaining, Barega making his way past into the lead. Nuguse’s US teammate Olin Hocker entered the equation too before Kerr closed down Barega at the bell – and proceeded to break not just the Ethiopian runner but the Ethiopian stranglehold on the event.

After wins by Yomif Kejelcha in Portland in 2016 and in Birmingham in 2018, and Barega’s success in Belgrade two years ago, Kerr became the first European winner since Italy’s Gennaro Di Napoli retained the title in Toronto in 1993.

“I just didn't want to short change anyone because I knew I had the support of all Scotland and the UK tonight,” added Kerr, who has raced sparingly on the boards but set a brilliant world indoor two mile best of 8:00.67 in New York on 6 February.

Behind the three medal winners, Wale finished fourth in 7:44.77 and Hacker fifth in 7:45.40.

Tefera takes down Ingebrigtsen to retain world indoor 1500m title

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

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

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

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

He made sure it was fast. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Asked if he would do anything different if the race was run again, he said: “If I knew that I was completely s*** tonight, then of course I’d do a lot of things different, but I didn’t have any factors telling me that before the race.”In third, Kipsang claimed the first global medal of his career, having been edged into fourth at the Olympics last year. Ethiopia’s Teddese Lemi finished fourth in 3:33.59, with Australia’s Ollie Hoare fifth and Britain’s Neil Gourley sixth.

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

John Korir is going to run the Boston Marathon

Two-time Los Angeles Marathon champion John Korir is targeting a podium finish in the Boston Marathon after falling short last year. 

Korir said he aims to win the race scheduled for April 8 if not finish on the podium. 

 Korir, who finished 9th last year, said he believes his last year's experience will help him run away with the title.

Korir is fresh from finishing second in the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon, where he clocked 58:50 minutes behind the champion Daniel Mateiko (58:45). Isaiah Lasoi (58:55) ensured an all-Kenyan podium sweep. 

“As we speak, I am more than ready to battle for the Boston title or finish on the podium. Last year, I miscalculated and ended up in the wrong position,” said Korir. 

Korir, a younger brother to former Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir, will be seeking redemption on the course where he clocked 2:10.04 last year.

“My training is going well and I hope to secure a top position with a great time,” he said. He said RAK was a good experience for him considering he is not a half marathon runner.

“I used RAK as part of my speed work and build-up ahead of the big task in Boston and it was a great experience finishing second,” said Korir

Korir finished fourth in the Chicago Marathon, where he clocked 2:05:09. The late Kelvin Kiptum won the race in a world marathon record time of  2:00.35 followed by Benson Kipruto (2:04:02), and Dutch runner  Bashir Abdi (2:04:32). 

Korir will be making his third appearance at the Boston Marathon after debuting in 2022 when he finished third in 2:05.01 behind Benson Kipruto (2:04.24) and Ethiopia's Seif Tura (2:04.49).

“Last year, the Boston Marathon was too tough but I want to try my luck this year,” he said.

Korir, just like his brother Wesley, is remembered for winning the LA Marathon twice in a row. Wesley won in 2009 and retained the title in 2010 while the junior Korir won in 2021 before defending the title in 2022.

Sifan Hassan fires stern warning shot to Rosemary Wanjiru ahead of Sunday's Tokyo Marathon

Dutch woman Sifan Hassan is not resting on her laurels as she looks to dethrone defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru at Sunday's Tokyo Marathon.

Reigning Chicago Marathon champion Sifan Hassan has opened up on her main target ahead of the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday.

Hassan, who made her full marathon debut last year, has noted that she will be going for the Tokyo Marathon course record.

The reigning London Marathon champion noted that she is physically fit and ready to attack the record time of 2:16:02 that was set by Brigid Kosgei during the 2021 edition of the event.

“I have prepared well for this race…I mean the period between after the Chicago Marathon and now. I’m going for a course record,” the Dutch woman said during the pre-race press conference.

The double Olympic champion has only competed in two marathons in her career so far which she has won, and she will be keen to continue the winning streak in more races to come.

However, the Tokyo Marathon pits her against some of the strongest marathoners too, including defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru and the 2022 Valencia Marathon champion Amane Beriso.

During last year’s edition of the race, Wanjiru destroyed a strong field to claim the top prize, stopping the clock at 2:16:28.

Wanjiru also represented Kenya at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary where she finished sixth in the marathon. She enjoyed her 2023 season and will be looking to have an amazing season in 2024.

On her part, Ethiopia’s Beriso, the reigning World marathon champion will not let her fans down as she takes on the tough Tokyo Marathon course.

Beriso, a very soft-spoken athlete, will once again showcase her prowess and skills on the roads with the hope of bagging her first World Marathon Major title.

World champion Josh Kerr confident under pressure at World Indoors

On Thursday morning, Josh Kerr was calm and confident as he took questions from the media at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. The reigning 1,500m world champion is poised to tackle a new challenge at World Indoors: the men’s 3,000m event, all under the watchful eyes of a supportive home crowd. When asked about the pressure for Saturday’s race, Kerr brushed it off, saying that internally, nothing has changed.

Acknowledging the weight of expectation that comes with being a world champion, Kerr says he’s unfazed by external distractions. “I remain focused on myself and on preparing to compete at the highest level,” says Kerr. “My primary goal remains unchanged: to win gold at both the World Indoors and the Paris Olympics.”

The Scottish middle-distance runner made the strategic decision to opt out of the 1,500m event in Glasgow, entering the 3,000m instead—a distance he’s tackled only twice in his professional career. “Over the years, I’ve recognized the need to build strength, and I’ve seen considerable success in the 3K and two-mile races,” explained Kerr. “I believe I have untapped potential in the 3K.”

While venturing into longer-distance events, Kerr reiterated that his main focus for Paris is firmly on the men’s 1,500m. “I have no plans to venture into the 5,000m anytime soon… I might be the worst at it,” he laughed. “But it’s an area I’m working on improving.”

Constantly challenging himself to get better was something Kerr had to learn early on in his career. When he won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, he said he got carried away with thinking the hard work was done and that he could ride the wave. “I believe track and field is the most humbling sport in the world,” says Kerr. “I had to put my head down and set events to look forward to in order to help with my motivation during winter training.”

The possibility of winning world championship gold on home soil holds a lot of significance for Kerr. “World Indoors in Scotland is deeply meaningful to me,” he said. “Following the legacy of events like London 2012, I hope this championship inspires the next generation of Scottish athletes.”

As the main medal favourite for host country Team GB, Kerr is embracing the challenge. “Despite our smaller team size, I think every athlete in a GB singlet is a genuine medal contender,” Kerr says.

While Kerr’s rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen will be absent from World Indoors, Kerr declined to engage in any banter after Ingebrigtsen said he could beat Kerr’s two-mile world best “blindfolded.” When questioned about Ingebrigtsen’s recent remarks, he laughed and said “No comment.” With the men’s 3,000m at World Indoors stacked with talent—including American mile record holder Yared Nuguse and Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega of Ethiopia—reaching the top of the podium for Kerr won’t come easy.

You can stream the 2024 World Indoor Championships from March 1 to 3 from Canada live on CBCSports and CBC, and the CBC Gem app. Canadian Running will be reporting live from Glasgow, reporting on the action and featuring interviews with athletes as everything unfolds. You can follow our coverage on Instagram or Twitter.

Lisbon offers 150K EUR bounty for new records

Bonus for new world records in the half marathon.

Scheduled for March 17, the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon remains one of the world’s leading and fastest long-distance races and this year it will once again reward fast times with an attractive cash prize.

Therefore, as an incentive for the elite, the race organisers Maratona Clube de Portugal today announced a bonus of 150,000 Euro (162,500 USD) for new world records in this year’s race.

Lisbon already holds the best men’s mark – 57:31 (Jacob Kiplimo, in 2021) – and now, as well as wanting to improve on that stratospheric record, it also wants to add the women’s record, which is currently held by Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey, with 1:02:52 in Valencia, the same year.

In addition to Kiplimo’s time, Lisbon has been the scene of other world and European records in the past, such as Zersenay Tadese’s world record in 2010 or Mo Farah’s continental record in 2015.

Carlos Moia, president of the Maratona Clube de Portugal (MCP) says: “This bonus of 150,000 EUR for a possible world record, both female and male, reflects our unwavering commitment to promoting talent and inspiring athletes to reach new heights of success and overcoming. We will continue our tradition of recognizing and rewarding excellence. Lisbon, with all its light and good energy, provides the perfect setting for moments of great achievement.”

Sunday’s races will be broadcast directly on RTP1 and RTP Internacional to more than 200 million potential viewers around the world.

Mateiko looks to run in London after RAK exploits

Fresh from winning the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon, Daniel Mateiko has set his focus at the London Marathon scheduled for April 21 in the United Kingdom.

Mateiko arrived in the country on Monday following his exploits in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday.

He won the race in a world-leading time of 58:45 minutes, beating John Korir to second in a PB of 58:50 and Isaiah Lasoi to this also in a personal best of 58:55. 

“It is time to focus on the London Marathon following good results at RAK,” said Mateiko, who failed to complete the 2023 Chicago Marathon.

“I developed some challenges and failed to complete the race . This time around, I pray that all will be good at the London race,” said Mateiko.

He said he hopes to make up for his failures at the 2023 Chicago in London.

He noted that in the last eight half marathons, he has managed to run a sub-59 and this is good for his marathon career.

“I think I am improving with every race. When I first competed in RAK in 2022, I finished in position 6. Last year I was second and won the title this year,” he said.

In other races over the weekend, Kenya’s Dorine Cherop won the Castellon Marathon in Spain. Jerop won the title in 2:29.39 ahead of Irene Jerobon (2:30.51) with Aderra Minalle coming third at 2:31.24.

In men, James Kiplagat was the best Kenyan in the race after finishing second in 2:15.14 behind the Ethiopian duo of Ghebregiabhier Welldmicael Kibrom (2:07.25) and Abraham Medhanie (2:15.32).

At the Napoli Half Marathon, Kenyans dominated the races in both men and women.

In the men's race, Brian  Kwemoi won the title in 59:26 ahead of  Antony Kimtai (59:45) and Bernard Kipkurui (59:47). 

Great Britain's Emile Caress (60:01 hrs), Kenyan Gideon Kiprotich Rop  (60:28) and Charles Wanjiru (61:49) followed in that order. 

Kenyan Shadrack Koech to battle Tsegu Wendemu in Italy

kenya’s Shadrack Koech will battle for the men’s top honors at the 49th edition of the Roma-Ostia Half Marathon set for Sunday (03) in Rome, Italy.

The 27 year-old comes to this race with a personal best of 1:01.12 that he got last year at the Trento Half Marathon, where he finished in second place.

Koech will partner with his compatriot Kimakal Kipsambu, who is making a return to the capital after pacing last year’s edition with a time of 1:01.37.

The two will have an uphill task of dislodging the 2019 All-African Games 10,000m champion and also the fastest man on paper with a time 59:42 that he got five years ago at Lisbon Half Marathon, where he took a silver medal, Tsegu Berehanu Wendemu of Ethiopia.

The three elite athletes will have their focus on the race course record of 58:02 that was set two years ago by the reigning World Road Running half marathon champion, Sabastian Sawe from Kenya.

LEADING TIME

21KM MEN

Tsegu Berehanu Wendemu (ETH) 58:42

Shadrack Koech                   (KEN) 1:01.12

Kimakal Kipsambu              (KEN) 1:01.37

Faith Chepkoech wins 10K Facsa Castello

After a dismal performance at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja, Faith Chepkoech come back guns blazing as she bagged the women’s title at the 11th edition of the 10K Facsa Castellón on Sunday (25) in Castellon, Spain.

The 30 year-old who finished a distant 16th in her season opener in Valencia, fought off Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay who was primed for the pole position having come with the fastest time on paper of 30:20.

Chepkoech clocked a new personal best of 29:50 to take the honors and was followed by Tesfay who also got a new personal best of 29:54 with Diana Chepkorir who was making her debut over the distance closing the podium in 29:56.

Kenyans Loice Chemnung and Jesca Chelengat finished in fourth and fifth in respective time of 30:09 and 30:23.

The race course record of 29:14 set two years ago by Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yahualaw remains standing.

LEADING RESULTS

10KM WOMEN

Faith Chepkoech  (KEN) 29:50

Fotyen Tesfay       (ETH) 29:54

Diana Chepkorir   (KEN) 29:56

Loice Chemnung  (KEN) 30:09

Jesca Chelangat    (KEN) 30:23

Mateiko and Gebreselama with bright future after dominant RAK wins

There were breakout victories for hitherto little known Daniel Mateiko of Kenya and Tsigie Gebreselama of Ethiopia in the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates early Saturday morning. And the imperious manner of their wins on a breezy, humid morning with a sea mist invading the latter stages suggests they both have a very bright future.

Yet the contrast in their race-winning tactics could hardly have been greater. Mateiko led from the gun, and only conceded the lead for brief periods, before outgunning his colleagues John Korir and Isaia Lasoi in the final kilometre, to win in a world leading 58min 45sec. Korir and Lasoi finished five and ten seconds behind respectively.

In contrast, Gebreselama contented herself to stay in the pack until she was ready to strike for home in the last five kilometres. Only former world record holder (64.31) and 2020 winner, colleague Ababel Yeshaneh could go with her, but that challenge didn’t last long. And such was Gebreselama’s attritional pace that by the time she crossed the line in 65.14, Yeshaneh was exactly half a minute in arrears. Jackline Sakilu of Tanzania was the surprise of the day, setting a national record of 66.05 in third place. What was no surprise was that the podium places were taken by athletes from three East African countries who share the same topography, the high altitude plateau of the Great Rift Valley.

Konstanze Klosterhalfen of Germany threatened to gatecrash that exclusive club up to the hallway point in a race, having come directly from her own training camp in Ethiopia. But, having headed the field up to 10k, which she passed in 31.09, which would have been a PB had she finished the race, she tailed off drastically and dropped out shortly afterwards, saying she did not feel well.

Olympic marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir had been one of the favourites to win, but in the bustle of the start, someone trod on her heel and she lost around 20sec putting her shoe back on. Surprisingly for someone with her long experience, instead of working her way gradually back to the group, she shot off and rejoined them before they had completed the first kilometre. She paid for that unnecessary effort in the closing stages, and could only finish seventh in 67.19.

Gebreselama was not entirely unknown prior to today; she finished second in the world cross country championships in Australia last year. ‘That was my best performance, but today is better than that, because I won,’ she said after the race. ‘I knew I was in good shape. I think I like cross country and road running equally, but now I must prepare for the track’. In a reversal of tradition, she is leaving here for a four-month stint in an altitude training camp in the USA, before she runs the Ethiopian trials with the intent on making the Olympic team at 10,000 metres.

Having been told that there was no pacemaker in the men’s race, we wondered why Mateiko, who led from the gun kept consulting his watch and checking over his shoulder at his pursuers. Maybe he was surprised they were still there for so long, right up to the final kilometre. But having done all work, he was rewarded with a more than worthy victory, then engagingly stated that that was his intent throughout the race. ‘After finishing second last year, I promised myself to win. But the conditions were difficult; it was windy and very humid.’

Mateiko hails from Mount Elgon on the Kenya-Uganda border, but now trains in Eldoret with twice Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge under the tutelage of former steeplechaser Patrick Sang. ‘Patrick told me I was in good shape, but to be strong-minded. And Eliud is giving me advice too. I would like to have his consistency. Now my dream is to run well in the London Marathon’. If his marathon debut is as impressive as his win here today, the London crowds in April will be in for a treat.

Results, Men:

1 Daniel Mateiko KEN 58:45

2 John Korir KEN 58:50

3 Isaia Lasoi KEN 58:55

4 Gerba Dibaba ETH 59:38

5 Benard Koech KEN 59:42

6 Birhanu Legese ETH 59:43

7 Tamirat Tola ETH 59:46

8 Amos Kibiwot KEN 59:51

9 Boki Diriba ETH 60:10

10 Alphonce Simbu TAN 60:28

Women:

1 Tsigie Gebreselama ETH 65:14

2 Ababel Yeshaneh ETH 65:44

3 Jackline Sakilu TAN 66:05

4 Margaret Chelimo KEN 66:31

5 Evaline Chirchir KEN 66:36

6 Catherine Amanang’ole KEN 66:49

7 Peres Jepchirchir KEN 67:19

8 Gete Alemayehu ETH 67:25

9 Megertu Alemu ETH 69:23

10 Ashete Bekere ETH 70:03

Kenenisa Bekele, Connor Mantz & Clayton Young To Headline 2024 United Airlines NYC Half

The New York Road Runners (NYRR) has announced that the 2024 United Airlines NYC Half, taking place Sunday, March 17, will feature 11 Olympians, seven Paralympians, and several more professional athletes who have their eyes on the Paris 2024 Games this summer.

Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, fresh off finishing first and second, respectively, at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, will headline the men’s open division at the United Airlines NYC Half, while two-time U.S. Olympian Hillary Bor will race 13.1 miles for the first time in his career and the world’s most-decorated distance runner, Kenenisa Bekele, will return to New York for his second NYRR event. The women’s open division will be chock-full of established contenders, including Olympians Des Linden, Jenny Simpson, Edna Kiplagat, Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal, and Malindi Elmore, in addition to World Championships marathon bronze medalist Fatima Gardadi.

These athletes will lead more than 25,000 runners during the United Airlines NYC Half, the world’s premier half marathon, organized by NYRR, which runs from Brooklyn to Manhattan, passing historic landmarks, diverse neighborhoods, and sweeping views of the city along the way before finishing in Central Park.

Men’s Open Division

Mantz and Young, training partners from Provo, Utah, will line up together at the start in New York less than two months after finishing one-two at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando and qualifying for the Paris 2024 Games. Mantz was fifth in his first United Airlines NYC Half in 2022, and last year became the seventh-fastest American marathoner in history when running 2:07:47 to finish sixth at the Chicago Marathon. Young finished right behind him in seventh in 2:08:00 and will be making his United Airlines NYC Half debut.

“I think I have a lot of room to improve in the halfs,” Mantz said on the latest episode of NYRR Set the Pace, Feb. 22, 2024. “I want to get these halfs in so I can have more confidence heading into Paris. I ran [the United Airlines NYC Half] in 2022…which was probably one of the most special experiences and it was a huge learning [experience]. It was probably my first race where I was competing against a big international field…so it was a really good experience for me, and I think it’s one I want to repeat and take what I’ve learned in the last two years and use it.”

Ethiopia’s Bekele, a four-time Olympic medalist, 16-time world champion, and the third-fastest marathoner in history, will challenge the American duo, racing with NYRR for the second time after finishing sixth at the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon. He will be joined at the starting line by Kenya’s Abel Kipchumba, the reigning champion of the B.A.A. Boston Half Marathon who owns one of the top-10 half-marathon times in history.

Mateiko and Gebreselama win in Ras Al Khaimah

Daniel Mateiko and Tsigie Gebreselama were victorious at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Saturday (24).

Making his third appearance in Ras Al Khaimah, Mateiko lit up a foggy morning to storm home in a world-leading time of 58:45 and win by five seconds from his compatriot John Korir, while Isaia Lasoi completed a Kenyan top three, clocking 58:55.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s world cross country silver medallist Gebreselama improved her personal best by more than half a minute to win in 1:05:14, 30 seconds ahead of her compatriot Ababel Yeshaneh, the 2020 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon champion and former world record-holder. Tanzania’s Jackline Sakilu was a surprise third, beating her personal best by more than three minutes with a national record of 1:06:05.

This year’s race was held exclusively for the first time on the fast and flat roads of Al Marjan Island and the elites took it in their stride, despite unusual weather conditions which saw visibility limited to around 50m at the finish line.

Mateiko was always to the fore and he made his winning move in the final kilometre, leaving Korir and Lasoi to chase him to the finish line.

A delighted Mateiko was relieved to finally get a win in Ras Al Khaimah after finishing sixth on his debut in 2022 and runner-up to Benard Koech last year. 

“I was the fastest man in the field and I promised myself I’d win here after finishing sixth and then second last year,” said the charismatic 25-year-old, who dedicated his win to Kelvin Kiptum, the marathon world record-holder who died in a road traffic accident earlier this month.

“The conditions were very difficult – it was windy, humid and a little foggy – so this is definitely the best win of my career so far.”

While Mateiko saw off a world-class field that included defending champion Koech, who finished fifth (59:42), and New York Marathon champion Tamirat Tola, who took seventh (59:46), in the women’s event the hugely talented Gebreselama underlined why she is considered one of her country’s finest prospects.

After passing 15km in 46:42, Gebreselama and Yeshaneh broke away from the lead women’s group before Gebreselama forged ahead for victory.

“I am so happy to have run a personal best today,” said the 23-year-old, who finished fourth in the half marathon at the World Road Running Championships in Riga in October.

“I was very worried about Peres (Jepchirchir) in this race so I was surprised when she dropped back. It’s a great win for me and, while it’s too early in my career to think about the Paris Olympics, my aim is to break the half marathon world record.”

Olympic marathon champion Jepchirchir, one of the pre-race favourites and a three-time half marathon world champion, suffered a setback early on in the race when a shoe slipped off, costing her at least 20 seconds. 

Malindi Elmore and Tristan Woodfine to run 2024 NYC Half

On Thursday, the New York Road Runners (NYRR) announced the field for the 2024 NYC Half on March 17, which will feature Canadian marathoners Malindi Elmore and Tristan Woodfine alongside 11 Olympians and one of the world’s most decorated distance runners, Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele.

This will be Bekele’s first time at the NYC Half and only his second career road race in New York City. (He finished sixth at the TCS New York City Marathon in 2021.) Bekele is one of the most prolific runners of all time, having been at the top of the sport for more than two decades. His personal best of 2:01:41 from the 2019 Berlin Marathon still stands as the Ethiopian national record, and makes him the third-fastest marathoner in history.

Bekele will headline the men’s race alongside top U.S. marathoners Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who are fresh off finishing first and second, respectively, at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 3. Also joining the men’s field is Cobden, Ont.’s Woodfine, who is coming off an impressive 2:10:39 personal best and sixth-place finish at the 2024 Houston Marathon. The 30-year-old is currently training for the 2024 Boston Marathon, where he hopes to place in the top five to potentially secure a spot on the Canadian Olympic marathon team in Paris.

The women’s elite field will be full of established distance runners, including Olympians Des Linden, Jenny Simpson, Edna Kiplagat and Elmore, who was recently nominated to her third Olympic Games. Elmore secured her spot on the Canadian team last fall with a 2:23:30 clocking at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, the second-fastest Canadian women’s marathon time. Like Woodfine, Elmore is also training for the 2024 Boston Marathon, which she hopes will prepare her for the hilly marathon course at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is expected to be the hilliest Olympic marathon course to date.

The men’s and women’s elite field will lead more than 25,000 runners during the United Airlines NYC Half, the world’s premier half marathon, which runs from Brooklyn to Manhattan, passing historic landmarks, diverse neighbourhoods and sweeping views of The Big Apple before finishing in the middle of Central Park.

Ednah Kiplagat confirms next race as she chases more history

Forty-four-year-old Edna Kiplagat has opened up on where she will compete next, giving the impression that she is not hanging her spikes anytime soon.

More than 25,000 runners have confirmed participation at the New York City Half Marathon scheduled for Sunday, March 17 from Brooklyn to Manhattan, finishing in Central Park.

One of the headliners in the women’s field is 44-year-old Kenyan runner Edna Kiplagat who will be using the race as part of her preparations for the Boston Marathon.

Kiplagat is one of the most successful long-distance runners and from her records, she is a two-time Boston Marathon champion and former London and New York City Marathon champion.

Kiplagat will be up against compatriots Gladys Chepkurui, the reigning Tokyo Half Marathon champion, and Cynthia Limo, a World Athletics Championships half-marathon medalist. The duo has the two fastest times in the women's open division.

Two-time US Olympian and 2018 Boston Marathon champion Desiree Linden will return as the top American finisher from last year's race, having recently finished 11th at the US Olympic Marathon Trials.

Olympic and World Championships medalist Emily Simpson will make her United Airlines NYC Half debut but she is no stranger to NYRR races as an eight-time winner of the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile.

Lindsay Flanagan and Annie Frisbie, both of whom finished in the top 10 at the 2024 US Olympic Marathon Trials, will also be ones to watch.

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, a four-time Olympic medalist, 16-time world champion, and the third-fastest marathoner in history, will challenge the Kenyan charge in the men’s race. He will be competing in the streets of New York for the second time after finishing sixth at the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon.

The Kenyan charge will be led by, Abel Kipchumba, the reigning champion of the B.A.A. Boston Half Marathon who owns one of the top 10 half-marathon times in history.

Morocco's Zouhair Talbi will return to the event after taking third in his United Airlines NYC Half debut last year, which he called "the race of his life."

Since then, he finished fifth at the Boston Marathon and broke the Houston Marathon course record in January.

Tanzanian Olympian and marathon record-holder Gabriel Geay, who was the runner-up at last year's Boston Marathon, will race the United Airlines NYC Half for the first time.

An American contender to watch will be Hillary Bor, a two-time U.S. Olympian and five-time national champion who will be making his half-marathon debut.

Kwemoi targets elusive Napoli Half Marathon title this weekend

Beijing Half Marathon champion Brian Kwemoi leads Kenyans in their quest for the Napoli Half Marathon title this Sunday.

The last time a Kenyan triumphed in Naples was in 2022 when Chepkirui Gladys clocked 1:08:09 to win the women's title.

Belet Kiplangat placed second (59:26) behind Italy's Crippa Yemaneberhan who clinched the title in 59:26.

In last year's edition, Edris Muktra (1:00:27) of Ethiopia and Mach Angelika (1:12:34) of Poland won the men's and women's titles.

Kwemoi, who secured the Beijing Half Marathon title in April 2023 with a course-record time of 59:37, will be joined by Vila de Santa Pola, Spain, half marathon champion Bernard Biwott.

Biwott also placed third in the Cardiff Half Marathon in October 2023, clocking 1:00:51.

Also in the mix is Moses Koech, the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics silver medalist in the 3,000m. He was also a 5,000m  silver medalist at the 2015 Barcelona Regional Championships in 13:15.56.

Koech placed second in the Loop Den Haag Half Marathon in the Netherlands in March 2023, with a time of 1:00:55. The trio will face stiff competition from Ethiopia's Mosinet Geremew who was the 2022 world marathon silver medallist.

Geremew is a silver medalist in the 2019 London Marathon, finishing behind two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge in 2:02:55.

On the women's side, 2021 Amsterdam Marathon champion Angela Tanui will lead the charge.

Tanui clocked 2:17:57 to win the title in the Netherlands. She will be joined by Nancy Jepleting, the Porto (Portugal) half marathon silver medalist.

The duo will face tough competition from Ethiopia's Anchinalu Dessie, a bronze medallist in the 2023 Milano Half Marathon, and Italy's Sofiia Yaremchuk, the 2021 Venezia Marathon champion.

RAS AL KHAIMAH HALF MARATHON IS ON SATURDAY AND IT SHOUlD BE A FAST ONE

New regime, new course, but with Olympic and world champions and the usual array of speedsters, Saturday’s Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon is virtually assured of the sort of fast times that have been a feature of the event throughout its 17 year history, including three women’s world records.

Pride of place both on the start list and at this morning’s press conference in one of the smaller emirates in the UAE were Olympic marathon and three time world half-marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, and keeping the balance in the long-term East African distance running rivalry, world marathon champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia heads the men’s entry. The wild card, hoping to gatecrash the party is Konstanze Klosterhalfen of Germany, who surprised the East Africans when she beat a dozen of them to win her debut half-marathon in Valencia in 2022.

Jepchirchir may neither be the fastest marathoner or half-marathoner among current women long distance runners, but she knows how to win races, an asset far more valuable than fast times. In the seven months between late August 2021 and mid-April 2022, she won the Olympic, New York and Boston Marathons, a rare collective achievement. In her comeback marathon following an injury, she finished third in last year’s London Marathon. And she has won 12 of her 16 half-marathons. She is loath to admit her plans yet, but this RAK ‘half’ is perfectly scheduled as a springboard, to going back to London in April, to upgrade that third place.

Tola was similarly annoyed that an injury preventing him successfully defending his 2022 world marathon title in Budapest last summer, but a speedy recovery saw him break the long-standing New York Marathon record with 2.04.58 three months later. He is one of the few elites to be making his debut in the RAK ‘half’ and the scale of his task may be judged by the fact that on paper there are 15 men faster than his best of 59.37 set seven years ago in Prague. But he suggested that is due for drastic revision. ‘I’d like to think I can do under 59 minutes if the race turns out to be fast,’ he said at the press conference. Fastest man in the field is Daniel Mateiko of Kenya with 58.26, but his colleague Benard(sic) Kibet has the advantage of having won last year in 58.45.

Klosterhalfen, ‘Koko’ to her pals may prove to be not only the wild card, but the joker in the pack in the women’s race. A world bronze medallist on the track and European 5000 metres champion, the German called a halt to her summer season last year when a foot injury caused her to reassess her career. She had changed her shoe sponsor, left her coach and long-term training venue in the USA already. She then switched again and has teamed up with Gary Lough, latter-day coach to Mo Farah and spouse of former world record holder Paula Radcliffe (here in RAK as a TV commentator). Klosterhalfen has also switched her altitude training venue to Addis Ababa, where she has just spent six weeks, coming directly to here. ‘Road running is still a bit of an adventure for me’, she said this morning. ‘I still want to run on the track, but I want to more road races’.

The roll-call of winners since the race began in 2007 is a ‘Who’s Who’ of distance running over the last two decades; beginning with Sammy Wanjiru and Berhane Adere in the inaugural race, via luminaries such as Patrick Makau, Geoffrey Mutai, Elvan Abeylegesse, Mary Keitany, Geoffrey Kamworor, Lelisa Desisa, Samson Kandie and Hellen Obiri. Add to that Jepchirchir herself who won in 2017 in a then world record of 65min 06sec.

The promoters of the successful marathon down the road in Dubai have been invited this year to give the RAK ‘half’ a makeover, and they began by introducing a 10k race for locals and altering the half-marathon course. ‘It’s faster and better than any route before here in Ras Al Khaimah; we’ve cut out some of the sharp turns,’ said race director Peter Connerton, ‘so we’re hoping for at least similar times and hopefully better. But with a couple of good races into the bargain’.

ELITE CONTENDERS

MEN

Daniel MateikoKEN58:26

Kennedy KimutaiKEN58:28

Seifu TuraETH58:36

Amdework Walelegn ETH 58:40

Benard Kibet KoechKEN58:45

Alex Korio KEN 58:51

Birhanu Legese ETH 58:59

Haftu Teklu ETH 59:06

Tamirat TolaETH59:37

WOMEN

Ababel YeshanehETH64:31

Margaret KipkemboiKEN64:46

Peres JepchirchirKEN65:06

Catherine Amanang’ole KEN 65:39

Konstanze KlosterhalfenGER65:41

Tsigie Gebreselama ETH65:46

Evaline ChirchirKEN66:01

Vivian Kiplagat KEN 66:07

Yalemget YaregalETH66:27

Kenyan-born American runner seeking redemption at Tokyo Marathon after US Olympic trials heartbreak

Kenyan-born American runner Betsy Saina is seeking a comeback at the Tokyo Marathon after missing out on the US Olympic marathon trials.

Kenyan-born American runner Betsy Saina will seek redemption at the Tokyo Marathon after a heartbreaking run at the US Olympic Marathon trials.

Saina exuded confidence ahead of the Olympic trials in Orlando but unfortunately failed to finish the race after the hype surrounding her. She now heads to the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday, March 3 where she hopes to bounce back to winning ways.

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Two days ahead of the marathon trials, Saina had opened up on how her son motivates her to do better and she was optimistic of representing the US at the Olympic Games.

In a post on her Instagram, she said: “My little man has taught me to be resilient and brave. Everything I do he is the priority before anything else comes.

On Saturday I will be running for him, He has changed my life in many ways, I am the happiest woman in the world.”

She has now put the setback behind her and is looking forward to bouncing back at the Tokyo Marathon where she will be up against some of the greatest marathoners.

Defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru will be returning with the hope of bagging another title. During last year’s edition of the race, Wanjiru destroyed a strong field to claim the top prize, cutting the tape in 2:16:28. She enjoyed her 2023 season and will be looking to continue the hot streak to 2024.

Wanjiru also represented Kenya at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary where she finished sixth in the marathon.

2023 London Marathon champion Sifan Hassan will also be in the mix, hoping to notch up her third marathon victory since her debut in London last year. The Dutch woman has proven what she can do both on the track and the full marathon.

Hassan made her full marathon debut at the London Marathon and won most dramatically. She clocked 2:18:33 to beat marathon experts including Peres Jepchirchir, the reigning Olympic marathon champion.

She extended her winning streak to the Chicago Marathon where she stunned defending champion Ruth Chepng’etich to second place.

Hassan will be eyeing the Olympic Games and the Toyo Marathon is a better place for her to build up for the event.

Kenyan-born Israeli Lonah Salpeter has also been invited and she will be out to challenge the double Olympic champion and Wanjiru for the top prize. The Ethiopian charge will be led by Sutume Kebede and Tigist Abayechew who will be out to reclaim the title they lost to Kenya last year.

Magdalena Shauri of Tanzania will also be hoping to continue soaring high after her dominant exploits in Berlin last year where she finished third.

Mary Ngugi confirmed for Roma-Ostia Half Marathon

Ngugi, a Boston marathon silver medalist from 2021, headlines the women’s field with a personal best (PB) of 66:29 in the half marathon and 2:20:22 in the marathon.

As part of her preparations for the upcoming Boston Marathon, Mary Ngugi-Cooper will line up for this year’s Roma-Ostia Half Marathon in March.

The race will be held on March 3, 2024 in Italy.

Ngugi, a Boston marathon silver medalist from 2021, headlines the women’s field with a personal best (PB) of 66:29 in the half marathon and 2:20:22 in the marathon.

The 2022 Boston bronze medalist who placed fifth at the New York City marathon last year will compete against her compatriots Caroline Korir and Nelly Jeptoo, the young Ethiopian Wariyo Bekelech Teku (fifth in the recent Ethiopian Cross Country Championships and rising star), and compatriot Anna Dibaba, the younger sister of the well-established Tirunesh and Genzebe.

“I’m really excited to announce that in April I will be running @bostonmarathon. Boston holds a special place in my heart, not only for having two podium finishes in the last few years, but getting married there too! The streets are always amazing, crowds loud and I can’t wait to hit Heartbreak Hill once again with a ridiculously strong field of talented women,” Ngugi said while announcing her return to Boston.A welcome return for the Italian team is Rebecca Lonedo, who is in great shape with a recent PB of 70.13 in Seville.

As for the men’s elite list, Ethiopian Tsegu Berehanu Wendemu headlines the list with eyes firmly set on running under an hour as he holds a PB of 59:42.

Shadrack Koech, eager to compete on the fast Roman course after his 61.12 in Trento last October, and Kimakal Kipsambu, returning to the capital after pacing with a time of 61.37 in 2023 make up the top three list of elites.

Wins for Geleta and Gebru as records fall in Seville

Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta ran a world-leading course record of 2:03:27 to move into the top 20 on the men’s world marathon all-time list while his compatriot Azmera Gebru won the women’s race in 2:22:13 at the Zurich Maraton de Sevilla, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, on Sunday (18).

Record breaking was the theme of the day, with eight national records set as athletes chased qualification times for the Olympic Games in Paris in August.

A total of 12 men dipped under 2:08 and 14 women went sub-2:25.

Three of those national records were achieved by the athletes who next followed Geleta over the finish line: runner-up Morhad Amdouni of France, who clocked 2:03:47; third-place finisher Gashau Ayale of Israel, who ran 2:04:53, and Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy, who finished fourth in 2:06:06.

Behind Gebru, the runner-up spot in the women’s race was secured by Josephine Chepkoech in a PB of 2:22:38, while her Kenyan compatriot Magdalyne Masai was third in 2:22:51.

The men’s race started fast and the leaders reached 10km in 29:02 before the front group of nine passed the half marathon mark in 1:01:49 – 42 seconds inside course record pace.

The pacemakers dropped out at around 25km and Geleta made a move. He was chased by a group of five athletes and by 30km Amdouni had closed the gap. They ran together through that checkpoint in 1:27:44.

Geleta pulled away from Amdouni over the final 5km and won by 20 seconds in 2:03:27.

Further back, national records were also set by Sweden’s Suldan Hassan in ninth (2:07:36), Chile’s Carlos Martin Diaz del Rio in 18th (2:08:04) and Macedonia’s Dario Ivanovski in 20th (2:08:26).

Gebru was part of a six-strong women’s group that passed halfway in 1:11:22. At the two-hour mark, the race was down to three.

Gebru was the only athlete who could stick with the pacemaker over the following kilometers and she reached the 40km mark in 2:15:02.

She continued on to win in 2:22:13, 25 seconds ahead of Chepkoech. Masai finished a further 13 seconds back.

The record-breakers in the women’s race were Meline Rollin, who placed seventh in a French record of 2:24:12, and Argentina’s Florencia Borelli, who was eighth in a South American record of 2:24:18.

Prior to the race, a 42-second silence was held in tribute to marathon world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a road traffic accident last weekend.

Doha Marathon; Uganda’s Solomon Mutai won the elite men’s race and Kenyan long-distance runner Valary Jemeli Aiyabei in the women’s elite race

Solomon Mutai of Uganda emerged victorious in the top men's race of the 2024 Doha Marathon presented by Ooredoo on Friday morning. The bronze medalist from the 2015 Beijing Athletics World Championship finished the 42-kilometer event in two hours, twelve minutes, and forty-eight seconds. He finished ahead of Mesfin Negus of Ethiopia (2:13:12) and Awet Habte Ghebrezghiabher of Eritrea (2:13:00).

In the women's elite event, Kenyan long-distance runner Valary Jemeli Aiyabei triumphed. With a timing of 2:23:38, the seasoned marathoner—who has taken home gold in marathons at Barcelona, Belgrade, Valencia, Prague, Beijing, and Frankfurt—added Doha to her list of accomplishments.

Rediet Daniel Molla of Ethiopia placed third in 2:26:25, while her countryman Joan Kipyatich came in second in 2:23:45.

On that day, almost 13,000 competitors competed in a variety of races across varying distances. There were races in the full, half, 10 km, 5 km, and 1 km distances.

This year's tournament featured 25 participants from across the world and the Olympics.

The races began at 6.15 a.m. at the Hotel Park and ended at the starting point after taking a gorgeous course along the magnificent Corniche.

A total of QAR 500,000 in prize money was awarded to the victors of the Ooredoo Doha Marathon.

Konstanze Klosterhalfen is running the RAK Half Marathon

Konstanze Klosterhalfen is one of the few Europeans who have successfully challenged East African superiority in long distance running in recent years; but the German star will have a mass challenge from Kenyans and Ethiopians in her next venture, the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on Saturday February 24.

The reigning European 5000 metres champion ‘Koko,’ to her fans, won bronze in the World Championships at that same distance in 2019, but her debut victory over a posse of leading East Africans in the Valencia Half Marathon in October 2022 signalled not only a step-up in prestige but also potential for success in the full marathon. And RAK in nine days’ time will be another stepping stone.

The RAK ‘half’ has been one of the fastest 21.1k races in the world since its inception 17 years ago in one of the smaller emirates in the UAE. The list of winners and record breakers reads like a ‘who’s who’ of distance running. Leading this year’s women’s field and a formidable opponent for Klosterhalfen is reigning Olympic marathon champion and three-time world ‘half’ winner, Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, who set a then world record of 65:06 when she ran RAK in 2017. Burgeoning competition and the advent of super-shoes has resulted in that record now standing at 62.52, to Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia.

Klosterhalfen’s debut win in Valencia came in 65:41; and with another former world record holder – Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia (64:31) in the RAK field, the German will not have an easy task, the more so since she took a break in the second half of last summer season, and has not raced for six months. She was understandably cautious this week when she said, ‘Overall I am happy with how my training has been going and I’m ready to test myself and see exactly where I am after a good training camp. I’m certainly looking forward to returning to racing, especially at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon as it is a race I’ve heard a lot about’.

Klosterhalfen spends a lot of time training at altitude in the USA, and in her quieter moments has walked the runway at Berlin Fashion Week, and also plays piano and flute; but running full tilt for just over an hour before breakfast will be the order of the morning a week on Saturday.

Chumba will go head to head against Gebreslase when the two clash at the Nagoya women’s marathon

Kenya-born Bahranian Eunice Chumba will go head to head against 2022 World champion Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia when the two clash at the Nagoya women’s marathon slated for March 10.

Nagoya women’s marathon is held annually in Japan and it is the largest women’s race in the world certified by the Guinness World Records.

It was launched on March 12, 2012 with an initial participation of 13,114. It has since grown to be recognized by World Athletics as a Platinum label race averaging 20,000 participants.

Chumba was a silver medalist in the 10,000m at the 2018 Asia Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, where she clocked 32:11.12.

Before that, she had also placed second in the same event in the 2015 Asia Championships held in Wuhan, China in 32:22.29. The 31-year-old further won the 2023 NN Rotterdam Marathon, Netherlands, clocking 2:20:31.

She followed it up with a bronze medal during the Shanghai Marathon, China, in November clocking 2:22:20.

Chumba has also won titles in the Abu Dhabi Marathon (2:20:41) in 2022 and the Copenhagen Half Marathon (1:06:11) in 2017.

In 2021 Gebreslase made her debut in the marathon with an overwhelming victory at the Berlin Marathon, Germany, clocking 2:20:09.

She followed it up with a bronze medal in the Tokyo marathon in 2022 (2:18:18) before winning the title at the 2022 World Athletics Championship (2:18:11)  in Eugene, USA.

 The 29-year-old also has a title in the Bahrain Half Marathon (1:05:36) and a silver medal in the Ras Al Khaimah marathon (1:05:51).

The two will be joined by the 2020 Napoli half marathon champion Violah Lagat and Kenyan-born Romanian Delvine Meringor.

Meringor won a title at the 2022 Los Angeles Marathon, USA, where she clocked 2:25:04.

The local contingent will be led by Ai Hosaoda who boosts a personal best of 2:21:42. She will be joined by 2016 Japanese champion in the 10,000m Suzuki Ayuko.

Irine Cheptai to make marathon debut at the 2024 Haspa Marathon

The 2017 World Cross-country champion Irine Cheptai will make her full marathon debut at the 38th edition of the Haspa Marathon in Hamburg.

Reigning Copenhagen Half Marathon champion Irine Cheptai will make her full marathon debut at the 38th edition of the Haspa Marathon on Sunday, April 28.

The 2017 World Cross-country champion has competed on all surfaces from the track to cross-country and she will finally make her debut in the 42km distance in April.

Cheptai finished second at the 2023 Valencia Half Marathon and third at the Annual Charity Run in Saudi Arabia.

The Commonwealth 10,000m silver medalist opened her season with an eighth-place finish at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja and she now gears up for the 42km distance where she hopes to impress. Other notable debutants at the event will be Nelly Jepchumba and Roselida Jepketer.

Meanwhile, Winfridah Moseti and Sharon Chelimo from Kenya headline the field. Moseti took second place at the 2023 Frankfurt Marathon with a time of 2:20:55, while Chelimo also put in a strong performance with a time of 2:22:07.

The Ethiopian charge will be led by Kidusan Alema while Canada’s Natasha Wodak (Canadian record holder with a personal best of 02:23:12) will also be in the mix seeking top honors. Margaret Wangari from Kenya with a time of 2:23:52 also seeks to spoil the party.

Portuguese runner Jessica Augusto (02:24:25) will also be at the start again, having won the marathon back in 2017.

“We are excited to see what awaits us at the 38th Haspa Marathon Hamburg. Hamburg has proven to be a springboard for great runners in the past, as we saw for example with Eliud Kipchoge, who once made his debut in Hamburg. So it remains exciting to see which new talents will prove themselves on the track this year,” race organizers said.