Running News Daily
Top Ten Stories of the Week
8/21/2021
These are the top ten stories based on views over the last week.
Jemal Yimer, Yebrgual Melese, Edna Kiplagat and Asefa Mengstu among Boston starters
Olympians, big city marathon winners and several former champions will contest the Boston Marathon on October 11, in what will be the first time the World Athletics Elite Platinum Road Race has been held in autumn.
Nine women who have clocked sub-2:22 lifetime bests will line up in Hopkinton, including Ethiopia’s Yebrgual Melese, whose 2:19:36 personal best makes her the fastest in the field. She’ll be joined by compatriot Mare Dibaba, the 2015 world champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist. Ethiopian 2:20:24 marathon runner Workenesh Edesa, winner of past Xiamen, Lanzhou, and Marrakech Marathons, will make her Boston debut.
Five of the top seven finishers from the 2019 Boston Marathon return, aiming to break the tape on Boylston Street: Kenya’s two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat, USA’s Jordan Hasay, Des Linden, Kenya’s Caroline Rotich and Mary Ngugi.
A trio of Kenyans with prior top-five finishes in Boston look to contend for the win in the men’s race, as Wilson Chebet, Felix Kandie, and Paul Lonyangata will use knowledge of the undulating course to their advantage. They’ll be up against a trifecta of sub-2:06 Ethiopians in Lemi Berhanu, the 2015 Boston champion, and Dejene Debela and Asefa Mengstu, who finished second and third at the 2019 Chicago Marathon. Both Debela and Mengstu will be running their first Boston Marathon.
After much success over the half marathon and in cross country, Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton and Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer will both make their long awaited marathon debuts in Boston. Barsoton earned a silver medal at the 2017 World Cross Country Championships, while Yimer owns the Ethiopian half marathon record of 58:33.
Eight of the top 12 finishers from the US Olympic Trials Marathon will also compete in Boston, led by 2021 Olympian Abdi Abdirahman.
(08/16/21) Views: 183World Athletics
Eugene will play host rematches betwen olympic medalists at the Prefontaine Classic
Dozens of medal winners from the recent Tokyo Olympic Games will be back in action at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene when Hayward Field hosts the Prefontaine Classic on August 21.
Based on the announcements made so far by the meeting organizers, five events will feature a full set of Olympic medalists from Tokyo.
Double Olympic champion Sifan Hassan headlines the women’s 5000m field and she’ll take on two-time world champion Hellen Obiri and world indoor 1500m record-holder Gudaf Tsegay, the silver and bronze medalists in Tokyo over 5000m.
All three medalists from the men’s 5000m will also be in action as Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, Canada’s Moh Ahmed and USA’s Paul Chelimo clash over two miles.
Teenage stars Athing Mu and Keely Hodgkinson, the top two finishers in the 800m in Tokyo, will be back in action over two laps, along with world and Olympic bronze medallist Raevyn Rogers, world champion Halimah Nakaayi, Britain’s Jemma Reekie, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule and USA’s Ajee Wilson and Kate Grace.
World record-holder and two-time Olympic champion Ryan Crouser will look to maintain his winning streak in the shot put when he takes on world champion Joe Kovacs and 2017 world champion Tom Walsh. Brazil’s Darlan Romani and US duo Darrell Hill and Payton Otterdahl are also in the line-up.
Jamaican sprint stars Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson – who filled the 100m podium in Tokyo – will face USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson and Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast.
The men’s 100m, meanwhile, features Olympic silver and bronze medalists Andre De Grasse and Fred kerley, along with world indoor bronze medallist Ronnie Baker, 400m specialist Michael Norman and African record-holder Akani Simbine.
Two-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon will once again line up against Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir and Canadian record-holder Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, while world champion Timothy Cheruiyot will clash with Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the men’s Bowerman mile.
In the women’s steeplechase, world champion Beatrice Chepkoech takes on world leader Norah Jeruto Tanui, Olympic silver medalist Courtney Frerichs and 2017 world champion Emma Coburn.
Other global stars confirmed so far include world 400m hurdles champion Dalilah Muhammad, Olympic triple jump champion Pedro Pablo Pichardo and world indoor triple jump record-holder Hugues Fabrice Zango.
(08/14/21) Views: 178World Athletics
Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel to run TCS New York City Marathon
Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel is one of several standout American women planning to run the New York City Marathon in November, race organizers announced Wednesday.
Seidel stunned even herself with a third-place finish in Tokyo this month in just the third 26.2-mile race of her career. An NCAA Division I champion at Notre Dame in the 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 meter events, she is now the headliner for the NYC Marathon’s 50th running in her five-borough debut.
“Since the beginning of 2021, I’ve had two races circled on my calendar: the Olympic Games’ marathon on Aug. 7 and the TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 7,” said Seidel, 27, who grew up in Wisconsin. “Winning the bronze medal in Sapporo showed that I can run with the best in the world, and on any given day, anything is possible.”
Fellow U.S. Olympians Aliphine Tuliamuk, Sally Kipyego and Emily Sisson will also be in the field, along with 2018 Boston Marathon winner Des Linden.
Four-time champion Mary Keitany of Kenya won’t participate for the first time since 2013.
The men’s professional field has not yet been announced.
The 2020 NYC Marathon was canceled by the pandemic, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in June that the 2021 race would go on — albeit with a field limited to about 33,000 entrants, down from 55,000 in 2019.
Tuliamuk, who was born in Kenya, won the 2020 U.S. Olympic marathon trials in Atlanta four years after gaining American citizenship. She gave birth to a daughter in January 2021 but still competed in Tokyo. She dropped out near the 20-kilometer mark.
“I want to inspire people, most importantly my daughter, to chase their dreams,” she said in a statement released by the NYC Marathon. “I’m a different athlete and person than I was the last time I ran the TCS New York City Marathon in 2019, so why not fulfill one more dream on Nov. 7?”
Tatyana McFadden is pursuing a record sixth NYC Marathon title in the wheelchair division but hasn’t won since 2016. She won’t have to contend with two-time defending champion Manuela Schär, who is not listed among the competitors.
(08/18/21) Views: 142Jake Seiner
Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir has vowed never to betray her motherland for any cash incentives
Amidst the rising cases of Kenyan athletes seeking solace abroad after missing out on opportunities back home, the 2020 Olympic Games star insists her allegiance to her motherland remains firm.
“I'm loyal to my country. I can't be convinced to change my citizenship with money. We have so many Kenyans who represented other countries but never made it at the Olympics,” said Jepchirchir, who arrived in the country on Saturday morning before being accorded a rapturous welcome in her home in Eldoret.
“Some people change their citizenship to other countries so that they can get a chance to participate in the Olympics because, as you know, Kenya is highly competitive,” she said.
The 27-year-old withstood sweltering heat and humidity as she cruised through the streets of Sapporo – some 800km north of Tokyo – on her way to the historic conquest.
Jepchirchir led a 1-2 Kenyan sweep in the women's marathon. Her compatriot, Brigid Kosgei, emerged second while American Molly Seidel bagged the bronze medal.
“It had always been my dream to compete at the Olympics. It was unbelievable. I wasn't expecting (to perform) because this was my first time. I didn't expect to be the one to win gold,” said Jepchirchir.
“My time wasn't good enough because the weather affected my speed. I wish to improve on my personal time to 2 hours, 15 minutes because the current record is at 2 hours, 14 minutes.”
Jepchirchir clocked 2 hours, 27 minutes, 20 seconds, 10 minutes off her personal best.
“Because I had already run 2 hours, 23 minutes, my prayer was to run 2 hours, 17 minutes and then 2 hours, 15 minutes,” she said.
“I will not quit marathon because it helps me with speed. I wish to relax and see how the body will respond before I can think of something else."
“I wish to be among those representing the country at the next Olympics,” she added.
In response to murmurs reverberating across the country that the government gave the medalists a cold shoulder on arrival, Jepchirchir chose her words carefully.
“Let's not compare ourselves with other countries in terms of how we were received. We don't know about Uganda, it's another country it's another home," she said.
“Our home is Kenya and we have our own styles of doing things. The government gave us enough support during the Games. I believe they are planning to do something good to appreciate our efforts.”
She asked Kenyans to appreciate the athletes for their efforts even if they fell short of replicating the feats attained at previous events.
“We should thank God we actually even managed to clinch the ten medals, there are other countries that didn't get anything. We are proud of ourselves and we will work on our shortcomings,” she observed.
(08/16/21) Views: 127Tommy Mbalia
Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich and Galen Rupp will headline the elite field at the Chicago Marathon
A number of the world’s top distance runners will be at the 2021 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 10, organizers announced today, joining headliners Galen Rupp and Sara Hall. So far, there are no Canadians featured in the Chicago Marathon elite field.
Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya), Diane Nukuri (USA) and Keira D’Amato (USA) are among the names to watch in the women’s race for the 43rd running of the Chicago Marathon. Chepngetich, who dropped out of the Olympic marathon at around 30 km, is the reigning world champion and comes to Chicago as the pre-race favourite. Hall ousted Chepngetich in a sprint for second place at the 2020 London Marathon, but all eyes will be on their Oct. 10 rematch. Chepngetich is the only East African runner in an elite field that’s deep with American talent.
The men’s field features three athletes who have run under 2:05, as well Rupp, who won in 2017. Rupp is the only individual in the field with an Abbott World Major Marathons victory under his belt. Getaneh Molla (ETH) has won the Dubai Marathon, and Hassan El Abbassi (BRN) was the runner-up at the 2018 Valencia Marathon. Rupp had a sub-par Olympic Games, finishing a disappointing eighth in Tokyo (2:11:41) after many thought he would challenge Eliud Kipchoge for a medal. Rupp will enter Chicago as the pre-race favorite, thanks to his previous success on the course.
Past champions Daniel Romanchuk and Marcel Hug will battle it out in the elite wheelchair competition. Romanchuk is the defending two-time champion (2018 and 2019) and world record holder, while Hug won this race in 2016 and 2017. Hug and Romanchuk will compete on back-to-back days, in Chicago on Oct. 10 and at the Boston Marathon on Oct. 11.
With the cancellation of the New Jersey Marathon, larger mass races are putting together strict Covid protocols to avoid transmission of the virus, including face coverings at the start and finish and either proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test within 72 hours of the race.
(08/18/21) Views: 127Marley Dickinson
Olympic Champion Eliud Kipchoge will miss 2021 London Marathon
Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge's name was conspicuously missing from the list of elite runners who will be competing at this year's London Marathon on October 3.
Organisers Thursday released a stellar list that has women's world record holder Brigid Kosgei and men's champion Shura Kitata of Ethiopia.
Kipchoge, who retained his Olympic marathon crown at the recently concluded Tokyo Games, finished eighth at the 2020 London Marathon, timing 2:06:49, more than a minute behind winner Shura Kitata.
He was expected to return to London to try and reclaim the title he won in 2019. Efforts to get a comment from the world record holder provide futile as his phone went unanswered.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after arriving from Tokyo, the 36-year-old remained non-committal on whether he would hang his boots after the triumph in Japan.
"I think it is good not to ask about retirement... When your wife delivered the first child, did you plan for the next one immediately?" Posed Kipchoge to a journalist, who responded in negation.
Kosgei, the Olympic silver medalist, will be attempting to win her third successive London Marathon after victories in 2019 and 2020.
She will be competing against New York City Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei and six other women who have run under two hours and 20 minutes.
"It is a great feeling to be coming back as London is one of my favourite marathons. Last year's win was very special, particularly given what the whole world was going through. It was fantastic just to have the London Marathon organised and even more so to be the winner. I hope to arrive again in very good shape
Jepkosgei set a new personal best of 2:18:40 last December at the Valencia Marathon, where she finished second to Olympic champion Peres Chepchirchir.
Also in the elite women's field are Ethiopians Roza Dereje, whose PB of 2:18:30 makes her the tenth-fastest female marathoner of all time, and Birhane Dibaba (PB 2:18:35), who won the Tokyo Marathon in 2018 and 2015, and finished second in the same race on three other occasions (2020, 2017 and 2014).
The other women to have run inside 2:20 are Kenya's Valary Jemeli (2:19:10), Ethiopia's Zeineba Yimer (2:19:28) and Tigist Girma (2:19:50).
Also returning is Australia's Sinead Diver, who has had two top 10 London Marathon finishes in the past two years, and was 10th at the Tokyo Olympics.
In the men's race, Shura Kitata- who pulled out of the Olympic Games marathon last weekend after suffering in the hot and humid conditions in Sapporo- will line up with the other men as he seeks to defend his title.
Kitata bagged victory ahead of Kenya's Vincent Kipchumba and both will be meeting again in the contested race in October with Sisay Lemma also in the race.
Also on the starting line will be Kenya's Evans Chebet, the current Valencia Marathon champion and fastest man in the world last year (2:03:00), and the two-time Tokyo Marathon champion Birhanu Legese who is the third-fastest marathoner of all time (2:02:48).
Ethiopians Mosinet Geremew (2:02:55) and Mule Wasihun (2:03:16), who both finished on the podium at the 2019 race, also return.
Titus Ekiru, who clocked the fastest time during the Milano Marathon of 2:02:57, will make his debut.
The 2021 London Marathon returns to its traditional and iconic course from Blackheath to The Mall after last year's elite-only race on a multiple closed-loop circuit around St James's Park.
Up to 50,000 runners are expected in the mass race and another 50,000 around the world will take on the virtual event, completing the 26.2 miles on the route of their choice any time between 00:00 and 23:59:59 BST October 3.
(08/14/21) Views: 119Bernard Rotich
Kenenisa Bekele is set to run the Berlin Marathon
On September 26, all eyes will be on the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. After a bitter period of deprivation, a large field of runners will be allowed to celebrate on the streets of the German capital. Due to the current pandemic situation, this year there is a reduction in participants and a detailed hygiene concept, which makes it possible for an event of this magnitude to be realized at all.
Not only are the recreational athletes appreciative of the endless efforts by the organiser SCC EVENTS, which are making it possible to finally compete together again at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. A look at the list of favourites shows quite clearly how much the world’s elite is also waiting for top notch races. None other than running legend Kenenisa Bekele will aim for victory on September 26.
At the 2019 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, he clearly demonstrated with his time of 2:01:41 hours that he is always a force to be reckoned with. Whether he can shine again this year with one of the fastest marathon times ever remains to be seen. Anything is possible for the Ethiopian jack-of-all-trades. The #berlinlegend Bekele appears to do particularly well in the Berlin air. This is underlined not only by his victories at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in 2016 and 2019, but also by his captivating performances at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in the capital city on the Spree River.
Sifan Hassan to Attempt 5k World Record at Prefontaine Classic
(The 46th Prefontaine Classic, member of the Wanda Diamond League of international track & field meets, will be held August 20-21 at Hayward Field.)
Double Olympic gold medalist Sifan Hassan will bring her unmatched distance skills back to the Prefontaine Classic with an attempt at the world record in the 5000 meters on the first of the meet’s two days.
Hassan’s race will conclude a distance-special session on Friday evening as the Pre Classic returns to the re-imagined Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus. Festivities are set to begin at 8:00 p.m. Pacific time.
This will be the first race for Hassan since her historic Tokyo Olympics, where she became the first woman or man to earn medals in the 5000, 1500 and 10,000 in the same Olympic Games. Her medal haul in Tokyo equaled the most individually by any track & field athlete with a pair of gold medals in the 5k and 10k that sandwiched a bronze in the 1500.
Hassan even avoided potential disaster, getting up from a fall on the final lap of her heat in the 1500 to not only catch the qualifiers but pass them all in finishing first.
The 28-year-old Hassan also made history at 2019 World Championships in Doha, becoming the first woman or man to sweep gold medals in the 1500 and 10k.
Hassan owns two world records on the track – in the uncanny combination of the mile (4:12.33) and the longest distance achieved in the one hour run (18,930 meters, just over 11¾ miles).
She added a third WR on June 6 in her homeland of the Netherlands, lowering the 10k best by more than 10 seconds at 29:06.82. At the time she matched American Mary Slaney as the only person to hold both the mile and 10k WRs simultaneously. Alas, Hassan’s 10k WR lasted but two days and she now sits at No. 2 all-time.
Hassan also owns the Wanda Diamond League record in the 3000 meters, achieved at the 2019 Pre Classic in 8:18.49 when it was held at Stanford. Just four days after her 10k WR she set the 1500 DLR at 3:53.63, but that was broken in July. Her PR in the 1500 is 3:51.95, a European record that makes her No. 7 all-time.
Curiously, the weakest of Hassan’s PRs is right in the middle of her fantastic range, as her 5k best is “only” 14:22.12, which puts her No. 12 all-time. The world record that she is aiming for 14:06.62.
This will be Hassan’s fifth Pre Classic, and she has PRed in three of her previous four appearances.
(08/16/21) Views: 109
Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon officials encouraging runners to get COVID-19 vaccine
In October, the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is returning in-person for the first time in two-and-a-half years.
Organizers are taking a step in the fight against the pandemic that caused the delay – launching a public service announcement campaign, encouraging runners to get vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as taking social distancing precautions.
“This is not a political issue, this is a public health issue and we’re just encouraging runners to get it,” said Kari Watkins, Executive Director at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. “We’re not requiring it, we’re just encouraging.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, so have the talks between Watkins and OU’s Chief COVID-19 Officer Dr. Dale Bratzler.
“If we were having it today, I’d be a lot more concerned,” Bratzler told News 4. “A lot of the epidemiologic models show we will see substantial peak, particularly with the opening of schools but we could start to fall off fairly quickly after that.”
Bratzler says if runners are not yet vaccinated, he hopes they consider it – because running fast doesn’t guarantee COVID-19 won’t catch up to you.
“The very first person I ever took care of with COVID-19 was a distance runner,” said Bratzler. “The very first person who presented with shortness of breath, severe cough and long-haul symptoms and took him literally months to get back to pre-COVID aerobic capacity.”
Watkins says as of right now, registration looks to be at about 50% of their normal turnout.
They’re working on plans for safety – including spreading out runners at the start line and starting the race in waves.
“We’ll start making those calls 30 days out, maybe around Labor Day, saying here’s what we expect from runners,” she said.
As they work on precautions on their end, officials hope runners will take their own as well.
“For us, the marathon is an important celebration of life and coming together,” said Watkins. “When you look at the opportunities of do you require a shot or do you not require a shot, the best thing we could do is encourage vaccinations and give people a reason to go get vaccinated.”
Bratzler says as of right now, he’d encourage runners to wear a mask at the start line and take it off as they spread out.
He also says they will likely highly promote, if not mandate, masks at the indoor registration event ahead of the race.
(08/13/21) Views: 84Lauren Daniels
Chicago Marathon organizers have required participants to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test
Chicago Marathon participants required to prove vaccination or negative test.
Organizers confirmed the move as part of updated COVID-19 guidelines published for the annual event.
Around 35,000 people have registered for the 2021 Chicago Marathon, which was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Registered participants are required to provide proof of a complete COVID-19 vaccination series or a negative COVID-19 test result to participate in the 2021 Bank of America Chicago Marathon," organizers said.
"Registered participants who are not fully vaccinated are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result for a test administered within 72 hours of attending the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
"The event defines 'fully vaccinated' as individuals who are two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose vaccine series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine.
"Proof of vaccination (hard copy, photocopy or digital version of an immunization record) or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of attending the event is required for entrance to the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo.
"Individuals unable to prove full vaccination or negative test will be barred from entering the Health and Fitness Expo and unable to pick up the necessary race materials that allow for participation in the event."
Organizers say RT-PCR, RT-LAMP, lateral flow, and rapid antigen tests are approved.
Attendees will be required to wear face coverings while at indoor event venues, while participants are encouraged to wear face coverings in Grant Park prior to starting the race.
Ethiopia’s Getaneh Molla and Seifu Tura, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, and Americans Keira D’Amato and Emma Bates have become the latest elite athletes to join the start list for this year’s event.
Two-times Olympic medallist Galen Rupp and Sara Hall were announced earlier this year, with the pair expected to lead the United States’ challenge in the men’s and women’s events, respectively.
Molla has the fastest personal best in the men’s field as he clocked 2 hours 3min 34sec to win the 2019 Dubai Marathon.
Chepngetich is the reigning women’s world champion, with the Kenyan poised to make her Chicago Marathon debut.
She set the world record in the half marathon this spring in 1:04:02, while her marathon personal best of 2:17:08 makes her the fourth fastest woman in history.
Daniel Romanchuk and Tatyana McFadden are among the US stars set to feature in the elite wheelchair races, with Switzerland’s Marcel Hug also included on the start list.
(08/19/21) Views: 84Michael Pavitt
