Running News Daily
Top Ten Stories of the Week
10/28/2023
These are the top ten stories based on views over the last week.
How Peres Jepchirchir accidentally made her debut over the marathon
Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir has narrated how she 'accidentally' made her marathon debut at the Kisumu Safaricom Marathon.
Reigning Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir never intended to make her debut in the marathon back in 2013 since she had just begun her professional career.
She had started off her professional career with 10km road races in South Africa and had performed pretty well for a newbie.
Jepchirchir, 20 at the time, jetted back to the country for her last race, a 10km road race in Kisumu, the Kisumu Safaricom Marathon but she was shocked on arrival.
Speaking to World Athletics, Jepchirchir explained that when she got there, she was told the 10km road race was only for the residents of Kisumu and she had to run the marathon.
The former New York City Marathon champion did not disappoint despite being a newbie since she dominated and won the race in fashion. She clocked 2:47:33 to win the race.
“I was going there for the 10k and then I arrived and the 10k was only for people from that area. I remember it a lot because I ran that first marathon without any long runs,” she recalled.
After her triumph at the marathon back in 2013, Jepchirchir did not immediately start running the 42km distance since there was a lot she had to learn.
She became serious about the marathon in 2019 when she ran her second marathon, the Saitama International Marathon, where she won the race dominantly too.
Jepchirchir then went ahead and dominated the Valencia Marathon in 2020 before bagging the Olympic marathon and New York City marathon titles in 2021.
In 2022, she won the Boston Marathon in style and became the first woman to have won the Olympic, New York City, and Boston Marathon titles. After her Boston Marathon triumph, the now 30-year-old suffered an injury setback that saw her pull out of the New York City Marathon.
She opened her season this year with a third-place finish but has since insisted that she is injury-free and will be looking to dominate at the New York City Marathon.
“I was happy because I was able to train for only two months when I was preparing for London, so for me, I was happy because I was coming back," she said.
(10/24/23) Views: 141Abigael Wuafula
Race organizers are bubbling with confidence ahead of staging the 37th edition of the Venice Marathon
Stage set for 37th edition of Venice Marathon as 16,000 athletes register.
Curtains have already been raised for the 37th edition of the Venice Marathon scheduled for Sunday, October 22.
It has been confirmed that a total of 16,000 athletes are to take part in the three race categories which include the marathon, half marathon, and the 10km race.
The men’s field is led by Uganda’s Solomon Mutai, the reigning champion after his triumph in the lagoon with a course record of 2:08:10. He returns to Venice to try repeat his success and further improve the record of the race.
However, he is bound to face a stern test from Kenya’s Emmanuel Rutto Naibei who finished second last year. Ethiopia’s Bekele Mesfin Teshome, the 2016 Dubai Marathon champion, will also be in the mix.
Naibei will enjoy the company of Noah Kigen Kiprotich who won last year’s Màlaga Marathon. Fans will witness the debut of the Italian-Moroccan steeplechase and middle-distance runner Abdoullah Bamoussa.
Meanwhile, the women’s field will be a race to try to lower the race record of 2:23:37 set way back in 2011 by Kenyan Helena Kirop.
Kenya’s Rebbeca Sirwanei Tanui, winner of the San Sebastiàn marathon (Esp) last year with a personal best of 2:23:09, and the very strong Kenyan Shamilah Tekaa Kipsorir, winner of the half marathon this year, will try to attack the race record.
Elsewhere, the president of the Venice marathon Piero Rosa Salva focused on the metropolitan aspect in his speech made during the press conference.
“We present the Venice marathon in one of the venues of the Metropolitan City of Venice as our event becomes more and more metropolitan every year, due to its ability to involve all the realities of the territory not only with the splendid route from Brenta to Venice but also with the stages of the Alì Family Run.
"The Venice marathon therefore represents the perfect combination between grassroots promotion, and therefore between young people, schools and families, and the elite sporting aspect".
(10/21/23) Views: 119
Abigael Wuafula
Teacher Dribbles Way to Guinness World Record Marathon Finish
Maria Babineau dribbled a basketball for 26.2 miles, finishing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in her debut at the distance.
Over the weekend, the Toronto Waterfront Marathon saw its fair share of excitement, with Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba Kejela winning the women’s race with a personal-best time of 2:23:11 for the women’s race, while Elvis Kipchoge Cheboi took the win in the men’s field with a time of 2:09:20.
While no course records were broken, the event did see an incredible 20 Guinness World Record attempts, with everything from the fastest half marathon in a five-person costume to the quickest half marathon by a female dressed as a crustacean. But one impressive attempt was a total slam dunk: elementary school teacher Maria Babineau broke the record for the fastest female running a marathon while dribbling a basketball, finishing the race in 3:57:40.
My students knew I loved basketball, so they encouraged me to break a basketball world record,” Babineau told Runner's World. “The enthusiasm the students shared for attempting the record was amazing. I wanted to show them that anything is possible.”
Video from the race shows Babineau running while dribbling the ball, alternating between her hands as she confidently breezed past her competition. “During the marathon, there were points of the race where my arms were cramping a little,” she said. “The cheering of the spectators and the positive comments from all the runners around me are what helped me get through it.”
The race, surprisingly, was Babineau’s first marathon, completed after about seven weeks of training. “During my training, I ended up having quite a few dogs try to steal the basketball,” Babineau said. “I also had to practice wearing a GoPro on my chest to record the attempt.”
The record attempt, which Guinness is still reviewing, was for more than just cheers from the crowd—Babineau ran in support of a charity she volunteers with, Ronald McDonald House Ottawa. Her goal was to raise $1,000 CAD to help the organization (which provides a home for families with sick children) buy an adjustable basketball net so families can play together. Babineau donated $1 for every kilometer she ran as part of her training, and ultimately, she raised more than her goal, presenting the basketball net and her record-achieving basketball to the house.
Marinella Satta of Italy set the previous record for the fastest female dribbling a basketball in 4:28:11 during the Giro D’Italia Run in Turin, Italy, back in 2010, finishing 25th out of 38 runners.
For any men who feel inspired by this feat, the current Guinness record for the fastest marathon while dribbling a basketball for men was set in 2021 by Steffan Reimer, who ran a 2:50 marathon while bouncing the ball along the course.
(10/21/23) Views: 100Runner’s World
Sabastian Sawe and Kibiwott Kandie face stern test in deep Valencia Marathon field
The duo of Sabastian Sawe and Kibiwott Kandie are bound to face tough opposition as they eye victory at the Valencia Half Marathon.
World Half marathon champion Sabastian Sawe is not resting on his laurels as he eyes more glory at the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso on Sunday, October 22.
The men’s event has witnessed a world record in the recent past and it will be no surprise when another record is set in the streets of Valencia. The previous world record was set by Kibiwott Kandie, who clocked 57:32 to win the race in 2020.
Sawe is among one of the favourites primed to do well in the Spanish city, owing to his dominant win at the World Road Running Championships in Riga earlier this month.
He clocked 59:10 to win the race and he leads a strong men’s line-up. The Berlin Half Marathon champion is reportedly in the form of his life and is undefeated on the roads this year. His target for this weekend will be to maintain that winning streak while also improving on his Personal Best time of 58:02.
However, he is bound to face opposition from his compatriot Kibiwott Kandie, who goes into the race as the defending champion.
Sawe is among one of the favourites primed to do well in the Spanish city, owing to his dominant win at the World Road Running Championships in Riga earlier this month.
He clocked 59:10 to win the race and he leads a strong men’s line-up. The Berlin Half Marathon champion is reportedly in the form of his life and is undefeated on the roads this year. His target for this weekend will be to maintain that winning streak while also improving on his Personal Best time of 58:02.
However, he is bound to face opposition from his compatriot Kibiwott Kandie, who goes into the race as the defending champion.
Kejelcha won the Valencia Half Marathon in 2019 with a PB of 58:32 and he will be looking to replicate the same performance.
Also, in the deep field is another Kenyan, Matthew Kimeli, who clocked 58:43 in Valencia in 2021. Stephen Kiprop is also in the mix and he will be lining up with a PB time of 58:42 that he set when winning the Ras Al-Khaimah Half Marathon.
Tadese Worku will also be looking to challenge the strong athletes and make an impression since her made a promising half marathon debut in Valencia last year in 58:47.
(10/21/23) Views: 100Abigael Wuafula
Lilian Kasait reminisces on season comeback after doping ban
Lilian Kasait has given a candid assessment of her season after completing her doping ban in February.
Lilian Kasait is one of the few athletes who bounced back after a doping ban threatened her career and she has come out to give an assessment of her 2023 season.
According to reports by BBC, the Kenyan runner was banned for 10 months for the use of the hormone therapy drug Letrozole.
The former world Under-18 3,000m champion had her results annulled on January 20, 2022, the day she provided her positive sample. Her suspension ran from April 2022 to February 2023 after admitting to her guilt.
Speaking to Nation Sport after ending her season at the World Road Running Championships, Kasait expressed her delight to have made a comeback and ended her season on a high. She bagged a silver medal at the global showpiece where she was debuting.
“I’m very happy because I’ve ended my season with a medal. The road race was my first and I just went there hoping for the best,” she said.
Kasait opened her season with a fourth-place finish at the Kip Keino Classic before proceeding to reign supreme in the 1500m and 5000m at the Kenya Prisons Championships.
She then began her Diamond League Trophy campaign at the Meeting in Paris where she finished fourth in the 5000m before heading to the Meeting in Oslo where she competed in the 3000m and finished second.
The former All Africa Games champion then jetted back to the country for the National Championships and World Championships National Trials. She secured a ticket to the global show in the Hungarian capital and managed to finish 10th.
She soothed her World Championships heartbreak with a win at the Diamond League Meeting in Brussels before closing her track season at the Prefontaine Classic with a fourth-place finish.
(10/20/23) Views: 94Abigael Wuafula
Kandie and Chelimo victorious in Valencia
Kibiwott Kandie ran the fourth-fastest time in history to win a close men’s race while Margaret Chelimo moved into the all-time top 10 to claim the women’s title and secure a Kenyan double at the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Sunday (22).
Held under ideal weather conditions with a temperature of 15°C at the start and no wind, the men's event saw four athletes break 58 minutes, led by Kandie's 57:40. Making his first appearance over the distance this year, the former world record-holder achieved his third win in Valencia to deny some top-class competition. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha was second in a national record of 57:41 and he was followed over the finish line by his compatriots Hagos Gebrhiwet, who matched Kejelcha’s time, and Selemon Barega, who ran 57:50 in the second half marathon of his career.
In the women's race, Chelimo dipped under 1:05 for the first time to win in a PB of 1:04:46 ahead of her compatriots Irine Cheptai, who clocked 1:04:53, and Janet Chepngetich, who ran 1:05:15.
Hat-trick for Kandie
The pacemakers went out at a steady 2:45/km pace to target a finish time of around 58 minutes as agreed at the pre-race technical meeting. But Kandie clearly had other ideas and just before the 5km checkpoint the defending champion overtook the pacemakers after unleashing a devastating change of speed which saw him cover that kilometre in a frantic 2:39 to reach 5km in 13:43.
Only two athletes could live with that pace: the gold and silver 5km medallists at the recent World Road Running Championships in Riga, Gebrhiwet and Kejelcha. Surprisingly, world half marathon champion Sebastian Sawe remained in the chasing group, while Olympic 10,000m champion Barega managed to rejoin the leading group one kilometre later.
Kandie pushed hard to cover the next 3km split in a blistering 8:08, always with the threatening Ethiopian trio on his shoulder. They went through the 10km mark in 27:15, a time that predicted a 57:29 finish to indicate that the world record of 57:31 set by Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon in 2021 was feasible. Kandie was just one second slower than Kiplimo’s mark when he broke the world record to win in Valencia in 2020.
Some 31 minutes into the race, Barega moved to the front for the first time. The fast pace maintained, with several kilometre splits of 2:42, but after a 13th kilometre covered in 2:50, Kandie regained the lead as he tried to leave his rivals behind before the closing stages.
The lead quartet cruised through the 15km point in 41:01 following a slower three kilometre split of 8:24 to forecast a 57:39 final time, but the possibility of a world record and a thrilling finish was still there as four top athletes remained in contention.Barega was the first to drop as he began to lose ground just before the 19th kilometre and shortly afterwards Kejelcha – the world indoor record-holder for the mile – took the lead to go through that 19th kilometre in 51:52, just three seconds outside of the required world record pace. From there, the race turned into a tactical affair as victory became the priority of the leading trio.
At that point, the race looked like it might be between Kejelcha and Gebrhiwet, given their track credentials, but it was Kandie who found another gear with some 380m left to run and his Ethiopian opponents could not replicate his sudden burst of speed.
Kandie crossed the finish line in 57:40, the second-fastest time of his career behind his former world record of 57:32. He now has two of the four fastest half marathon times in history and the performance is a world lead of almost one minute.
Kejelcha kept Gebrhiwet at bay to get some revenge following his defeat in Riga as he shattered his own Ethiopian record by 51 seconds. Gebrhiwet and Barega completed a classy top four, while the world champion Sawe was never a threat and finished fifth in 58:29.
“Honestly, I was not aiming for the world record today but I felt strong throughout and pushed hard for most of the race,” said Kandie. “I promise to return to Valencia and regain the world record anyway. I'll next focus on my build-up for the Valencia Marathon on 3 December.”
Spain's Carlos Mayo erased Fabian Roncero's 22-year-old national record thanks to a 59:39 time that placed him 13th, while Portugal's Samuel Barata smashed the 26-year-old Portuguese record with 59:40 in 14th. Italy's Pietro Riva also dipped under the one hour barrier for the first time with 59:41.
Chelimo proves strongest
The women's contest kicked off at an even 3:06/km pace with six athletes at the helm: Kenya's Chelimo, Cheptai and Chepngetich, plus Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase and Tigist Gezahagn, and Germany's Melat Kejeta.
(10/22/23) Views: 94Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
Always learning, Jemal Yimer refocuses after Riga with marathon success in his sights
For as long as he can remember, Jemal Yimer has been a student of the sport.
The 27-year-old grew up in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, without any running background in his family, but that didn’t stop him idolising the greats. “Haile Gebrselassie,” he says quickly, when asked about his childhood heroes.
Yimer began running at school, juggling football and athletics in his teenage years before deciding to give the latter his full focus. Since 2016, it has consumed him and when he’s not running twice a day – which he does every day except Sunday – one of his hobbies is to watch documentaries about the greats of the sport.
“Sometimes it’s (Eliud) Kipchoge, Gebrselassie, or Kenenisa (Bekele) – we see the life history of strong athletes, their races,” he says. “That is the backbone of me; it’s motivation for me.”
Yimer earned his first international vest in 2016, finishing fourth at the African Championships over 10,000m. The following year he hit a new level, finishing fourth at the World Cross Country Championships in Uganda, helping Ethiopia to team gold, and he went on to finish fifth in the 10,000m at the 2017 World Championships in London, clocking 26:56.11.
In 2018, there was another near-miss at a major podium, Yimer finishing fourth at the World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia, just one second behind the bronze medallist. Later that year, he returned to Valencia and performed like a man possessed, winning in a then Ethiopian half marathon record of 58:33.
As his focus turned from the track to the roads, he also changed coaches, coming under the guidance of Getamesay Molla, who works with a number of Ethiopia’s best marathoners. Molla had been a good athlete himself, if not quite a champion, and he’d trained alongside many of the country’s best, such as Kenenisa Bekele, before turning his hand to coaching in 2010.
He began working with Yimer in 2019 and has long been impressed by his protege. “Jemal is a very strong athlete, and he’s versatile,” says Molla. “He’s tough, especially for races. He’s confident in himself.”
They train at various venues on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, doing long runs at high altitude and dropping to medium altitude for faster interval sessions. Yimer typically runs about 200km per week. What impresses the coach most about Yimer?
“His consistency,” says Molla. “Every session, he does not miss.”
In 2020, Yimer made his long-awaited marathon debut. It was due to come at the Boston Marathon in April but after that race was cancelled due to the pandemic, it ended up being at the Valencia Marathon in December, but Yimer was unable to finish, having suffered an early fall.
In 2021, Boston was back on the calendar and Yimer turned in a superb debut performance there, finishing third in 2:10:38, just one second behind Lemi Berhanu in second. “My expectation for him was winning,” says Molla with a smile. “But the podium was not bad; it was good.”
The transition to the marathon was “not difficult”, says Yimer, but given his stride was better suited to shorter distances, he “had challenges after 15km, 20km” on hard long runs. In 2022, Yimer returned to Boston and finished eighth in 2:08:58, and earlier this year he claimed victory at the Los Angeles Marathon in 2:13:13. In August he finished second at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in Northern Ireland in 58:38, teeing him up beautifully for a podium tilt at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23.
The journey to Latvia proved an eventful one, with the Ethiopian team stranded in Germany for close to a full day just two days before the race. Still, Yimer wasn’t going to use that as an excuse.
“This was not the first time for such a long journey; travelling is always up and down and that is not a reason for how I will perform in the race,” he said on the eve of the championships. “I will focus totally.”
That’s exactly what he did, with Yimer launching himself into contention at the key moment of the half marathon, when Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo surged to the front after 16km. Yimer was the only man to go with him, but he soon found the pace too hot to handle.
Ebenyo also began to falter in the final kilometre, giving way to his teammate Sabastian Kimaru Sawe, but Yimer paid an even heavier price, dropping back to fourth. Try as he might, he was unable to summon the finish needed to overhaul Samwel Nyamai Mailu for the bronze medal, coming home fourth in 59:22.
It was a sign of how hard he’d run that Yimer had to be assisted through the mixed zone by a medic afterwards, his very best coming up just shy of a medal on the day. Still, he has a chance to make amends soon. On November 5, Yimer will line up at the New York City Marathon against a top-class field. His PB of 2:08:58 ranks him 13th, though his rivals know that’s not a true reflection of his ability.
“We can expect a good result in New York,” says Molla. “I expect he’ll be on the podium.”
A father to a two-year-old boy, Yimer will sometimes bring his son along to training and the toddler is starting to get a grasp on what his dad does for a living. Yimer knows a race like New York offers a golden opportunity to provide a better future for his family, which is part of his motivation.
“First I focus on training, then I have many plans on the business end for the future,” he says. Yimer isn’t shy about making them public: “My goal is to run fast times, to run all the major marathons, and to win world and Olympic medals.”
(10/20/23) Views: 92Cathal Dennehy for World Athletics
Rebecca Tanui outwits Ethiopian duo in 37th Venice Marathon
Kenyan athlete Rebecca Tanui emerged victorious in the 37th edition of the Venice Marathon, held on a Sunday.
During the race, Tanui and Ethiopian runner Kebene Chala ran together and reached the halfway point in an impressive time of 1 hour, 11 minutes, and 37 seconds.
Rebecca Tanui breaks away
Around the 30th kilometer mark, Tanui launched an attack, pulling ahead and continuing to race solo until reaching the finish line at Riva Sette Martiri.
She completed the marathon in an excellent time of 2 hours, 25 minutes, and 35 seconds.
In second place was Chala, who finished with a time of 2 hours and 26 minutes, 38 seconds, significantly improving her personal best by more than 4 minutes.
The third-place finisher was another Ethiopian, Bedada Tigist, who also achieved a personal best with a time of 2 hours and 28 minutes, 6 seconds.
The first Italian athlete to cross the finish line was Giorgia Bonci, representing Gs Lamone, who secured the eleventh position with a time of 3 hours and 11 minutes, 17 seconds.
About Venice Marathon
The Venice Marathon was initially conceived by Piero Rosa Salva in 1986. The inaugural edition of the marathon attracted over 2,000 runners from various nations and was quickly established as one of the season's most significant events. Over the years, it evolved into one of the premier sporting events, culminating in the 37th edition.
The Venice Marathon is recognized internationally and holds the IAAF Bronze Label. The classic distance for this marathon is 42.195 kilometers, making it one of the most revered events in the field of athletics.
Today, the Venice Marathon remains an event of exceptional quality, as reflected in its IAAF Bronze Label. It continues to captivate and draw runners, with demand consistently surpassing the organizer's limit of 8,000 entries. The marathon expo and the race itself attract large crowds, following a captivating course.
(10/23/23) Views: 92Amanga Collins
2023 Poznan Marathon with another record
Petro Mamu Shaku from Eritrea and Tseginesh Mekonnin Legesse from Ethiopia won the 22. Poznan Marathon. The Eritrean was the first competitor in the history of the Poznań run who broke the barrier of two hours and ten minutes, setting a record for the event (2:09:57).
The fight for victory took place in the final meters. The second at the finish line, Ethiopian Tolla Mesfin Nigusu, was only a second slower than the triumphant runner. The order in the men’s PZLA Polish Championships was also decided on the blue carpet before the finish line. The title of Polish Champion goes to Adam Nowicki.
The first woman at the finish line, Ethiopian Legesse (2:27:28) very quickly left her rivals behind and ran more than half of the route only accompanied by a pacemaker. The second step of the podium belonged to her compatriot Birtukan Workineh Belay. Monika Jackiewicz’s third place gave her the title of Polish Champion.
A total of 4,100 athletes completed the 22. Poznan Marathon. They represented 35 countries. We would like to thank the runners for the fantastic atmosphere, numerous participation in the event and great results. Warm thanks are also due to the sponsors for their support and the fans for their wonderful cheering. We hope to see you in future editions!
(10/23/23) Views: 91
Kenyan Margaret Chelimo to battle Melat Kejeta at Valencia Half Marathon
World Road Running Half Marathon silver medalist, Margaret Chelimo will lead a strong deep field at the 17th edition of the Valencia Half Marathon slated for Sunday in Valencia, Spain.
The 30 year-old who is also the 2019 World 5000m silver medalist will partner with her compatriot Janeth Chepngetich as they try to dethrone the seven Ethiopia’s who will be led by the former world marathon champion, Gotytom Gebreslase, who comes to this race with the third fastest time on paper of 1:05.36 that she got two years ago at Bahrain Night Half Marathon where she took the honors.
Chelimo who is also the 2022 World 10,000m bronze medalist, will have to get past the current European record holder over the half marathon distance, Melat Kejeta from Germany who holds the fastest in this field of 1:05.26 that she got at the 2020 World Half Marathon Championships, where she finished in second behind Peres Jepchirchir.
The World Cross Country silver medalist, Tsigie Gebreselama and World Indoor 3000m champion Lemlem Hailu both from Ethiopia will also be fighting for the top podium finish.
The race director Marc Roig expresses his anticipation for the event, saying, “Valencia proves once again to be the race of choice for the world’s elite athletes looking to break records. “The return of last year’s winner in the women category is a testament to the race’s popularity. We expect to witness remarkable records, national records, and potentially the fastest world records of the year”.
(10/20/23) Views: 90John Vaselyne
