Nairobi, Kenya - Titus Ekiru, a renowned Kenyan marathoner, may be handed a 10-year ban following four violations of anti-doping rules, as disclosed by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
In an eagerly awaited announcement, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon revealed a stellar cast of elite runners set to compete in this year's edition of the prestigious race. The list boasts an array of top-tier talent, featuring notable names like Ruth Chepngetich, the two-time defending champion from Kenya with an impressive personal best of 2:14:18 (#2 all-time). Joining her are Sifan Hassan, the reigning London Marathon champion, and Emily Sisson, the American record holder who blazed a trail with her remarkable time of 2:18:29 in Chicago last year. Mark October 8 on your calendars because this thrilling marathon promises an outstanding demonstration of athletic talents.
The Sydney Marathon has today announced two new Australian Championship events, open to athletes across Australia. The inaugural Australian Age Group Marathon Championships and the Australian Clubs Marathon Championships will be added to the traditional Australian Open Marathon Championships at this year's Sydney Marathon on Sunday, 17 September 2023.
Ruth Chepngetich, one of the world’s leading long distance runners, will be the star attraction of the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon on Sunday. The Kenyan, who broke the world record on this course with 64:02 two years ago, has a unique win streak in Istanbul. The 28 year-old competed five times in Turkey’s two major international road races, the half marathon and the marathon. She always won and broke the course record on each occasion.
Mo Farah, one of the most successful long-distance runners in British history, has announced that he will retire from competitive racing after the Great North Run in September. This news comes after the athlete finished in ninth place in his final London Marathon and has previously stated that this year's event would be his last.
Samwel Mailu was glued to the TV screen in Kenya when in October 2019 his idol Eliud Kipchoge broke the two-hour marathon barrier in Vienna’s Prater Park. The sensational achievement made worldwide headlines. It was exactly on the same stretch of road in the Prater, where Samwel Mailu broke away from his remaining rivals on Sunday during the 40th Vienna City Marathon. “But I did not think about Eliud at this moment as I was not aware that it was exactly on this road where he was running in 2019,“ said Samwel Mailu. With around 10 kilometers left in the race, the 30-year-old went on to break the nine-year-old course record of the Vienna City Marathon with a time of 2:05:08 in warm conditions.
The scheduled date for the 2024 London Marathon, is Sunday, April 21, 2024. Approximately 17,000 spots are available (the exact number is not disclosed), but more than 410,000 applicants are expected to apply for the race next year.
Sifan Hassan, the Dutch athlete who became an Olympic champion in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events, made a remarkable debut in the London Marathon, emerging as a surprise winner despite injury and near-accidents. Hassan gave a masterclass in breaking every rule in the marathon book, stopping twice to stretch an injured hip and almost pulling out. In the men's race, Kelvin Kiptum, a 23-year-old Kenyan, put up a remarkable performance, surging powerfully ahead with eight miles to go and leaving behind some of the fastest men in history.
Kenya’s Samwel Mailu smashed the nine year-old course record of the Vienna City Marathon. When he stormed over the finish line at the Vienna Burgtheater in 2:05:08 Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen held the finishing tape. Despite warm conditions during the second half of the race the 30 year-old was 33 seconds quicker than the former course record holder Getu Feleke of Ethiopia who had clocked 2:05:41 back in 2014. Fellow Kenyans Bethwell Yegon and Titus Kimutai followed with 2:06:57 and 2:07:46 in second and third.
Bernard Koech of Kenya won the Haspa Marathon Hamburg with a course record of 2:04:09. The 35-year-old tied his personal best and is now the fourth fastest runner in the world this year. Fellow-Kenyans Joshua Belet and Martin Kosgei took second and third with 2:04:33 and 2:06:18 respectively. Germany’s European Champion Richard Ringer finished in a strong sixth position with a personal best of 2:08:08 which is just inside the Olympic qualifying time.
