On the frosty Boston morning, Abel Kipchumba of Kenya and Fotyen Tesfay of Ethiopia triumphed in the 21st B.A.A. Half-Marathon, braving the biting cold and fierce competition. Each claimed victory, pocketing $12,000 in prize money for their exceptional displays of athleticism.
Defending champion and course record holder Bernard Koech will return for the 38th edition of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on 28th April. The 36 year-old Kenyan, who improved the course best to 2:04:09 last year, will face very strong opponents in Germany’s major spring marathon. Samwel Mailu of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Abdisa Tola, who both produced breakthrough performances in 2023, will challenge the defending champion. In Martin Musau there will be another former winner of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg returning to the race: The Ugandan was the winner in 2021.
In a poignant conclusion to his illustrious career, Mo Farah celebrated as one of Britain's most exceptional athletes of all time, marking the end of an era with a fourth-place finish in his final race at the Great North Run. The 40-year-old four-time Olympic champion found himself trailing early in the renowned 13.1-mile race, a captivating journey from Newcastle to South Shields. As the dust settled, he crossed the finish line, a full three minutes and 30 seconds behind Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola, who seized victory with an impressive time of 59 minutes and 58 seconds.
Berlin, Germany - Eliud Kipchoge, the celebrated Kenyan marathoner, once again asserted his dominance in the Berlin Marathon on a magnificent Sunday morning. In a remarkable display of athleticism, Kipchoge secured his fifth Berlin Marathon title, breaking the tie with the legendary Haile Gebrselassie. Crossing the finish line in a breathtaking time of 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 42 seconds, Kipchoge left his competitors stunned. This victory was a triumphant comeback for Kipchoge, who faced disappointment with a 6th-place finish at the Boston Marathon earlier in April, just ahead of his 39th birthday in November.
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.
It was on a chilly evening in Boston in February 2018 when Edward Cheserek, a 17-time NCAA champion, etched his name into the annals of indoor track history. With a lightning-fast time of 3:49.44, he ran the second-fastest indoor mile ever recorded, second only to Morocco's two-time Olympic gold medalist Hicham El Geurrouj, who had clocked 3:48.45. Interestingly, Cheserek declared that he had no intentions of revisiting the mile distance.
Dublin, Ireland – The Dublin Marathon bore witness to an exhilarating display of athleticism, with Belfast's Stephen Scullion securing a commendable third-place finish in the men's category. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly Ethiopian runner Kemal Husen's impressive victory, where he not only claimed first place but also established a new course record by crossing the finish line in an astonishing two hours, six minutes, and 52 seconds. This remarkable feat shattered the previous record, held since 2019 by Othmane El Goumri, by an impressive one minute and 14 seconds.
In an exhilarating showcase of athletic prowess, Sisay Lemma made marathon history at the renowned Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso, securing victory in record-breaking fashion with a phenomenal time of 2:01:48. His remarkable performance not only secured the top spot but also etched his name as the fourth fastest marathoner on the men's world all-time list, reaffirming the event's status as a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label.
Double Olympic champion Sifan Hassan will continue her 42.2km adventure at the 17th edition of the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday 3rd March 2024, aiming to continue a record-breaking start to life over the distance.
New York City, March 17: At the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon, Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal of Norway and Abel Kipchumba of Kenya triumphed on a chilly and difficult morning, finishing in impressive times of 1:09:09 and 1:00:25, respectively. Experienced European Athletics cross-country champion Grøvdal made history by becoming the first female winner from Europe since 2010. Meanwhile, Kenya's dominance in the event was further enhanced by Kipchumba, who won the B.A.A. Half-Marathon last November, making history by becoming the ninth male champion in 17 years. Each athlete received a well-earned $20,000 award.
