A very sad day for sport with the passing of world record holder Agnes Tirop at 25-years-of-age. Tirop was found Wednesday with multiple stab wounds. Kenyan police have confirmed her husband is the main suspect.
The world of athletics celebrated six remarkable athletes - Tigist Assefa, Mondo Duplantis, Kelvin Kiptum, Faith Kipyegon, Noah Lyles, and Yulimar Rojas - as the standout performers of 2023. These exceptional individuals were recognized for their outstanding achievements at the prestigious World Athletics Awards ceremony, marking the culmination of a year filled with exceptional records and accomplishments.
Very fast times and thrilling races are expected at the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on Sunday. Just a year after Yalemzerf Yehualaw set a sensational course record of 2:17:23, which at that time was an unofficial world debut record as well, a fellow-Ethiopian will be at the start line, hoping to smash the mark: 20 year-old Tiruye Mesfin announced at the press conference in Hamburg that she targets a world-class time of sub 2:17. Brazil’s Daniel do Nascimento is among the men’s favorites. The South American record holder wants to bounce back after disaster struck in New York in November. After taking the European marathon gold in Munich in sensational style last summer Hamburg will be the first race at the classic distance for Germany’s Richard Ringer. Around 12,000 runners have registered for the marathon event while the total number including shorter races is over 30,000.
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.
The Nagoya Women’s Marathon
Both on home soil and abroad, Australia’s track and field stars continued their pursuit of excellence as the season crescendos towards the 100th edition of the Australian Track and Field Championships.
Australian Paralympian Madison de Rozario has secured second place in the women's wheelchair division of the prestigious Boston Marathon, earning her third podium finish in this event. The coveted first place was claimed by American athlete Susannah Scaroni, who triumphed for the first time in this race, finishing five seconds ahead of de Rozario.
Hellen Obiri from Kenya and Jacob Kiplimo from Uganda secured wins in their debut at the United Airlines NYC Half, persevering through freezing temperatures and strong headwinds to claim their titles. Obiri set a new event and course record, clocking in at 1:07:21, which was 14 seconds faster than the previous record held by Senbere Teferi of Ethiopia from last year's race. The two athletes each earned $20,000 in prize money for their outstanding performances.
Kenya's Rosemary Wanjiru and Ethiopia's Deso Gelmisa emerged victorious in the women's and men's categories, respectively, at the Tokyo Marathon, held on Sunday, March 5, 2023.
Ethiopia's Deresa Geleta and Azmera Gebru turned in amazing performances in the Zurich Maraton de Sevilla on Sunday, 18th, shattering previous records in a breathtaking display of brilliance.
