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 highly anticipated Tokyo Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, took place on Sunday (3). Kenya's Benson Kipruto and Ethiopia's Sutume Asefa Kebede, in a stunning display of athleticism, set new Japanese all-comers' records.
Sifan Hassan produced one the greatest displays of female marathoning as she dismantled a world-class field to win the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in a course and area record of 2:13:44, the second fastest time in history.
Renowned long-distance runners, Kara Goucher and Des Linden, recently discussed the impact of carbon-plated sneakers, also known as "super shoes," on the sport of running. The duo hosts a podcast called Nobody Asked Us, where they delve into various topics related to running. In a recent episode, they shared their thoughts on youth athletes using these high-tech shoes.
Athletics Australia is pleased to announce the expansion of its High-Performance department, with the addition of three new positions to its structure.
Previously Head of High-Performance Systems, Andrew Faichney will move into the role of General Manager - High Performance, while Olympic gold medallist Sally Pearson will re-join the Athletics Australia family as Technical Athlete Consultant. Leisel Jones will bring her passion for athlete wellbeing to the role of Athlete Wellbeing & Engagement Coordinator.
Eliud Kipchoge, the renowned Kenyan marathoner who secured Olympic triumph twice, is stepping into a new role as a mentor for young refugees gearing up for the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships. Commencing in January 2024, Kipchoge will lend his expertise and life wisdom to the U20 World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team.
The World Athletics working group investigating the Nike road racing shoes which have revolutionised marathon and road racing times, is still deliberating over what limits to place on the carbon plate and foam technology and is unlikely to implement a complete widespread ban.
Alberto Salazar, the previously Nike backed US based coach who took Mo Farah to four Olympic gold medals and six world titles, has lost his appeal. Salazar was banned for a series of doping violations, read more on the violations HERE.
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's been an eventful four-year interval since the internationally renowned marathon sensation, Eliud Kipchoge, graced the bustling streets of Shanghai. Hailing from Kenya and a double Olympic gold medalist, Kipchoge is universally acclaimed as the preeminent marathon runner of our era. He continues to display unwavering dedication in his mission to disseminate the ardor for running and engage with local running enthusiasts.
