News: Running

Cape Town, 16 October 2022) – Defending champion Stephen Mokoka once again showed why he is South Africa’s premier marathoner as he claimed a third win in the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. The Olympian and multiple SA Champion broke the tape in 2:09:58, three seconds faster than his winning 2:10:01 last year, and the fourth-fastest winning time in the race’s history. Second position went to Ethiopian Derseh Kindie Kassie in 2:11:26, with his countryman Dagnachew Adere Maru outsprinting Kenya’s Raymond Kipchumba Choge to take third place, 2:11:52 to 2:11:55 In the women’s race, Meseret Dinke Meleka of Ethiopia took line honours in 2:24:02, smashing the 2:25:44 record (run in 2021 by Lydia Simiyu), and also breaking her personal best (PB) of 2:25:12. Second over the line was Kenyan Tecla Kirongo in 2:27:56 – also setting a new PB (her previous best was 2:28:22) – with another Kenyan, Judith Cherono, taking third in 2:30:32. The first South African to finish was Stella Marais, clocking 2:38:34 to claim eighth position. The event featured an elite wheelchair race for the first time, with the athletes setting off 15 minutes before the elite field and adding great excitement to the spirit of the day. The men’s race was dominated by American Aaron Pike. After initially breaking away from the rest of the pack with South Africa’s Ernst van Dyk, the American pulled clear to win in 1:40:15, just under four minutes clear of his great friend and rival, who came home in 1:44:02. Third place went to Mexico’s Martin Velasco Soria in 1:46:43. The women’s wheelchair race came down to a thrilling sprint finish, with Brazil’s Vanessa Cristina De Souza having to dig deep to win in 1:57:48, just one second ahead of Noemi Alphonse of Mauritius (1:57:49). Third place was claimed by British veteran Shelly Woods in 1:46:43 Mokoka Completes his Hattrick In the elite race, the leading men ran conservatively in the first half of the race, passing halfway in 1:05:36, with Stephen Mokoka biding his time near the front of the lead pack until the 32km mark. He then made his move and steadily increased his lead over the last 10km – he was 21 seconds clear of second-placed Kassie at 35km, and just over a minute clear at 40km. He says, “This was a tough, tough course. Normally at 25km you start enjoying a marathon, but at 28km today, we climbed that hill in District Six and it got really hard for a while, but overall I really enjoyed the race. I really hope this race does become an Abbott World Marathon Majors race, and I hope that government, corporates and runners all get involved to make it happen.” Mokoka set a 50km World Record earlier this year in Gqeberha, and that mark was broken just a few weeks before the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. When asked what today’s win means to him, compared to other wins and records, Mokoka says, “I am delighted to win in Cape Town for a third time. I have won races overseas, too, but this is still special. Records are meant to be broken, but titles stay forever, and this win means more to me than just running a fast time. It’s also about the memories of our runs.” Second-placed Derseh Kindie Kassie says that he had an incredible race, really enjoying all the support along the route from spectators, and even though he tried to keep up with Mokoka, he had to bend the knee to the South African. “Up to 32km the group was alternating positions a lot, so it was an exciting race, but when Stephen broke away, I had to accept that I am the underdog here. Stephen has run and won here before, he knows the route much better, where to run the shortest route and where to push the pace, and eventually I had to give up trying to catch him.” To put the exciting sprint for third place in the men’s race into perspective, one has to take into account that around halfway, Danachew Adere Maru was struggling with cramps. “It was my debut marathon, and I suffered cramps at around 21km, so I am thankful that I recovered and came through to take third place. I am very satisfied and proud of my race.” Meseret Lives Up to Favourite Tag A leading pack of eight runners dominated the first half of the women’s elite race, with six Ethiopians and two Kenyans out front, led by Meseret Dinke Meleka. She came into the race as the fastest marathoner in the field according to PB, and used her pace and strength to constantly throw in little surges to break the other runners. By the time the group reached halfway, in 1:12:11, it had been whittled down to five runners, and then Meleka blew the race wide open as she surged clear. By 30km, she was more than two minutes ahead of the next runner, extending the gap to three-and-a-half minutes by 40km. Her winning margin was eventually three minutes 54 seconds. “I enjoyed the race thoroughly, but unfortunately I had to do it by myself. When you run by yourself it is so difficult to control your pacing, but I managed. Of course, I am incredibly happy that I ran a personal best, and even more happy about the R100,000 bonus for a new record!” says Meleka, but adds, “I am partially fulfilled, because I was planning to do even better. If everything had been perfect, I had hoped to run a 2:20 or 2:21. The course was a little tougher than other international races, but I was running within myself, and felt confident that I could keep a consistent pace till the end.” For her part, second-placed Tecla Kirongo says, “I am also very happy with my personal best, and I really like it here in Cape Town. I think I want to remain here!” Her countrywoman, third-placed Judith Cherono, also says that she enjoyed the race. “The route was good, the weather was good, and the support was good. I enjoyed my run, even though the course was tough at times.” Pike Dominates Inaugural Wheelchair Race The men’s wheelchair race was all about one man, Aaron Pike, but he admitted that the new hilly section of the course in District Six proved a huge challenge on the way to winning the race. “I wasn’t expecting this to be so tough – it’s right up there with the New York Marathon – but it’s got technical sections, climbs, downs, fast flats, a bit of everything. But that climb was a bear! That was the steepest climb in all the Majors. It wasn’t long, but it was brutal, and I had to rest my arms after that.” He adds that he enjoyed having local hero Ernst Van Dyk alongside him in the early parts of the race. “Ernst knows the route so well and he was helping me with advice, warning me what was coming up, but once I broke away I was still OK, because the quality of your roads is so good here. I’ve raced all over the planet, and outside of Tokyo and Berlin, this was the next best course I have raced.” Having helped design the course and organise the wheelchair race, Ernst van Dyk echoes Pike’s comments about the great race experience. “We have the ability to host fantastic events here in Cape Town, so why not a Majors race? We can make this a showcase event for the Abbott World Marathon Majors. My personal highlight was seeing a photograph of Aaron and I going over the highway, and in the background is a building with a mural of Madiba and Archbishop Tutu. That will stay with me forever.” In terms of his own race, he says, “I tried to stick with Aaron, but he was too strong and made me eat his dust, so I decided to stay within myself. I actually took time to look around and take the course and the experience in, and I made a lot of mental notes about how we can do some fine-tuning to the course next year.” Third-placed Martin Velasco Soria describes his race as a wonderful experience. “I feel fantastic today, even though this was one of the most difficult courses I have raced, and I am really grateful for the opportunity to race here. It was challenging, but really enjoyable, and I have been incredibly impressed with everything organised here, including a chaperone for us to help us with everything. I have never experienced that before.” Sprint Finish in Women’s Wheelchair Race The small but spirited women’s wheelchair field played a huge role in the spectacle of the event, and experienced marathoner Vanessa De Souza says she had quite a battle on her hands to take the win. “I saw Noemi’s ability when climbing that hill at 28km, and it wasn’t until about 36km that I felt I could catch her. I had to use all my energy to close the gap and then win the sprint! I felt happiness for my new friend Noemi at the finish, and I’m looking forward to racing her at more races. This was one of the hardest marathon courses I’ve done, but that also made it great preparation for the New York Marathon in November, and I hope to race here again.” Second-placed Noemi Alphonse agrees about that hill in District Six: “I think we all feel the same thing about that hill at 28km. I train on hilly roads in Mauritius, so climbing is my strong point, but that hill was hard! I am just happy that I could finish strongly in a sprint with Vanessa, because she is such an experienced racer. I have been beaten on the line before, and I just think it is not my time yet, but my time will come.” Another wheelchair racer with nothing but praise for the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is Brit Shelly Woods, who took third in the women’s race. “It felt like we went right round that mountain – we’d go up a bit and down, and there the mountain was again!” she jokes. “Seriously, though, while it’s probably one of the toughest marathons I have done, it’s a beautiful route that really showcases the city, and South Africa.” The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was the main event in a jam-packed weekend of running action. Saturday saw the running of the’46km Sanlam Cape Town Trail Marathon and 22km Trail Run, as well as the 5km and 10km Sanlam Cape Town Peace Runs. That was followed by the marathon on Sunday, with the main event attracting over 12,000 entries and the combined weekend’s events seeing some 25,000 athletes being part of the action. The event offered a substantial prize-purse totalling R1,751,500, with the men’s and women’s winners each taking home R250,000 each, with R125,000 for second place and R60,000 for third. There was also a R100,000 bonus incentive on offer for a new record. The prize money for the wheelchair races saw the first man and woman earn themselves R50,000 each, while second and third took home R25,000 and R12,500 respectively. “The event was a great success,” reflects Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Race Director, Renee Jordaan. “The City’s support was outstanding, with virtually every service department fully mobilised to help runners successfully navigate the course. We also thank residents for their patience while the roads were closed, and for their enthusiastic support. Many of our runners have commented on the fantastic roadside support and said it felt like a true Cape Town party.” Adds Sanlam’s Head of Brand, Mariska Oosthuizen, “What a weekend – huge congratulations to all the runners and spectators! True to this year’s theme, champions across the African continent have united in force. This year is particularly special as we made history as an Abbott World Marathon Majors Candidate race – the first on the African continent. It has truly been an astounding success and we thank our partners – the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon race organisers – for their tireless energy and vision in making it so. Thank you to everyone who took part this year.”

Andualem Shiferaw breaks the EDP Lisbon marathon course record Ethiopia’s Andualem Shiferaw broke his own course record at the EDP Lisbon Marathon that was held this Sunday (9). Winner in the last two editions (2019 and 2021, this one with the previous course record – 2:05.52), the 30 year old athlete finished the race in 2:05.43, improving his time by 7 seconds. Haftu Asefa (2:06.33) and Birhan Tesfaye (2:07.04), both also from Ethiopia, completed the podium. In the women’s race, the kenyan Bornes Kitur took the top honors cutting the tape in a time of 2:24.17, only 3 seconds shy of the course record. Ethiopian’s Sorome Amente and Buzunesh Gudeta finished second and third, with 2:25.57 and 2:26.01. Andualem Shiferaw: “I’m happy to win the race for the third time and, also, to break the course record. Lisbon it’s like a second home for me. The course is good, the weather also. I’m happy to come back here. If the organizers invite me, I’ll come again. I can improve the course record a little more” Personal bests for the Luso Half Marathon winners In the 21k, the Luso Half Marathon that started a few hours after the full marathon, the winners were the kenyan Charles Langat and the ethiopian Emebet Mamo, both with personal bests. Langat won in 1:00.44 hours, improving his best time by more than 2 minutes (his best time was 1:02.59). Dinkalen Adane, from Ethiopia, was second, just two seconds away from the winner. In the third place came the ugandan Isaac Kibet, with 1:01.23. In the women’s race, Emebet Mamo won in 1:09.35 – another personal record, by 24 seconds – ahead of the kenyans Ludwina Chepngetich (1:10.31) and Faith Jeptoo (1:10.54). Charles Langat (men’s winner): “I was not expecting to win, but I did it. I felt strong in the end and I pushed. We [with Dinkalen Adane] helped each other in the race.”. Results EDP Lisboa Marathon Top 5 Men 1 Andualem Belay Shiferaw 02:05:45 2 Haftu Teklu Asefa 02:06:33 3 Birhan Nebebew Tesfaye 02:07:04 4 Julius Kipkorir Tuwei 02:08:23 5 Tsedat Abeje Ayana 02:08:32 Top 5 Women 1 Bornes Jepkirui Kitur 02:24:17 2 Sorome Negash Amente 02:25:57 3 Buzunesh Getachew Gudeta 02:26:01 4 Urge Diro Soboka 02:27:34 5 Fozya Jemal Amid 02:28:30 Luso Half Marathon Top 5 Men 1 Charles Kipkurui Langat 01:00:44 2 Dinkalen Ayele Adane 01:00:46 3 Isaac Kibet 01:01:23 4 Fabiano Nelson Sulle 01:01:56 5 Isaac Kipsang Temoi 01:01:58 Top 5 Women 1 Emebet Niguse Mamo 01:09:35 2 Ludwina Chepngetich 01:10:31 3 Faith Kimutai Jeptoo 01:10:54 4 Stella Jepkosgei Rutto 01:11:46 5 Fatima Azaharaa Ouhaddou 01:13:15 Photos of EDP Lisboa Marathon

The victory went to Frith, Thomas (GBR) who crossed the finish line at 02:18:35, followed by Hogan, Sean (GBR) who finished with a time of 02:18:51. Morwood, Joe (GBR) got the third place in 02:20:33. In the women’s race, Alderson, Hannah (GBR) took top honours by finishing the race in 02:35:56 , followed by Culling, Anya (GBR) who finished with a time of 02:36:21. The third place went to Nimmock, Dani (GBR) with a time of 02:38:18 Top 3 Men 1 Frith, Thomas (GBR) 02:18:35 2 Hogan, Sean (GBR) 02:18:51 3 Morwood, Joe (GBR) 02:20:33 Top 3 Women 1 Alderson, Hannah (GBR) 02:35:56 2 Culling, Anya (GBR) 02:36:21 3 Nimmock, Dani (GBR) 02:38:18 Complete results

Marathon Timothy Kiplagat Ronoh(#7) outpaced more then 6205 runners to win in 02:09:12. He finished one minute 12 seconds ahead of Cornelus Kibet Kiplagat (#8). Rounding out the top three was Reece Edwards (#6) with a time of 02:14:41. For the women, Beatrice Cheptoo (#10) took top spot in 02:27:58 , followed by Izzi Batt Doyle (#4) who finished with a time of 02:28:10. The third place went to Yeneabeba Maru Ejigu (#9) with a time of 02:28:54 Top 3 Men 1 Timothy Kiplagat Ronoh(#7) 02:09:12 2 Cornelus Kibet Kiplagat (#8) 02:10:24 3 Reece Edwards (#6) 02:14:41 Top 3 Women 1 Beatrice Cheptoo (#10) 02:27:58 2 Izzi Batt Doyle (#4) 02:28:10 3 Yeneabeba Maru Ejigu (#9) 02:28:54 Complete results Half Marathon Jack Rayner (#25503) grinded past more than 10045 runners to win in 01:02:16. He bested Matthew Clarke (#20022) who crossed the finish line one minute 10 seconds behind him. Finishing third was Sam Mcentee (#24898) (01:03:48). In the women’s race, Jessica Stenson (#20001) took top honours by finishing the race in 01:12:22 . She finished one minute 42 seconds ahead of Rose Davies (#24897). Sarah Klein (#20006) got the third place in 01:14:43. Top 3 Men 1 Jack Rayner (#25503) 01:02:16 2 Matthew Clarke (#20022) 01:03:26 3 Sam Mcentee (#24898) 01:03:48 Top 3 Women 1 Jessica Stenson (#20001) 01:12:22 2 Rose Davies (#24897) 01:14:04 3 Sarah Klein (#20006) 01:14:43 Complete results 10km Run Dale Carroll (#40772) took top honours by finishing the race in 00:30:19. Dale Carroll (#40772) and Lachlan Herd (#42489) share the same time (00:30:22) and the second place. For the women, Caitlin Adams (#40002) took top honours by finishing the race in 00:32:27 . She finished one minute 15 seconds ahead of Natalie Rule (#43147). Finishing third was Melissa Duncan (#41562) (00:34:14). Top 3 Men 1 Dale Carroll (#40772) 00:30:19 2 Lachlan Herd (#42489) 00:30:22 3 Archie Reid (#42245) 00:30:22 Top 3 Women 1 Caitlin Adams (#40002) 00:32:27 2 Natalie Rule (#43147) 00:33:42 3 Melissa Duncan (#41562) 00:34:14 Complete results 5km Run Adam Pyke (#60776) outran roughly 2994 runners to win with a time of 00:15:15. Coming in second was Finn Kane (#60012) (00:15:59). Alec Franzke (#60972) (00:16:14) made notched third place. For the women, Piperg Gay (#60015) finished first in 00:18:06 . She bested Morgan Mitchell (#60182) who crossed the finish line 38 seconds behind her. Finishing third was Chloe Phelan (#60661) (00:19:46). Top 3 Men 1 Adam Pyke (#60776) 00:15:15 2 Finn Kane (#60012) 00:15:59 3 Alec Franzke (#60972) 00:16:14 Top 3 Women 1 Piperg Gay (#60015) 00:18:06 2 Morgan Mitchell (#60182) 00:18:44 3 Chloe Phelan (#60661) 00:19:46 Complete results

Sally Kaptich heads the line-up for the elite women’s field for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on October 30. The Kenyan tops the list of fast athletes with her best of 2:21:06 which she achieved in Berlin three years ago. The race organisers expect around 12,000 participants for the 39th edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon with around 20,000 competitors in total, including events held in conjunction with the main event. This historic race is one of the Elite Label Road Race events, a distinction awarded by World Athletics, the international governing body of the sport. Entries can still be obtained at www.frankfurt-marathon.com Following the recent announcement of the first wave of competitors for the men’s elite field, the organisers have now announced a number of women contenders for the title. Three among this elite group have personal bests under 2:22. With this news the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, resuming after an enforced interruption of two years because of the Covid pandemic, has gone close to regaining the quality level of its previous women’s elite fields. “With three runners who have already run under 2:22, we have a very strong women’s field on the start line,” said the Race Director Jo Schindler. “We’ve noted the interest shown by top runners in the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. Despite the enforced break because of the pandemic, the race continues to enjoy a strong reputation and runners know that we can offer a course and atmosphere which make setting personal bests a real possibility. Many elite athletes as well as mass runners have broken records or set personal bests in Frankfurt.” Sally Kaptich comes to Frankfurt as an athlete who achieved third place in Berlin in 2019 where the 36-year-old ran what remains her personal best of 2:21:06. The Kenyan, who also has a seventh place in the 10,000m at the 2013 World Championships to her credit and a bronze medal on the road at the World Half Marathon Championships the following year, ran strongly following her Berlin performance to finish fourth in Tokyo with 2:21:42, six months after Berlin. Her fellow Kenyan Helah Kiprop has still more laurels to her credit, as well as a best of 2:21:27. She finished second at the World Championship Marathon in Beijing in 2015 and won marathons in Seoul in 2014 and Tokyo in 2016, the latter being where she ran her personal best. This year Kiprop was back in action and winning the Copenhagen Marathon in 2:24:10. Now 37, she knows the Frankfurt course well, having run what was then her fastest marathon of 2:27:14 in 2014 when she finished fifth. The third runner on the Frankfurt start list with a best of under 2:22 will be Yeshi Chekole. The Ethiopian improved her best to 2:21:17 for third place at the Seville Marathon in February. Also worth noting is her compatriot Meseret Abebayahau. She ran her fastest marathon by over five minutes to finish second in 2:25:18 in Madrid in spring. The improvement was all the more impressive since she had never broken 2:30 previously.

Elite Field Updates The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is thrilled to welcome elite athletes from around the world to its start line on Sunday, October 9. In addition to the previously announced field, the following athletes will be competing in 2022: - Bernard Koech (KEN) – Runner-up of the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon in a personal best of 2:04:09. Koech finished fifth in Chicago in 2014. - Shifera Tamru (ETH) – 2022 Daegu Marathon champion and 2019 Seoul Marathon champion with a personal best of 2:05:18 (Dubai, 2019). Tamru finished fifth in Chicago last fall. - Guojian Dong (CHN) – Three-time Olympian (2012, 2016 and 2020 marathon); five-time national champion on the track in the 10,000 and 5000m; marathon personal best 2:08:28 (Berlin, 2019). - Jemal Yimer (ETH) – Ethiopian national record holder in the half marathon, 58:33, and the 12th fastest half marathon runner in history; third place finish in the 2021 Boston Marathon (his marathon debut); marathon personal best, 2:08:58 (Boston, 2022). - Ruti Aga (ETH) – 2019 Tokyo Marathon champion and 2018 Tokyo Marathon and Berlin Marathon runner-up; marathon personal best, 2:18:34 (Berlin, 2018). - Delvine Meringor (ROU) – 2022 Los Angeles Marathon champion, and 2022 Romanian national champion in the 5000m and 10,000m; marathon personal best, 2:24:32 (Siena, 2021); the Chicago Marathon will be her third marathon. - Sarah Inglis (GBR) – 2022 Commonwealth Games competitor in the 5000m and 10,000m; marathon personal best, 2:29:41 (Chandler, 2020). Elisha Rotich (KEN), Abayneh Degu (ETH), Amanuel Mesel (ERI), Masaya Taguchi (JPN), Jianhua Peng (CHN), Shaohui Yang (CHN), Steven Martinez (USA) have also been added to the 2022 elite open division race. Fidel Aguilar (MEX), Jose Pulido (USA) and Hannah Dederick (USA) have been added to the 2022 elite wheelchair competition. Previously announced athletes Jeison Suarez (COL), Jerrell Mock (USA), Colin Mickow (USA) and Hiroki Nishida (JPN) have withdrawn from the 2022 event. Download the complete 2022 elite field roster Tune into the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Watch Live NBC 5 Chicago and Telemundo Chicago will provide complete live local TV coverage of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in English and Spanish from 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. CST on Sunday, October 9. Expert analysts Ed Eyestone, Carrie Tollefson and Amanda McGrory will join Marion Brookes and Leila Rahimi on NBC 5 Chicago, with Juan Luis Barrios, Luis Posso and Saul Mendoza joining Anabel Monge and Héctor Lozano on Telemundo Chicago. Covering the leaders and reporting along the course will be U.S. American Marathon Record Holder Keira D’Amato for the women’s elite open division and Olympian Diego Estrada for the men’s elite open division. A talented array of NBC and Telemundo reporters will join the broadcast at the start, finish and along the course. The 44th running of the race will also be streamed live nationally on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. CST, as well as on nbcchicago.com and telemundochicago.com from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. CST. International viewers can watch the race via a variety of global broadcast partners, including Eurosport, SuperSport, ESPN Latin America, Sky New Zealand, Astro Malaysia and SMG China. Viewers are encouraged to check their local listings for timing. Listen Live 670 The Score Sports Radio will provide complete live radio coverage of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on race day from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. CST. Fans of the sport can listen to Chicago’s Josh Liss joined by analysts Greg Meyer, Jenny Spangler, Treniere Moser and Chris Wehrman for a play-by-play of all the action. Listen from anywhere on Sunday, October 9 at 670thescore.com/listenr.

Eliud Kipchoge crowned the 48th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in breaking the world record with his time of 2:01:09. The 37-year-old improved his own world best time by exactly half a minute. He was even on course for a while to achieve the dream of running under two hours but couldn’t maintain this splendid pace. The Kenyan added further lustre to Berlin’s already rich honour board since this was the 12th world record in the marathon’s history, a total unmatched by any other marathon race in the world. Eliud Kipchoge’s fellow Kenyan finished second in 2:05:58 and the Ethiopian Tadu Abate took third place with 2:06:28. The leading German runner was Haftom Weldaj who finished a highly creditable 11th, improving his best to 2:09:06, the best performance by a German marathoner this year. A newcomer to Berlin found sensational form to break the women’s course record. Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia went to the start line with a personal best of 2:34:01 which didn’t suggest she would be a contender for honours. She confounded expectations, however, to win in 2:15:37, taking full advantage of ideal weather conditions. The 26-year-old ran the third fastest marathon by a woman in history as well as an Ethiopian national record and a world best for the year. Assefa carved a huge slice off the previous record of 2:18:11, set by the Kenyan Gladys Cherono in 2018. These performances by both champions helped make the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON the highest quality marathon in history. The combined times of the results for Kipchoge and Assefa came to 4:16:46. This year’s Tokyo marathon previously occupied the top spot with an aggregate winners’ time of 4:18:42. Further statistics reflected the impact of the 48th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, one of the races in the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series, with 45,527 entries from 157 countries. “The crowning glory of today were the 12th world record in our history and then such a strong performance to break the women’s course record. We had planned for Eliud to break the record but I hadn’t expected Tigist to run a time like that,” said the Race Director Mark Milde. “It was also great to see people coming out on the street to cheer the runners.” Men’s Race Weather conditions were outstanding for distance running with temperatures hovering between 12 and 15 degrees Centigrade, mostly clouded skies and barely a breath of wind with humidity between 85 and 75 per cent. From the start, Eliud Kipchoge seemed intent on attacking the two-hour barrier, joined by two Ethiopians in his incredible tempo, Guye Adola, last year’s winner, and Andamlak Belihu. It was a surprise to see the latter go with this kind of pace, since his best time previously was 2:09:43. By 15 kilometres Adola dropped back and subsequently dropped out at 35km. The pace also proved too much for Belihu as he lost contact at 25km but bravely hung on to cross the finish line near the Brandenburg Gate in a personal best of 2:06:40 for fourth place. For a long time Eliud Kipchoge was on course for a time under two hours. He went through halfway in an astonishing 59:51, keeping right on track for a sub-two clocking. He had done this already, running 1:59:40.2 in Vienna in 2019 but the event did not conform to regulations for record-breaking. But from 25 kilometres the Kenyan was running solo after the last pacemaker dropped out and his pace slowed, by his extraordinary standards. As the prospect of breaking two hours faded, so did his chances of breaking 2:01. Earlier Eliud Kipchoge had gone through 25km and 30km in 1:11:08 and 1:25:39 respectively. No official world records are recognised for these distances by World Athletics, the world governing body for track and field, but these are the fastest times ever recorded. Although he was slowing down, it was only by his incredible yardstick and he still smashed the world record with 2:01:09. “I’m overjoyed to break the world record in Berlin. I wanted to run the first half fast,” said Eliud Kipchoge. “I felt good during the race, I was very relaxed,” added the double Olympic champion. Kipchoge has now won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON four times, beginning in 2015, then 2017 and the following year before this latest triumph. The achievement draws him level with another all-time great, Haile Gebrselasssie, for the number of record Berlin victories. For good measure, the Kenyan also made more or less sure of winning the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series for 2022 with this triumph. Women’s Race The women’s race turned unexpectedly into one of the highest quality marathons in history. After a group of five went through halfway in 68:13, the pace rose still further. By 30 kilometres the Ethiopians Tigist Assefa, Tigist Abayechew and Sisay Meseret Gola were timed at 1:36:41, on course for a finishing time of 2:16:30. From there Tigist Assefa, who had concentrated on track races for the first part of her career but now discovered that the marathon was really her best event, broke free to win in 2:15:37. It was only her second marathon but took her to third on the world all-time list, only the world record holder Brigid Kosgei of Kenya with 2:14:04 and Britain’s Paula Radcliffe with 2:15:25 have run faster. “I’m overjoyed at this win,” said Tigist Assefa. “I wasn’t afraid of my rivals, even though they had faster best times than me. This is only my second marathon and I hope to run even faster at the next one,” said Tigist Assefa. The pre-race favourite and American record holder Keira D’Amato finished in sixth in 2:21:48 but a debutant, Rosemary Wanjiru, burst onto the world stage at a stroke. The Kenyan ran 2:18:00, the second fastest debut of all time. The Ethiopian Tigist Abayechew finished third in 2:18:03. These results placed the runner-up and third finisher as the 15th and 16th fastest women in history. The high quality results continued with Worknesh Edesa of Ethiopia taking fourth place in 2:18:51, another to break 2:20. Four women breaking 2:19 in a marathon has been achieved only once previously and that was in Tokyo in February. Results, Men: 1. Eliud Kipchoge KEN 2:01:09 2. Mark Korir KEN 2:05:58 3. Tadu Abate ETH 2:06:28 4. Andamlak Belihu ETH 2:06:40 5. Abel Kipchumba KEN 2:06:49 6. Limenih Getachew ETH 2:07:07 7. Kenya Sonota JPN 2:07:14 8. Tatsuya Maruyama JPN 2:07:50 9. Kento Kikutani JPN 2:07:56 10. Zablon Chumba KEN 2:08:01 11. Haftom Weldaj GER/ERI 2:09:06 Women: 1. Tigist Assefa ETH 2:15:37 2. Rosemary Wanjiru KEN 2:18:00 3. Tigist Abayechew ETH 2:18:03 4. Workenesh Edesa ETH 2:18:51 5. Sisay Meseret Gola ETH 2:20:58 6. Keira D’Amato USA 2:21:48 7. Rika Kaseda JPN 2:21:55 8. Ayuko Suzuki JPN 2:22:02 9. Sayaka Sato JPN 2:22:13 10. Vibian Chepkirui KEN 2:22:21

Eliud Kipchoge crowned the 48th edition of the BMW BERLIN MARATHON with an incredible world record of 2:01:09 hours. The 37-year-old Kenyan thus improved his own best time by exactly half a minute – unbelievable. Tigist Assefa ran a sensational course record. Starting as an outsider with a personal best of 2:34:01 before, the Ethiopian ran the race of her life in excellent weather conditions and won in 2:15:37 hours.

Sur les traces des Ducs de Savoie Ludovic POMMERET outran roughly 1072 runners to win with a time of 18:37:04. Joaquin Lopez secured second in this year’s race with a time of 19:32:09. Finishing third was Elias KADI (19:49:51). In the ladies race, Martina VALMASSOI got a win, finishing with a time of 22:42:47 . Claudia TREMPS earned runner-up honours with a time of 22:59:38. Rounding out the top three was Katharina HARTMUTH with a time of 23:22:18. Top 3 Men 1 Ludovic POMMERET 18:37:04 2 Joaquin Lopez 19:32:09 3 Elias KADI 19:49:51 Top 3 Women 1 Martina VALMASSOI 22:42:47 2 Claudia TREMPS 22:59:38 3 Katharina HARTMUTH 23:22:18 Complete results Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc Kilian JORNET BURGADA took top honours by finishing the race in 19:49:30. Mathieu BLANCHARD secured second in this year’s race with a time of 19:54:50. Finishing third was Thomas Evans (20:34:35). In the women’s race, Katie SCHIDE got a win, finishing with a time of 23:15:12 , followed by Marianne Hogan who finished with a time of 24:31:22. Rounding out the top three was Kaytlyn GERBIN with a time of 25:07:44. Top 3 Men 1 Kilian JORNET BURGADA 19:49:30 2 Mathieu BLANCHARD 19:54:50 3 Thomas Evans 20:34:35 Top 3 Women 1 Katie SCHIDE 23:15:12 2 Marianne Hogan 24:31:22 3 Kaytlyn GERBIN 25:07:44 Complete results Courmayeur Champex Chamonix Petter ENGDAHL outran roughly 1727 runners to win with a time of 09:53:02. Jonathan Albon secured second in this year’s race with a time of 10:16:26. Rounding out the top three was Andreas REITERER with a time of 10:23:16. For the women, it was Blandine L’HIRONDEL (11:40:55) taking the top spot. She finished 4 minutes 49 seconds ahead of Sunmaya BUDHA. The third place went to Abby Hall with a time of 12:12:56 Top 3 Men 1 Petter ENGDAHL 09:53:02 2 Jonathan Albon 10:16:26 3 Andreas REITERER 10:23:16 Top 3 Women 1 Blandine L’HIRONDEL 11:40:55 2 Sunmaya BUDHA 11:45:44 3 Abby Hall 12:12:56 Complete results Orsières – Champex – Chamonix Manuel MERILLAS grinded past more than 1333 runners to win in 05:18:29. Coming in second was Antonio MARTINEZ PEREZ (05:21:01). The third place went to Robbie SIMPSON with a time of 05:24:00 In the ladies race, Sheila AVILES CASTAÑO took top spot in 06:10:16 . Núria GIL CLAPERA earned runner-up honours with a time of 06:16:03. The third place went to Dani MORENO with a time of 06:17:05 Top 3 Men 1 Manuel MERILLAS 05:18:29 2 Antonio MARTINEZ PEREZ 05:21:01 3 Robbie SIMPSON 05:24:00 Top 3 Women 1 Sheila AVILES CASTAÑO 06:10:16 2 Núria GIL CLAPERA 06:16:03 3 Dani MORENO 06:17:05 Complete results De Martiny – Combes à Chamonix Ludvik FERNANDES took top spot in 03:54:00. Coming in second was Baptiste ELLMENREICH (04:08:49). Mattia COLELLA (04:10:20) made notched third place. In the ladies race, Candice FERTIN scored victory with a time of 04:24:22 , followed by Oksana Riabova RIABOVA who finished with a time of 05:04:02. Finishing third was Alanis Duke (05:08:44). Top 3 Men 1 Ludvik FERNANDES 03:54:00 2 Baptiste ELLMENREICH 04:08:49 3 Mattia COLELLA 04:10:20 Top 3 Women 1 Candice FERTIN 04:24:22 2 Oksana Riabova RIABOVA 05:04:02 3 Alanis Duke 05:08:44 Complete results

Credit : Sanlam Cape Town Marathon (Cape Town, 28 July 2022) – The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon’s revised marathon route has received the green light from the City of Cape Town. The route approval is the culmination of months-long consultation between the race organisers and the City, to find the perfect balance between meeting the Abbott World Marathon Majors’ route requirements and minimising the traffic impact on the City and affected areas on Race Day. “This is an important milestone and one of the major hurdles we had to cross,” says an elated Clark Gardner, Group CEO of Faces. “It took significant time and planning to create a detailed route mitigation plan in conjunction with professional traffic engineers to ensure that our impact on public access and Cape Town’s traffic remains minimal. We are grateful for the City’s positive collaboration and support, and are fired up to continue with our race planning over the next 11 weeks.” The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon race route will see the following adjustments: The start and finish move to Helen Suzman Boulevard. Runners will immediately head towards the Southern Suburbs via the elevated freeway’s N1/N2 outbound lane, offering unparalleled views of the City, Table Mountain and harbour. Athletes will run through District Six for the first time. The revised start means that runners will only pass City Hall in the 2nd half of the race, at the 30km mark. The Buitengracht Street bridge will no longer feature. The number of route cut-offs will increase to ensure that roads can be reopened timeously and efficiently. These route changes also enable the staging of an elite wheelchair race, which will add a thrilling high-speed element to the marathon experience. The wheelchair race will start 15 minutes before the rest of the elites set off, and a lightning-fast finish time of approximately 1:30:00 is expected. “Runners can rest assured, however, that they will still get to enjoy all the beauty, views and vibe that has become synonymous with the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon,” adds Gardner. “The route may have changed slightly, but athletes will still pass beloved iconic landmarks as they journey through the Mother City’s diverse communities. Madiba will still greet them from the City Hall balcony to give them the boost they need for the final 12km of their marathon, and they will still be energised by the fresh ocean air as they run along Beach Road before they head to the finish straight. We are pulling out all the stops to show the world how to run a marathon to the African beat.” JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security notes, “The City of Cape Town is pleased to continue its partnership with the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon and we are thrilled by the event’s growth over the years. We are looking forward to another exciting year, especially with the Abbott World Marathon Majors candidacy. Having an Abbott World Marathon Majors race in our city would be like having a World Cup every year and this means more job opportunities, more international exposure, more tourism and more economic prosperity for our city.” “A huge congratulations to the incredible team of organisers and behind the scenes crew who have made this year’s event possible,” says Mariska Oosthuizen, Sanlam Head of Brand. “This year’s race is dedicated to celebrating everything that can be achieved when we work together. “When Sanlam started this sponsorship eight years ago, we knew we were working towards major status. By uniting champions in all forms, this dream will be realised for our continent and its incredible people, and that is certainly something worth celebrating. “This year’s theme ‘African Champions Unite’ is perfectly in synergy with Sanlam’s mission to be an African champion that fosters continent-wide financial inclusion. We want to empower generations of Africans to be financially confident, secure and prosperous. This race shines a spotlight on Africa and our people’s immense talent. It perfectly aligns with our goal to amplify confidence across the continent and to work together to achieve big things." Continued focus on sustainability In a continuation of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon’s award-winning green event initiatives, the 2022 race will be sachet-free. Water, Coca-Cola and Powerade will be dispensed into cups – which will also be recycled separately – while athletes who prefer to run with hydration packs, bottles or cups will have refill facilities available along the route. The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was one of the first sporting events – and the second Sanlam-sponsored event – to be declared carbon neutral in South Africa in 2014 after Sanlam engaged with the JSE to pilot a carbon offset trading project. Over the years, the event also spear-headed various other green event initiatives, ranging from event waste recycling to supporting SA charities that focus on sustainable environmental interventions, and promoting the “carry-your-own” initiative by having water refill stations in place for participants who want to run waste-free. Technical sponsor adidas has been on a sustainability journey for the past two decades. Commenting on the company’s sustainability ambition, Kate Woods, Senior Brand Director at adidas South Africa said, “Our goal is to become a more sustainable company, and we have a clear roadmap to achieve climate neutrality across our entire value chain by 2050.” One of the company’s core commitments is to end plastic waste, and this was a consideration when creating the running range for the Cape Town Marathon. The official race t-shirt is made using recycled materials as is the Cape Town Marathon jacket (currently available for pre-order), as well as many of the running footwear and accessories that will be available at the Expo. Elaborating on what to expect from the adidas stand at the Expo, Woods said, “We’re leaning on our experience of having opened Africa’s most sustainable adidas store at the V&A Waterfront in 2021, and have approached the design of our expo stand with a similar mindset. In addition to the design and build of the stand, an important consideration is how the various elements can be repurposed after the event. Runners can look forward to a one-stop shop where they can meet their running heroes, get access to leading industry advice and find the best in road and trail running gear, all with less impact on the environment.” The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is Africa’s only World Athletics Gold Label Status event. This is the event’s first evaluation year as an Abbott World Marathon Majors Candidate race. If the multi-year evaluation process is successful, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will become Africa’s first Major in 2025. The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon’s Race Week will start with the opening of the event’s Expo and Registration at DHL Stadium in Green Point on 13 October. The 5km and 10km Peace Runs will both take place on Saturday, 15 October, joining the 22km Trail Run and 46km Trail Marathon for an action-packed day. Race Week will culminate with the marathon on 16 October. Visit www.capetownmarathon.com for more information and to enter the 2022 event.

10K Run Keith Sands won the race with a time of 00:35:40. He bested Jon Hutton who crossed the finish line 14 seconds behind him. Rounding out the top three was Samuel Long with a time of 00:35:56. For the women, Apryl Campbell won the race with a time of 00:40:22 , ahead of Becca Mallon (00:40:51). Rounding out the top three was Morgan Meseke with a time of 00:42:05. Top 5 Men 1 Keith Sands 00:35:40 2 Jon Hutton 00:35:54 3 Samuel Long 00:35:56 4 Aaron Skopec 00:35:58 5 Eli Soliz 00:36:27 Top 5 Women 1 Apryl Campbell 00:40:22 2 Becca Mallon 00:40:51 3 Morgan Meseke 00:42:05 4 Lindsey Gidel 00:45:00 5 Kelley Timmerman 00:45:28 Complete results 5K Run/Walk Keith Sands outpaced more then 1570 runners to win in 00:35:40. Jon Hutton secured second in this year’s race with a time of 00:35:54. The third place went to Samuel Long with a time of 00:35:56 For the women, Apryl Campbell took top spot in 00:40:22 , ahead of Becca Mallon (00:40:51). Morgan Meseke got the third place in 00:42:05. Top 5 Men 1 Keith Sands 00:35:40 2 Jon Hutton 00:35:54 3 Samuel Long 00:35:56 4 Aaron Skopec 00:35:58 5 Eli Soliz 00:36:27 Top 5 Women 1 Apryl Campbell 00:40:22 2 Becca Mallon 00:40:51 3 Morgan Meseke 00:42:05 4 Lindsey Gidel 00:45:00 5 Kelley Timmerman 00:45:28 Complete results 1-Mile Run Keith Sands grinded past more than 112 runners to win in 00:35:40. He bested Jon Hutton who crossed the finish line 14 seconds behind him. Samuel Long (00:35:56) made notched third place. For the women, Apryl Campbell scored victory with a time of 00:40:22 , followed by Becca Mallon who finished with a time of 00:40:51. While Morgan Meseke came in third at 00:42:05 Top 5 Men 1 Keith Sands 00:35:40 2 Jon Hutton 00:35:54 3 Samuel Long 00:35:56 4 Aaron Skopec 00:35:58 5 Eli Soliz 00:36:27 Top 5 Women 1 Apryl Campbell 00:40:22 2 Becca Mallon 00:40:51 3 Morgan Meseke 00:42:05 4 Lindsey Gidel 00:45:00 5 Kelley Timmerman 00:45:28 Complete results

Runners from 63 countries take part in Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon PHUKET, Thailand – The Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon returned with a roar as more than 7,000 runners from 63 countries enjoyed a weekend of healthy fun in the tropical island of Phuket, and some impressive run times. Thais dominated the longer distances on Sunday while a mix of nationalities shared the spoils across Saturday’s shorter distances. The 10.5KM saw some close racing in both the Men’s and Women’s divisions. Ronald Setiawan (IND) put in a strong performance to cross the line in a time of 36:58 while less than 20 seconds behind was Nattapong Buachay (THA), with Tanadol Witsarutsin (THA) close behind in third. In the Women’s race it was Phuket-based triathlete Dimity-Lee Duke (AUS) who dominated the race, finishing in a time of 39:23, almost two minutes clear of Voraphan Nuansri (THA) with Suwaree Thanaaeknithiwat (THA) further back in third. Sergei Zyrianov (RUS) led the 5KM field from start to finish claiming the Men’s crown ahead of Mohamed Rasheed (MDV) in second and Kiyun Kaddoura (FRA) in third. In the Women’s race, Siena Milgate (AUS) hit the front early on and took the win ahead of Auksarapuk Sangruksa (THA) and fellow Aussie Chiara Jessica Egger in third. While the cool morning start on Sunday was appreciated by the longer-distance runners, the humidity added to the challenge and the top three finishers in the Men’s Marathon went to Thai runners. Apichai Phujit claimed the trophy in a time of 02:50:20, more than five minutes faster than the 2020 winner, while second place went to Teerayut Katrahong and Santi Fungfueang was in third. The Women’s race was similarly dominated by Thai runners with Satowa Ota crossing first in a time of 03:23:47 with Nuntaporn TengAmnuay in second and just 30 seconds behind Sasiwimon Khongjit finished third. In the Marathon Relay it was Team Jetts that claimed the honours in an impressive time of 02:41:18, ahead of Team Surakul in second and Team Blue Tree Running Club 2 in third. Showing no signs of tiredness after his 5KM win the day before, Sergei Zyrianov (RUS) went one better than his second place in the 2020 Half Marathon to claim this year’s crown in a time of 01:13:21. Mohamed Rasheed (MDV) ran a strong race to finish second with Mood Chaison (THA) running out of track to chase down Rasheed and having to settle for third. In the Women’s race it was Thai runner Manussanun Kumpituk who went straight to the front and by the 5KM mark, she’d carved out a two minute lead which she held for the rest of the race, crossing the line in 01:34:22, ahead of Nopchaya Handittagul (THA) in second and Charinya Kanchanasevee (THA) in third. Its two day format, family-friendly destination and safe and fun run course, together with a 2KM Kids Run, makes Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon one of Southeast Asia’s largest destination marathons and a popular choice for families and elite runners alike. The dates have been set for next year: the 17th Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon will take place 10-11 June 2023. Put the dates in your diary and check out www.phuketmarathon.com for the latest registration details. Overall Results Top three in each distance are below. For detailed results, visit www.sportstats.asia Marathon – Men 1 Apichai Phujit 02:50:20 2 Teerayut Katrahong 02:56:00 3 Santi Fungfueang 02:59:30 Marathon – Women 1 Satowa Ota 03:23:47 2 Nuntaporn TengAmnuay 03:30:23 3 Sasiwimon Khongjit 03:31:03 Marathon Relay 1 Team Jetts 02:41:18 2 Team Surakul 03:18:47 3 Team Blue Tree Running Club 04:18:25 Half Marathon – Men 1 Sergei Zyrianov 01:13:21 2 Mohamed Rasheed 01:19:01 3 Mood Chaison 01:21:24 Half Marathon – Women 1 Manussanun Kumpituk 01:34:22 2 Nopchaya Handittagul 01:37:32 3 Charinya Kanchanasevee 01:40:40 10.5KM – Men 1 Ronald Setiawan 36:58 2 Nattapong Buachay 37:14 3 Tanadol Witsarutsin 38:00 10.5KM – Women 1 Dimity-Lee Duke 39:23 2 Voraphan Nuansri 41:22 3 Suwaree Thanaaeknithiwat 44:32 5KM – Men 1 Sergei Zyrianov 15:58 2 Mohamed Rasheed 16:32 3 Kiyun Kaddoura 18:11 5KM – Women 1 Siena Milgate 19:57 2 Auksarapuk sangruksa 20:41 3 Chiara Jessica Egger 21:27 2KM Kids Run – Boy 1 Kittikhun Lankhunthod 06:56 2 Korawin Chaichamroonphan 07:50 3 Nathee Gorton 08:07 2KM Kids Run – Girl 1 Kawinthip Wongthawat 08:36 2 Anastasiia Maiorova 10:14 3 Chloe Issara Weigl 10:18 About Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon was launched in 2006 and is owned and organised by GAA Events. Now in its 16th year, Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon won GOLD for “Best Amateur Sports Event of the Year in Thailand’’ at the 2017 Asia Sports Industry Awards (SPIA Asia 2017). 2021 event sponsors include: Title Sponsors Laguna Phuket and Supersports. Co-Sponsors: AIA Vitality, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Gatorade and Jetts Fitness. Media Partners: Fando, True Visions. Official Suppliers: Amino Vital, Aquafina, Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Finisher Pix, New Balance, Oakley and Pro Freeze. Supporting Authorities: Phuket Province, Ministry of Tourism & Sports, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Sports Authority of Thailand and Thai Mass Participation Sports Trade Association. Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon is sanctioned by IAAF AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races). The event’s online registration partner is GoToRace.com and professional timing and results are provided by Sportstats Asia, with marketing support by The Sponsorship Experts and event charity Children First Fund.