A fierce battle is expected today evening in the streets of New York,USA, as some of Kenya’s finest athletes compete in the 54th edition of the New York City Marathon.
The men’s star-studded field includes double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, who will be making his debut in the race targeting to join a list of 434 runners to have completed all the six major marathons.
He enters the race as the fastest man with a time of 2:01:09.
“Chasing that Six Star will actually cement my legacy,It will make me a real marathoner all round. The Six Star has been my goal since I stepped in a marathon.My celebration is to see all the Six Star winners. Talk with them, shake hands, tell them to help me make this world a running world.”said Kipchoge
The Kenyan, who is running New York for the first time, will join 434 other runners completing their Six Star journey in Central Park on Sunday.
Other Kenyans in the start list include Olympic bronze medallist Benson Kipruto (2:02:16), Olympian Alexander Mutiso (2:03:11), Abel Kipchumba (2:06:49), and former champion Albert Korir (2:06:53).
Kenyans will face stiff competition from defending champion Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands, the Ethiopian duo of Kenenisa Bekele and Deresa Geleta, and the reigning World champion, Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania.
Defending champion Sheila Chepkirui will lead the chase in the women’s field, boasting the 3rd fastest time (2:17:49), alongside 2025 Boston Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi with the 2nd fastest time (2:17:22), Olympic bronze medalist and 2023 champion Hellen Obiri (2:17:41), last year’s bronze medallist Vivian Cheruiyot, and 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat.
Among the Kenyan’s challengers are Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, who will be making her debut with the fastest time (2:13:44); Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia (2:18:11); and American Sara Hall, just to mention a few.
Sebastian Sawe of Kenya leads the 17th edition of the Abbott World Marathon Majors on 50 points, ahead of fellow East Africans Jacob Kiplimo from Uganda and Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania, who are tied in 2nd position on 41 points.
Ethiopians Tigist Assefa and Hawi Feysa are 1st and 2nd in the women’s leaderboard with 41 and 34 points, respectively.
Sifan Hassan followed on 34 points, ahead of 4th-placed Kenyan Rosemary Wanjiru on 26 points, a point off her compatriots Sharon Lokedi and Peres Jepchirchir.
