World 10,000 metres silver medalist, Daniel Simiu from Kenya, will Sunday immerse himself into an unchartered territory when he lines up for Chicago Marathon at 3.15pm (Kenyan time).
The 24-year-old will run his first marathon race and his first major marathon event after about four months of intense training in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Earlier, athletes who debuted in the distance have written history by winning races despite the race being something new to them.
Should Simiu win today’s race, he will join an elite class of athletes who won a World Majors Marathon race at the first time of asking.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) is a series consisting of six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world: Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and New York City Marathon.
Some of the athletes who have won a marathon race at the first time of asking include Ethiopia’s Tigist Ketema who won 2024 Dubai Marathon in two hours and 16.07 minutes.
World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum also won the 2022 Valencia Marathon on his debut in a course record of 2:01:53. That time was also the fourth best performance all time at the time.
Last year, Kiptum broke the world record time at the Chicago Marathon after winning in 2:00:35. It was his third marathon.
Today, participants will observe a minute of silence in honour of Kiptum who died on February 11 in a road accident along the Eldoret-Eldama Ravine road alongside his coach Gervais Hakizimana.
Kiptum, who was 24 at the time of his death, took marathon running to another level, and was aiming to be the first man to run the marathon under two hours at the Rotterdam Marathon in April this year.
That was not to be as he died in February. And as elite athletes line up for the race, Kenyan athletes will be out to retain the title Kiptum won last year, followed by his compatriot Benson Kipruto in second place, and Belgium’s Bashir Abdi third.
The 2022 London Marathon champion, Amos Kipruto, leads Kenya’s charge in the 45th edition of the Chicago Marathon race. Kipruto, who is also the 2019 world champion and trains in Kapsabet, Nandi County is seeking a comeback after finish seventh at the 2023 Berlin Marathon in Germany.
Kipruto has a personal best of 2:03:13, and will team up with the third fastest in the field, Vincent Ngetich, (2:03:13). Ngetich, who trains in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County, is also seeking to impress and elevate his second position from the Berlin Marathon last year.
John Korir, the brother to former Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir is also in the mix and will be eyeing a place in the podium after finishing fourth in last year’s race. He also finished third at the 2022 edition.
In the women’s category, Ruth Chepng’etich who won in 2021 and 2022 before Dutch Sifan Hassan won the 2023 edition, relegating Chepng’etich to second place. While winning in 2022, Chepngétich ran 14 seconds faster than the world record then held by Brigid Kosgei. Chepng’etich clocked 2:14:18.
The world record was later lowered by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa who clocked 2:11:53 at the Berlin Marathon in 2023.
Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede who is the second fastest in the field with a personal best time of 2:15:55 will be teaming up with her compatriots who include Degitu Azimeraw (2:17:58), Ashete Bekere (2:17:58) and Hiwot Gebrekidan (2:17:59).
Kenyan-born American Betsy Saina, who was fifth at the Tokyo Marathon in March, will also be eyeing the podium positions.
Also in the list is the 2021 London Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei who has a personal best of 2:16:24. She is also seeking to impress after finishing third in 2024 London Marathon in April.
“Everybody prepared for the race, but my target is to run well after good preparations in Iten. We have a strong field and I expect a fast race,” Jepkosgei said yesterday.
The Hamburg Marathon champion Irene Cheptai and the 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist in 10,000m, Stacy Ndiwa with a personal best time of 2:25:29, completes the Kenyan list.
