Former World Cross Country champion, Florence Kiplagat will headline the 41stt edition of the Dublin Marathon slated for Sunday (29) in Dublin, Ireland.
The 36 year-old whose outing early this year at the Gold Coast marathon did not go well as she had hoped for after finishing a disappointing sixth, will revive her hopes as she wades into the dangerous water of Dublin, as she holds the fastest time on paper of 2:19.11 that she got at the 2011 Berlin Marathon where she took the top honors.
Kiplagat who is also the former world record holder for the women’s only half marathon with a time of 1:05.09 that she set in 2015 at the Barcelona Half Marathon but was broken two years later by the Tokyo Olympic Marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir, will not have an easy time as she will be the lone woman in the midst of three sub 2:30 Ethiopians.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion will have to get past Amente Sorome Negash from Ethiopia who comes to this race with the second fastest time of 2:26.40 that she got early this year at Dubai Marathon where she finished in ninth place. The 25 year-old tags along her compatriot, Nigist Muluneh who is also the defending champion and comes to this race with a life time best of 2:27.41 that she got early this year at the Riyadh Marathon where she finished in fourth. The 26 year-old took the top honors last year in this race with a time of 2:28.34 which is also the fourth fastest time on this course.
Two more Ethiopians led by Genet Habela Abdurkadir and Hawi Megersa of respective time of 2:29.22 and 2:33.14 will also be on the start line as they fight for the top podium finish.
The 2017 Francophone Games 10,000m Silver medallist, Hanane Qallouj from Morocco will also be on start line as she holds the fifth fastest time of 2:31.27 that she got last year at home at the Marrakech Marathon, where she finished in third place.
The race organisers have assembled a strong field to try and lower the thirteen year course record time of 2:26.13 that was set by Russia’s Tatyana Aryasova.
The winner will pocket Kshs 1,907,384 (€1200).
LEADING TIME
42KM WOMEN
| POS. | NAME | RESULT |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florence Kiplagat | 2:19.11 |
| 2 | Amente Sorome Negash | 2:26.40 |
| 3 | Nigist Muluneh | 2:27.41 |
| 4 | Genet Habela Abdurkadir | 2:29.22 |
| 5 | Hanane Qallouj | 2:31.14 |
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