Tag Archives: Ruti Aga

Athletics, Features

Battle of greats as Girma face Burka in Otawa

Ethiopia’s Tigist Girma will defend her title at the 47th edition of the Ottawa Marathon now renamed to Tartan Ottawa International Marathon that will be held on May 29, 2022 in Ottawa, Canada.

The 28-year-old will battle for honors with the 2018 winner Gelete Burka who is also the course record holder with a time of 2:22.17.

The race organizer has put these two world-class Ethiopians to try and attack the race course that was set in 2018. Burka comes to this race with the second fastest time of 2:20.45 that she got at the 2018 Dubai Marathon where she finished in sixth place while Tigist comes with the fastest time on paper of 2:19.52 that she got at the 2019 Amsterdam Marathon where she took the silver medal.

Tigist who finished in position five at the Tokyo Olympics with a time of 2:21.56, a World Marathon Major and sixth place in Valencia in 2:19.56, trains together with Ruti Aga the 2019 Tokyo Marathon winner, Mare Dibaba, the 2015 world marathon champion and the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist. She is trained by the Ethiopian Olympic marathon coach Haji Adilo.

“I was injured a few times. After the Olympics I didn’t have much of good training, but now I am in good shape and want to do better,” said Tigist. “I want to put my signature in Ottawa for the second time.”

Burka has represented Ethiopia in six successive world outdoor championships and three Olympics. In Rio Olympics six years ago, she finished fifth in the 10,000m with a personal best of 30:26.66. Had it not been for a slight on the part of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation (EAF) a year later, she might never have turned to the marathon.

“In 2017 I was in Netherlands at the Ethiopian trials for the world championships. I took the top honors in 10,000m with a time of 30:40.87, but the EAF never selected me to the team for the world championships in London,” she explains her smile having vanished now. “After that I stopped track and that is the point when I went to the marathon. So, I trained for the Dubai Marathon where I ran a life time best of 2:20.45.” A year later she won the 2019 Paris Marathon in 2:22.47, then finished third in Chicago in a time of 2:20.55.

“Ottawa is a good memory for me,” she continues. “When I was training I had a bit of a leg problem with an injury to my calf and I came to Ottawa with that injury. Also I got those stomach cramps. It was not easy. That’s why I smiled when I came to the finish,” said Burka.

Burka is faithful to her church, The Glorious Life Church where attends without fail as she is also an usher and a member of the forty-member choir.

The 36 year-old has a rich cabinet as she is the 2008 World Indoor 1500m Champion, the 2006 World Cross Country champion

“The training is going on well and with one month to go I will be in great shape for the course” Burka concluded.

Ethiopian women have enjoyed a 10-year winning streak at the Ottawa Marathon before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event’s cancellation for the past two years.

Athletics

Nancy Kiprop to battle Peres Jepchirchir at New York Marathon

Three times Vienna City marathon champion, Nancy Kiprop will be targeting podium position at the 50th edition of the New York Marathon that will be held on Sunday (7) November in New York City.

The 42 year-old finished in fourth position with a time of 2:26.21 at the 2019 edition behind Joyciline Jepkosgei who pulled 2:22.38 with Mary Keitany coming home in second in 2:23.32 and Ruti Aga third in a time of 2:25.51.

Kiprop has not competed in any race for two years and returns to the same course she launched her World Marathon majors career following her dominance at the Vienna City marathon.

“I have been off for two years and the same course I competed last, is the same course I will be running. The two years have been long but I have hope of reaching the podium,” said Kiprop who moved from Iten to Kaptagat as her training base.

KIprop will have to battle with the on-form Peres Jepchirchir who holds the fastest time on paper of 2:17.16 that she got at the 2020 Valencia Marathon.

She will also face Nancy Kiprop who was fourth the last time the race was held in 2019, and Viola Lagat, the younger sister of five-time Olympian Bernard Lagat.

While Lagat will be racing his elder brother the five times Olympian Bernard will be part of the broadcast team that will be doing commentary.

 

Athletics

Gladys Cherono welcomed home with Songs and Dance

The 2018 Berlin Marathon course record holder, Gladys Cherono returned home on Wednesday morning following her exploits in Berlin Sunday.

Songs and dance rant the air as the two time Africa athletics champion arrived at the Eldoret International Airport with her husband Joseph Mbambok leading other family members ready to receive her.

The family waited patiently in the chilly morning weather, as they broke into song and dance as they welcomed the queen of Berlin marathon after she won her third title and defending her 2017 title, winning with a course record of 2:18.11.

The dance attracted other travellers, who, without asking joined the dance before boarding the planes, as traditional Kalenjin sour milk (Mursik) was served diligently.

Cherono said her purpose was to defend her title and not the world record while competing at Berlin marathon.

“My success story was to defend my title not breaking the world record. I have achieved my goal of both winning the race and breaking the course record that had stood for long,” said Cherono.

World record was not in my mind because I wanted to defend my title,” she added.

She said that the main challenge was that she was the defending champion and everybody was looking at her performance and running skills.

“As a defending champion, it was challenging because I needed to continue with my winning formula which I made it true,” said Cherono.

Cherono beat the race favourite Tirunesh Dibaba from Ethiopia who finished in third place in 2:18.55 with Ruti Aga coming home second in 2:18.34. The former world half marathon champion broke the course record of 2:19.22 that was set in 2005 by Japanese Mizuki Noguchi.

Athletics

Tirunesh Dibaba goes hunting for Personal Best in Berlin Marathon

The strongest women’s field in the history of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON will line up for the 45th edition on Sunday, including perhaps the greatest female long distance runner of all time, Tirunesh Dibaba.

Among the Ethiopian’s rivals will be last year’s winner, Kenya’s Gladys Cherono and her compatriot Edna Kiplagat, a double World champion. Four women will be competing who have run under 2:20 which remains the major yardstick of excellence for the women’s marathon. It is clearly the strongest women’s field ever assembled in the German-speaking world.

As a reflection of the race’s international attraction, 133 countries will be represented among the 44,389 participants. This is a record entry figure. The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race and part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series (AWMM) which also comprises Tokyo, Boston, London, Chicago and New York.

The new series, the 12th edition, of the AWMM begins in Berlin on Sunday and will also conclude with the 46th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON next September.

“I’ve heard a lot about the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and did my research. I know very well that the course is very fast,” said Tirunesh Dibaba, whose illustrious career includes three Olympic titles for 5 and 10,000m, nine world titles in all. And she still holds the world record for 5,000m on the track. “Switching to the marathon wasn’t a problem for me,” said the 33-year-old, whose best of 2:17:56 is the third fastest marathon ever by a woman. “I improved my training in preparation for Berlin and did more volume.

I am very well prepared and want to beat my best time on Sunday,” explained the Ethiopian, while some believe she is capable of getting close to the world record of 2:15:25, set by Britain’s Paula Radcliffe 15 years ago.

Berlin will mark the fourth marathon of Tirunesh Dibaba’s career. None of her previous races had pacemakers specifically for her benefit but this will not be the case on Sunday. “Pacemakers are very important for a fast time,” said Dibaba who appeared at the press conference with fingernails painted silver.

Asked if silver wasn’t the colour for the runner-up, Dibaba laughed and replied: “Not on Sunday, then silver will be the winning colour!”

The course record, which has stood for 13 years, is likely to fall on Sunday, given good weather conditions. In 2005 Japan’s Olympic champion Mizuki Noguchi ran 2:19:12 in Berlin which not only broke the course record but set an Asian record and remains so to this day. “I expect that one woman will take the lead from the start and behind her a group will form which would be on course to break 2:20,” said the race director Mark Milde. There was no mistake the runner he was referring to: Tirunesh Dibaba.

Dibaba’s strongest rivals are from Kenya. Gladys Cherono won the title last year, running 2:20:23 and her best is the 2:19:25 set in winning the first of her two Berlin titles in 2015. “I want to break my personal best on Sunday,” said Cherono. Her compatriot Edna Kiplagat has been one of the marathon elite for many years.

“It has always been my goal to run in Berlin. I know the course is fast and shall try to run my best ever time,” said Kiplagat, whose lifetime best is 2:19:50 and has twice won the World title (2011 and 2013).

The fourth runner with a sub-2:20 time is Dibaba’s fellow Ethiopian is Aselefech Mergia (2:19:31). While Mergia could not match these sorts of results in her recent races two other runners could do very well on Sunday: Ethiopia’s Ruti Aga was last year’s runner up, when she clocked a PB or 2:20:41. Japan’s Mizuki Matsuda ran a brilliant marathon debut in January, winning in Osaka with 2:22:44.

Elite runners with personal bests

  1. Tirunesh Dibaba    (ETH)  2:17:56
  2. Gladys Cherono     (KEN)  2:19:25
  3. Aselefech Mergia   (ETH)  2:19:31
  4. Edna Kiplagat         (KEN) 2:19:50
  5. Ruti Aga                  (ETH)  2:20:41
  6. Mizuki Matsuda     (JPN)  2:22:44
  7. Rei Ohara                (JPN)  2:23:20
  8. Honami Maeda      (JPN)  2:23:48
  9. Andrea Deelstra    (NED) 2:26:46
  10. Inés Melchor         (PER)  2:26:48
  11. Carla Rocha          (POR)  2:27:08
  12. Caterina Ribeiro  (POR)  2:30:10
  13. Ines Montero       (POR)  2:30:36
  14. Rachel Hannah    (CAN) 2:32:09
  15. Anke Esser           (GER)  2:43:14
  16. Miyuki Uehara    (JPN)   Debüt

Source: runnersweb.com

Athletics

Cherono to battle Dibaba at Berlin Marathon

Kenya’s Gladys Cherono will defend her title at the 45th edition of the Berlin Marathon that will be held on 16 September, 2018 in Berlin, Germany.

The 35-year-old is keen on writing history as she chases for the third title at Berlin, with her main focus on Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba, winner of the Chicago Marathon.

Organizers have assembled a fast elite team, featuring three other women who have all run two hours and 20 minutes.

The Kericho born athlete won the Berlin marathon in 2015 and 2017, and her best time of 2:19.25, with 13 seconds short of the course record of 2:19.12 that was set in 2005 by Mizuki Noguchi from Japan. “There is no shortcut at this level of competition. You don’t expect an easy challenge because everyone coming in is a star and has a big record behind them. I have to focus on my own strength and train harder to attain my goal and win the race,” she told the press.

The elite women’s field in Berlin is the strongest for many years. At the top of the pile is Ethiopia’s Dibaba.

The 32-year-old has won three Olympic gold medals and five World Championship golds between 2003 and 2013.

The Ethiopian has a personal best time is 2:17.56, that she got when finished second in the 2017 London Marathon, making her the third fastest woman in the history of the marathon.

Dibaba is keen to lower this record in Berlin, and given ideal weather conditions, might even have a chance of attacking Paula Radcliffe’s world record of 2:15:25, that she set in 2003.

However, Cherono, with her best time of 2:19:25, will want to claim her own third title in the German capital.

The Kenyan will first tackle the human challenge and make sure she has the title secured before channeling her energies into running a fast time.

“The important thing is to win the race,” she said.

Edna Kiplagat from Kenya will also be on the start line up. The 2017 Boston Marathon winner shows no signs of retiring, and with two world marathon titles to her credit and a silver at the London 2017 World Championships, the 38 year-old will be hard to beat putting in mind the road experience she carries.

Other notable entrants include Ethiopia’s Yebrugal Melese, who has run 14 marathons, Ruti Aga and Aselefech Mergia.

Athletics

Stage set for Abbott World Marathon Majors Series finale

There is plenty to play for as we reach the conclusion of Series XI of the Abbott World Marathon Majors at the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon.

It’s been a rollercoaster ride for many of the world’s greatest marathon athletes, and after six races we are still unclear as to who will scoop the $250,000 top prize on 22 April.

The Series got underway in spectacular style in the English capital as Mary Keitany scorched her way to a women’s only world record of 2:17:01, beating Paula Radcliffe’s mark of 2:17:42 set in 2005.

Daniel Wanjiru made it a Kenyan double in the open division with his win in the men’s race and there was home crowd delight as David Weir took his seventh London wheelchair title, beating Marcel Hug in a hard-fought sprint along The Mall. Manuela Schär claimed the women’s crown to begin a dominant Series for the Swiss racer.

The open Series made a quick return to London in the summer, as it encompassed the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships, where Geoffrey Kiriu of Kenya maintained the form he had shown to win the 2017 Boston Marathon to take the gold and 25 points on offer in the Abbott WMM competition. Rose Chelimo of Bahrain was the women’s champion, beating the veteran Edna Kiplagat into second place as she crossed the finish line on Tower Bridge.

The Series then recommenced in the rain of Berlin where the stage had been set for a tussle between three of the best men in marathon history as Series IX and X champion Eluid Kipchoge faced off against Series VII king Wilson Kipsang and Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele, who had finished second in London in the spring.

The contest provided the perfect stage for the world record to tumble, but Bekele and Kipsang could not last the distance in the German capital and dropped out to leave Kipchoge in a shoot-out with surprise package Guye Adola. The Kenyan legend won the battle of wits and eased to his first win of the Series.

Gladys Cherono took the women’s title with a 22-second margin over Ethiopian Ruti Aga, and there was a second win of the women’s wheelchair Series for Schär, who was matched by her compatriot Hug in the men’s race.

Schär would not get it all her own way in the next stop for the Series at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, as a resurgent Tatyana McFadden edged a sprint finish with training partner Amanda McGrory, the Swiss star just two seconds behind them. No such problems for Hug who was crowned Chicago champion for the second time with a sprint victory over Australia’s Kurt Fearnley.

In the open division, Tirunesh Dibaba claimed her maiden Abbott WMM race win to add to her second in London, while the USA was able to celebrate its first male winner in Chicago since 2002 when Galen Rupp, former training partner to Mo Farah, ran away from the pack with three miles to go to take the tape and fire himself into Series contention.

The American fairytale was to continue on the damp streets of New York City, but this time in the women’s division. In a race dominated in recent years by Keitany, the Kenyan was beaten by Shalane Flanagan in a memorable run that saw the Boston-born athlete punching the air with delight as she romped home through Central Park.

There was a Kenyan one-two in the men’s race, with Geoffrey Kamworor just about holding off the late-charging Wilson Kipsang to win his first Abbott WMM race.

Manuela Schär returned to the top of the podium in the women’s wheelchair race, turning the tables on McFadden and matching Hug who claimed the men’s wheelchair race.

Kipsang was the firm favourite to finally claim a win in this Series in Tokyo when the show rolled into the Japanese capital in February.

But the 36-year-old succumbed to an illness picked up prior to the race and stepped off the road just 17km into proceedings. Kipsang’s withdrawal opened the door for his compatriot Dickson Chumba to run away from the field and claim a second Tokyo title.

The roars were arguably louder for the man who followed him home, however, as Yuta Shitara smashed the Japanese national record and Asian record, having carved his way from fifth to second in the late stages. Birhane Dibaba also scooped her second Tokyo victory in the women’s race.

There was more home joy in the men’s wheelchair tussle as 51-year-old Hiroyuki Yamamoto made a daring early break stick. With just Tomoki Suzuki for company, Yamamoto rounded the final bend on one wheel before out-muscling his younger compatriot for a famous victory. 

Manuela Schär again proved head and shoulders above her competition with her fourth win in five Series races to establish an unassailable lead, McFadden coming home over a minute behind her rival.

And so as we head for Boston and – just six days later ¬– close the Series in London, the wheelchair spoils are largely decided with Schär and Hug both uncatchable.

But there is the potential for drama aplenty in both open divisions.

Flanagan can take a commanding position in the fight for the Series XI title if she can claim victory in Boston on 16 April.

The American scored 25 points with her win at the TCS New York City Marathon, and can move to 50 with a second triumph of the campaign.

A first place for Flanagan would deny a third Series crown for Keitany when she mounts the defence of her London title.

The Kenyan is now hunting Paula Radcliffe’s male pacemaker-assisted time of 02:15:25 in London. But Keitany’s defeat to Flanagan in Central Park last November means the Marblehead native has a better head-to-head record than the two-time Series champion.

With only the top two results counting for open division athletes, that win for Flanagan on the streets of New York City means if both women end up with two wins apiece, we will have the first American women’s champion in the history of the Series.

But Flanagan, who missed last year’s Boston Marathon with a stress fracture in her back, will have her work cut out if she is to make it to that Boylston Street Finish Line ahead of the pack.

Alongside a formidable-looking American field, defending champion Edna Kiplagat will be desperate to repeat her success of 2017. The veteran Kenyan can take a share of the lead on 41 points if she can claim the spoils on Patriots Day.

World champion Chelimo, Berlin winner Cherono and Chicago champ Dibaba are all due to be on the start line in London, too and will all still have a shot at the title.

On the men’s side, Geoffrey Kirui, who is also seeking to retain his status as Boston champion after rounding off Series X with a win there, can move to 50 points with victory after being crowned world champion last summer in London. 

The same goes for Rupp who can also make it two wins from two appearances.

A win for either will leave it down to one of Kipchoge or Wanjiru to match them in London. In that scenario, there will have been no head to head between the only two men on 50 points, forcing a vote by the six race directors to find the men’s Series XI winner. Should neither Kipchoge or Wanjiru secure first or second place 22 April, and Rupp and Kirui both miss out in Boston, the door is open for the likes of Bekele and Adola to sneak into first place. Calculators at the ready.

Source: virginmoneylondonmarathon.com