Ethiopians tipped for glory in Sunday’s star-studded Xiamen marathon

Addis Ababa, January 5, 2024 (FBC) – The C&D Xiamen Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday (January 7) will witness the fastest marathon pack ever assembled in China, with 2022 world champion Gotytom Gebreslase heading a stacked field in the women’s race.

The 28-year-old Gebreslase of Ethiopia clocked her personal best of 2:18:11 when claiming the world title in Oregon in July 2022. She also registered another sub-2:20 mark when finishing third at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon in 2:18:18 and took a 2:20:09 victory at the Berlin Marathon in 2021.

Last year, Gebreslase clocked 2:24:34 to grab a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, which remains her last outing over the classic distance.

It will be the first time for Gebreslase to compete in Xiamen, a southeastern Chinese city, and she will be targeting not only the title, but also the course record of 2:19:52 set by her compatriot Mare Dibaba back in 2015.

Fellow Ethiopian Megertu Alemu is the fastest woman on paper with a career best of 2:17:09 achieved last October when finishing third at the Chicago Marathon.

Aside from having the fastest PB of the field, the 26-year-old has shown great consistency in the past two years, registering sub-2:19 marks in all her four races including notching a 2:18:51 victory at the 2022 Seville Marathon and finishing second and third respectively in the 2022 and 2023 London Marathon races.

Ruti Aga, also from Ethiopia, is another serious title contender. The 29-year-old clocked a PB of 2:18:09 to win the Yellow River Estuary Marathon in Dongying, China, last October, improving the Chinese all-comers’ record.

Aga also won the Tokyo Marathon in 2:20:40 in 2019 and has earned three runner-up finishes in major marathon races, including a 2:18:34 second place in the 2018 Berlin Marathon.

Other women to watch in the field include Ethiopia’s Aberu Ayana Mulisa (2:21:54), Bekelech Gudeta (2:22:56), and Ftaw Zeray (2:29:15) as well as Tanzanian marathon and half marathon record-holder Magdalena Shauri (2:18:41), Morocco’s Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi (2:25:03).

Meanwhile, in the men’s race, Ethiopia’s Chalu Deso faces a tough test from the defending champion Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba. Chalu Deso, 26, finished seventh behind Kandie in Valencia last month in 2:05:14 and his career best of 2:04:53 was also achieved in the Spanish city in 2020.

Last year, Deso claimed the Tokyo Marathon title in 2:05:22. He also has marathon titles in Paris and Porto to his name. After outings in Nanjing and Dalian in 2018, the Xiamen Marathon will be Deso’s third race in China.

Also toeing the line include several sub-2:06 runners, including Ethiopians Shifera Tamru Aredo (2:05:18), Fikre Bekele Tefera (2:06:16), Tesfaye Birhan Nebebew (2:06:52), Adane Kebede Gebre (2:06:54), Mekonen Alene Belay (2:09:19), and Tesfaye Deriba (debutant), as well as Moroccan record-holder Othmane El Goumri (2:05:12).