Strong Fields Targeting Course Records in Xiamen

Published by IAAF on January 1, 2015

The course records at the Xiamen International Marathon, the first IAAF Gold Label Road Race of 2015, look vulnerable as a strong field of elite runners are ready to continue the record streak on Saturday (3).

Reigning men’s champion Mariko Kiplagat Kipchumba of Kenya will find it hard to defend his title. Last year he clocked 2:08:06 to win a relatively slow race, which saw the five-year streak of course records in the men’s race come to a halt.

His countryman Moses Mosop is among the top favourites. The former Chicago Marathon champion ran 2:03:06 on Boston’s point-to-point course on his marathon debut, then one year later set an official PB of 2:05:03 in Rotterdam.

Dibaba to defend women’s title

Ethiopia’s 25-year-old Mare Dibaba enjoyed an overwhelming victory in Xiamen last year. Leading early in the race, the third-fastest Ethiopian woman clocked 2:21:36 to cruise to the top of the podium while beating the previous course record of 2:22:38 set by China’s Zhang Yingying in 2008.

Compatriot Mamitu Daska may be the biggest challenger for Dibaba on Saturday. The 31-year-old took nearly 90 seconds off the Frankfurt course record when setting her PB of 2:21:59 in 2011. She was also the winner of the 2010 Dubai Marathon and 2011 Houston Marathon.