Kipkemoi, Cherop favourites in Sunday's Istanbul Marathon

Kenneth Kipkemoi and Sharon Cherop will lead Kenya's charge for medals at this year's Istanbul Marathon set for Sunday 3 November. 

Around 7,500 marathon runners will compete, starting on the Asian side of Istanbul and then finishing on Sultanahmet Square in the city’s historic center on the European side. 

With five men on the start list who have dipped under 2:07, the course record of 2:09:44 set by Kenya’s Daniel Kibet back in 2019 is under threat as is the Turkish allcomers’ record held by Lani Rutto of Kenya in winning the Izmir with 2:09:27 in 2021. 

Ethiopia’s Abebe Negewo is the quickest on paper, his 2:04:51 Personal Best (PB) a second quicker than Kipkemoi with Dejene Debela (2:05:46), Kelkile Gezahegn (2:05:56) and Morocco's Mohcin Outalha (2:06:49) completing the top five elite men runners.  

“I have trained well and I am in fine form. It will be the first time that I run the Istanbul Marathon. Although I don’t know the course the record is my goal," said 40 year-old Negewo. “Nowadays you can still run strongly at the age of 40 and I am sure I can continue for a couple of more years.“

Fellow-Ethiopian Gezahegn, who ran his PB in Rotterdam in 2018 and won the Frankfurt Marathon in the same year, has never raced in Istanbul as well. 

“I want to run a good race and it would be great if I could win and break the course record. I know that it will be a challenge since the field is strong. I have trained well and I thank the organisers that now I have the chance to show it in Istanbul," Gezahegn, who believes he will improve his PB said. 

Meanwhile, the women’s race is expected to be a fight between Kenya's Cherop and Kenyan-born Ruth Jebet of Bahrain. 

At 40, Cherop is still going strong. The former World Championships’ bronze medalist and Boston Marathon winner from 2012 has a personal best of 2:22:28. The Kenyan, who was second in Hannover this spring with 2:24:41, is the fastest woman on the start list.

“I have trained well and I am ready. Maybe my form is a bit better than before the Hannover Marathon in April," Cherop said ahead of her trip to Istanbul. “I know that there is a strong field. I will try my best and run my race. You never know what can happen. For me at the start line every one is a potential winner - that is how I approach my races. If there is good competition it could make me stronger.“ 

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While Ethiopia’s Sintayehu Lewetegn is second on the elite list with 2:22:36, former steeplechase world record holder Jebet will run her fourth marathon and is still unbeaten at the distance. 

Jebet ran her marathon debut in Mersin, Turkey, less than a year ago and broke the course record with 2:23:08. She then went on to take the Chinese races in Zhengzhou and Harbin with 2:26:48 and 2:28:12 respectively. 

“It was not too difficult to switch from the steeplechase to the marathon, but it takes time,“ said Jebet, who trains in Kenya “On Sunday my goal is to improve my personal best."

An athlete who could cause an upset on Sunday is Betty Kibet. The 24 year-old Kenyan will run her debut at the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon and is said to be in fine form. Kibet has a promising half marathon PB of 66:37.

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Elite Runners

MEN

Abebe Negewo ETH 2:04:51

Kenneth Kipkemoi KEN 2:04:52

Dejene Debela ETH 2:05:46

Kelkile Gezahegn ETH 2:05:56

Mohcin Outalha MAR 2:06:49

Frederick Kibii KEN 2:08:09

Wilfred Kigen KEN 2:08:39

Sezgin Atac TUR 2:08:40

James Kiplagat KEN 2:09:08

Benard Kipkorir KEN 2:09:26

Mathew Samperu KEN 2:09:54

Elijah Cheruiyot KEN 2:10:27

Yavuz Agrali TUR 2:10:41

Abraham Kipyatich KEN 2:10:51

Benard Sang KEN 2:10:59

WOMEN

Sharon Cherop KEN 2:22:28

Sintayehu Lewetegn ETH 2:22:36

Urge Diro ETH 2:23:05

Ruth Jebet BRN 2:23:08

Margaret Agai KEN 2:23:28

Zenebu Bihonegn ETH 2:24:16

Muluhabt Tsega ETH 2:24:23

Ayantu Abdi ETH 2:24:45

Gladys Jerono KEN 2:32:50

Betty Kibet KEN Debut

Christine Kioko KEN Debut