World bests at 25km and fast half-marathon for Josh Kerr
Written by I Dig SportsEbenyo and Kebede shine in India as world 1500m champion impresses in San Diego in our latest international results round-up
Tata Steel Kolkata 25km, India, December 17
Kenyas Daniel Ebenyo and Ethiopias Sutume Asefa Kebede set course records and ran the fastest ever times in any 25km races although runners have gone faster elsewhere with intermediate times.
Ebenyo, who won world championship silvers in 2023 at both 10,000m and half-marathon, won the mens race in 1:11:13 well clear of fellow Kenyan Victor Togom (1:12:26) and Ethiopias Tsefaye Demeke (1:13:36).
He said: My focus now is to set a world half marathon record very soon. I did not know I would run this well in Kolkata.
In the womens race, the 2:18:12 marathoner Kebede defeated former London Marathon winner Yalemzerf Yehualaw by a clear margin, 1:18:47 to 1:19:26.
She said: I wanted to run faster, but in the end I am happy with my timing. It is a good course with good weather conditions, which made it easier for me.
Men: 25km: 1 Daniel Ebenyo KEN 1:11:13; 2 Victor Kipruto Togom KEN 1:12:26; 3 Tesfaye Demeke ETH 1:13:36; 4 Haymanot Alewe ETH 1:13:44; 5 Abe Gashahun ETH 1:13:51; 6 Benard Biwott KEN 1:13:57; 7 Jackson Kipleting KEN 1:15:44; 8 Sawan Barwal 1:17:49
Women: 25km: 1 Sutume Asefa ETH 1:18:47; 2 Yalemzerf Yehualaw ETH 1:19:26; 3 Betty Kibet KEN 1:21:43; 4 Emebet Niguse ETH 1:22:43; 5 Nelly Jeptoo KEN 1:23:00; 6 Anchinalu Dessie Genaneh ETH 1:23:18; 7 Mercyline Chelangat UGA 1:25:37; 8 Tsege Haileselassie ETH 1:28:37
ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, UAE, December 16
Kenyas former world-holder Brigid Kosgei won with a 2:19:15 clocking as after a 70:41 opening half she ran a brisk 68:34 second half to win by almost five minutes from Ethiopians Hawi Feysa (2:24:03) and Ethlemahu Sintayehu (2:25:36).
Eritreas Samsom Amare won the mens race on his debut in 2:07:10 as former world indoor 1500m medallist Ilham Tanui Ozbilen ran 2:10:16 in his debut.
The former Kenyan now has impressive range as he set Turkish records at 800m (1:44.00) and 1500m (3:31.30) a decade ago.
Women: Mar: 1 Brigid Kosgei KEN 2:19:15; 2 Hawi Feysa ETH 2:24:03; 3 Ethlemahu Sintayehu ETH 2:25:36
Men: Mar: 1 Samsom Amare ERI 2:07:10; 2 Leonard Barsoton KEN 2:09:37; 3 Ilham Tanui Ozbilen TUR 2:10:16
Bangsaen Half Marathon, Thailand, December 17
Kenyans dominated with Gladys Chepkirui the leading woman in 69:46 ahead of Sheila Chepkirui and Angela Tanui with former world marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich fourth.
Britains Charlotte Purdue was the top European finisher in sixth in 72:45.
Kenyas Mathew Kimeli won the mens race in 63:39 just ahead of Ethiopias Tsegaye Getachew as Kenyas former London Marathon winner Amos Kipruto was third.
Men: HM: 1 Mathew Kimeli KEN 63:39; 2 Tsegaye Getachew ETH 63:45; 3 Amos Kipruto KEN 63:52
Women: HM: 1 Gladys Chepkirui KEN 69:46; 2 Sheila Chepkirui KEN 70:03; 3 Angela Tanui KEN 71:08; 4 Ruth Chepngetich KEN 71:51; 5 Degitu Azmirew ETH 72:36 ; 6 Charlotte Purdue GBR 72:45.
World Race Walking Tour, Dublin, Ireland, December 17
Swedens World silver medallist Perseus Karlstrom won the mens race in a fast 1:18:39 while Slovakias Maria Katerinka Czakova (1:31:42) took the womens race in the World Athletics Race Walking Tour Bronze event.
Slovakia (Dominik Cerny and Hana Burzalova) won the mixed relay which is making its at Olympic debut in Paris with 3:11:17.
Ireland (Brendon Boyce and Kate Veale) were second in 3:11:48 with Finland third.
Men: 20kmW: 1 Perseus Karlström SWE 1:18:39; 2 Noel Ali Chama MEX 1:20:05; 3 Veli-Matti Partanen FIN 1:20:33; 4 David Kenny 1:21:38; 5 Aleksi Ojala FIN 1:22:22; 6 Oisin Lane 1:24:13; 7 Nathaniel Seiler GER 1:24:20; 8 Norbert Tóth HUN 1:24:22; 9 Jesus Calderon MEX 1:24:56; 10 Rui Coelho POR 1:25:20; 18 Luc Legon GBR 1:37:14
Women: 10kmW: 1 Ivana Dudová SVK 50:51; 2 Janelle Branch USA 51:58; 3 Hannah Hopper GBR 51:58
20kmW: 1 Mária Czaková SVK 1:31:42; 2 Panayióta Tsinopoúlou GRE 1:35:11; 3 Ólga Fiáska GRE 1:37:21; 4 Agnieszka Ellward POL 1:40:43; 5 Robyn Stevens USA 1:41:49; 6 Abigail Jennings GBR 1:43:48; 10 Pagen Spooner GBR 1:48:33; 11 Emily Ghose GBR 1:55:49; 12 Jasmine Nicholls GBR 1:56:38
2xMarWalkMX: 1 SVK 3:11.17; 2 IRL 3:11.48; 3 FIN 3:16.11
Cross Internacional de Venta de Baños, Spain, December 17
Kenyas Edinah Jebitok won the senior womens 9.3km at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold event by a clear margin in 33:11 ahead of Ethiopian teenager Asayech Ayichew in 33:53. Angela Viciosa was the top Spaniard in fourth in 35:05.
In a closer mens event over the same distance, Abdessamad Oukhelfen won in 30:16 and led a Spanish one-two just ahead of Fernando Carro. Frances Fabien Palcau was a close third, a second behind the winner.
Men: 9.3km XC: 1 Abdessamad Oukhelfen 30:16; 2 Fernando Carro 30:17; 3 Fabien Palcau FRA 30:17; 4 Abderrahmane Afendi MAR 30:34; 5 Aaron Las Heras 30:54; 6 David Bascuñana 31:00; 7 Abderrahman El Khayami 31:11; 8 Miguel Baidal 31:29; 9 Brahim El Ourzadi MAR 31:59; 10 Marc Fernandez 32:10
Women: 9.3km XC: 1 Edina Jebitok KEN 33:11; 2 Asayech Ayichew ETH 33:53; 3 Katie Izzo USA 34:08; 4 Angela Viciosa 35:05; 5 Cristina Ruiz 35:08; 6 Marta García 35:11; 7 Isabel Barreiro 35:17; 8 Lili Anna Vindics-Tóth HUN 35:28; 9 Cristina Espejo 35:30; 10 Lucía Rodríguez 36:40
San Diego Holiday Half Marathon, USA, December 16
On a very blatant downhill course that will not count for ranking purposes, world 1500m champion Josh Kerr showed he is wintering well with a second place 61:51 almost two minutes faster than his 63:44 2022 clocking in the same race.
Dillon Maggard won the mens race in 61:29 while Nell Rojas won the womens race in 69:32.
Social media immediately pointed comparisons with Steve Ovetts 1977 half-marathon.
Details of Ovetts run is here.
Kerr was much the faster but apart from the advantages of current shoes and the downhill nature of Kerrs course, it should also be pointed out Ovetts run came nearly half a century ago in the middle of a track season (between his European Cup and World Cup 1500m wins) on a tough hilly course on a hot sunny day and he easily beat British marathon champion and fellow Olympian Barry Watson.
Whatever the comparisons it was a hugely encouraging run for the Scot who was third in the Tokyo 1500m in 2021.
Men: HM: 1 Dillon Maggard 61:29; 2 Josh Kerr GBR 61:51; 3 Henry Wynne 62:06
Women: HM: 1 Nell Rojas 69:32; 2 Allie Buchalski 70:23
Okayama, Japan, December 17
Women: 10km: 1 Agnes Mwikali KEN 31:09 2 Nyiva Mutungi KEN 31:57; 3 Kaede Kawamura 32:22; 4 Eva Cherono KEN 32:38; 5 Mitsu Ozaki 33:01
HM: 1 Margaret Ekidor KEN 69:29; 2 Dolphine Omare KEN 1:09:47; 3 Joan Chepkemoi KEN 70:01; 4 Desta Burka ETH 1:10:16; 5 Yuri Karasawa 70:48
Pisa Marathon, Italy, December 17
British women went one-two with Maltese-based Jemima Farley (2:36:43) and Melissah Gibson (2:42:07) leading the way.
Men: Mar: 1 Khalid Jabri 2:20:00.
Women: Mar: 1 Jemima Farley 2:36:43; 2 Melissah Gibson 2:42:07
Dutch Cross Country Championships, Eersel, Netherlands, December 17
European junior champion and senior World 1500m finalist Niels Laros won his first Dutch senior title ten seconds ahead of Nik Lemmink while World 5000m finalist Maureen Koster, who won a medal in the mixed relay in the European Cross-Country, was first woman.
Men: 9.7kmXC: 1 Niels Laros 28:12; 2 Nik Lemmink 28:22; 3 Bas van Hooren 28:32.
Women: 9.7kmXC: 1 Maureen Koster 32:33; 2 Emmy van den Berg 32:58
Milan, Italy, December 16
Verity Ockenden won the womens 5km race in 16:02.
Men: 5km: 1 Ibra Mohamed El Djaridi (TUN) 13:46
Women: 5km: 1 Verity Ockenden GBR 16:02
Mount Gravatt, Australia, December 17
Double Commonwealth Games medallist Cedric Dubler scored 8334 points in the decathlon and he achieved a 7.84m legal PB in the long jump as well as a windy 7.90/2.5.
Olympic and world indoor bronze medallist Ashley Moloney was a non-finisher after 10.51 in the 100 m and a 7.77m in the long jump.
Camryn Newton-Smith achieved the best Australian Heptathlon for 15 years with a 6050 points score.
Men: Dec: 1 Cedric Dubler 8334
Women: Hep: 1 Camryn Newton-Smith 6050