Ahead of this year’s London Marathon, we reflect on Kipchoge’s 2016 course record and Keitany’s 2017 women-only world record by featuring Professor Sean Hartnett’s fascinating race maps

Sean Hartnett is the ‘Professor of the Marathon’ – an expert on the 26.2-mile event and major marathon courses across the world.

Since 1984 Professor Hartnett has taught geography at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and served as a marathon correspondent for Track & Field News. He has attended and reported on over 250 marathon competitions, produced over 30 ‘How the Race Was Won’ maps and created elevation profile maps of the Boston, New York and London Olympic marathon routes.

During competitions, Professor Hartnett and his colleague Professor Helmut Winter also record split data from a lead vehicle and display the pace information for the leaders of the men’s and women’s races.

Ahead of Sunday’s Virgin Money London Marathon, we reflect on two of the event’s stand-out performances – Eliud Kipchoge’s course record from 2016 and Mary Keitany’s women-only world record from 2017 – by featuring Professor Hartnett’s fascinating course maps, which include detailed splits, pace graphs, elevation profiles and more.

Click on the image of each map to view.

Nike unveils intriguing upgrade to road racing shoe on eve of London Marathon with Vaporfly Next%

It is almost two years since Eliud Kipchoge came within 25 seconds of breaking the two-hour barrier for the marathon. The ‘Breaking2’ time trial on the Monza motor racing track in Italy was further proof that Kipchoge is the world’s best marathoner and it introduced the world to the Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4%.

Since then thousands of ordinary runners have paid more than £200 (the latest model is £239.99) for these shoes in the hope they will propel them to a PB. As editor of Britain’s only track and field athletics magazine, over the years it is easy to become immune to the hype surrounding new shoe launches. Yet the springy midsole in the Vaporfly actually does seem to ‘work’ and on Sunday we will see Kipchoge and Mo Farah (pictured above) racing for the first time in the latest incarnation of the shoe – the Vaporfly Next% – and to crank up the anticipation Nike has this week released a short video showing the Briton training in the footwear in Ethiopia.

The new bright green or ‘phantom glow’ coloured model (pictured below) features 15% more ZoomX foam in the midsole, a lighter upper made out of ‘Vaporweave’ plus, of course, the carbon fibre plate that somewhat controversially gives the shoe its spring. With comfort in mind, laces are offset to the side to reduce pressure on the top of the foot and there is more padding to protect the Achilles. Feedback from elite athletes also led to traction being improved on the outsole, which could be vital on Sunday if the roads of London become wet with rain.

Back in the winter one of Britain’s leading distance runners told me the consensus among elite athletes is that it makes a difference of about a minute to your marathon time and that even non-Nike sponsored athletes are occasionally wearing them. However, if Nike’s claim of a 4% improvement in ‘efficiency’ translates to a 4% better time, then a mere minute is a conservative estimate.

Runners are forever fascinated by shoes and during my time at AW I’ve seen the growth of trail-specific shoes, a trend toward shoes with a ‘barefoot feel’ and, most of all, a preponderance of motion control footwear. Even interviewing Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March, my eye was drawn to what seemed incredibly tight Nike spikes, with his feet almost bulging out of the toe box.

As a middle-aged plodder with dodgy knees, I’m not the best person to test the Vaporfly shoes. But earlier this year I ran more than a minute quicker in a pair of Vaporfly 4% shoes on the Eden Project parkrun than I did when wearing non-Nike shoes at the flat, grassy Wanstead Flats parkrun in London. Speed aside, they are super-comfortable too.

My one-off experience aside, the New York Times studied data from half a million races last year and, apart from discovering that Strava users spelt Vaporfly in 147 different ways, the newspaper surmised that runners did benefit from a 4% improvement, although the percentage varied from one runner to the next.

Not surprisingly, the IAAF is looking into whether they break any rules. Questions have also been raised lately over Laura Muir’s track spikes, which feature similar technology.

Of course, plenty of races are still being won by athletes wearing different brands. But, if money is no object, then an increasing number seem to be following, quite literally, in Kipchoge’s footsteps.

Farag and Momen set up world final repeat
By MATT COLES

World No.12 Amanda Sobhy is through to the semi finals of the El Gouna International, PSA World Tour Platinum tournament after sensationally coming back from two games down against World No.3 Nour El Tayeb on the at Abu Tig Marina earlier today.

Egypt’s El Tayeb took the first couple of games with ease but a change of game plan saw the American fight her way back into it as she showed more attacking intent.

She took the third and the fourth, and made a strong start to the decider, as El Tayeb lost her composure completely, resulting in her breaking her racket against her own leg after falling 4-1 behind. After the World No.3 returned to court, a conduct stroke was given against Tayeb, with the American taking full advantage to go on and secure victory.

Sobhy will face Egypt’s World No.1 Raneem El Welily on Thursday (April 25) for a place in the final.

The American left-hander said: “I wasn’t thinking I had a chance to win, I was thinking about not getting slaughtered and trying not to embarrassing myself. It is a quarter final … and Tayeb was playing well, but I told myself to give it everything I had.

“There was some rage, some anger fuelling me, and I just tried to power through. Fortunately I got a good lead in both the third and fourth and in the fifth, I wasn’t event thinking about how I had come back, I kept thinking I needed to keep my head down and to keep going.

“I think I was not prepared for the glass court, and I had over 48 hours of rest. I didn’t do much yesterday apart from a 30-minute hit, so I think it was just that shock to the system of the pace. I had to get the lungs working again, I couldn’t find my lengths and she was all over me. I don’t really know how, but I just told myself to stop being a baby and to push through.”

Defending champion El Welily is through to the semi finals after beating New Zealand’s Joelle King in a high-quality four-game affair.

The pair had met 15 times on the PSA World Tour in the past, with the Egyptian having won 11 of them. However, King had won four of the last six, including the finals of the Hong Kong Open and Cleveland Classic in 2018.

Welily came out strong to win the first game, but the Kiwi pegged her back with some quality squash in the second. The World No.1 found another gear though to claim victory and book her spot in the semi finals.

“I am definitely pleased to be into the semis here in El Gouna. Playing Joelle has not been easy for me lately but to come out with a 3-1 win is definitely something that makes me pleased,” Welily said after her victory.

“I tried to push myself this time to get the first game and I think that made a difference somehow. I am also very happy with the way I pushed myself after the second game. Some things were not going the way I thought they would, so I am very happy with the way I pushed myself mentally to come through.”

Meanwhile, the first men’s semi final will see a repeat of the PSA World Championship final as both World No.1 Ali Farag and World No.3 Tarek Momen booked their places in the last four.

Farag advanced to the semi finals after coming through a tricky match with New Zealand’s Paul Coll.

This was the eighth meeting between the pair, with Farag having won the last six, including at both the World Championships and the Tournament of Champions earlier this year.

Despite the 3-0 scoreline, Farag never had full control of the match, as World No.5 Coll kept himself in the match thanks to his trademark retrieving ability. However, the Egyptian was able to score points at exactly the right times to secure victory, setting up a clash with Momen in the last four as he aims to improve on last year’s runner-up finish to Marwan ElShorbagy.

“Paul is always tough to play against. Even if it is in three, they are always 11-8 or 11-9, so it is never easy.” Farag said.

“He is never going to give you any cheap points, so you have to earn every single point and that is not easy when you play against someone like this. However, I think I had my tactics sorted today, and I tried to make sure I did not get into a physical battle with him, so I am glad to be through in three.”


Egypt’s Momen is through to the last four after a great display of attacking squash helped him defeat Germany’s Simon Rösner to claim his 250th win on the PSA Tour.

Momen took the first two games comfortably, but Rösner fought back, as he aimed to win a third straight match against the Egyptian, a run which includes the 2018 J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions final. It was not to be though, as Momen went back on the offensive to reach his first semi-final in El Gouna.

Momen said: “I try to isolate things, I don’t like to get my revenge. Every match I play, I go in for the win. I’m fully committed to getting my win over Ali, irrespective of what happened in the past.

“I don’t want to link between what happened then and what happened now. It’s just a match, he’s a good opponent, and I have to come on court with the right gameplay and execute it to the best of my abilities.”

With both Momen and Farag into the last four, this guarantees an all-Egyptian men’s final, as Fares Dessouky, Karim Abdel Gawad and both ElShorbagy brothers face off in the other two quarter final matches.

Quarter final action continues tomorrow evening (Wednesday April 24) as the bottom half of the draw play their last eight matches on the glass court.

Matches from the glass court will be broadcast live on SQUASHTV (rest of world), Eurosport Player (Europe only) and the official Facebook page of the PSA World Tour (excluding Europe and Japan). Play starts at 18:30 local time (GMT+2).

El Gouna International Open 2019, Abu Tig Marina, El Gouna, Egypt.

Men’s Quarter Finals (Top Half):
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [7] Paul Coll (NZL) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 (50m)
[3] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [5] Simon Rösner (GER) 3-1: 11-5, 11-4, 7-11, 11-3 (41m)

Women’s Quarter Finals (Top Half):
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [5] Joelle King (NZL) 3-1: 11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6 (38m)
[13] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 3-2: 3-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (41m)

Men’s Quarter Finals (Bottom Half) Wednesday April 24:
[4] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[WC] Fares Dessouky (EGY) v [2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY)

Women’s Quarter Finals (Bottom Half) Wednesday April 24:
[4] Camille Serme (FRA) v [6] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[8] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY)

Men’s Semi Finals (Top Half) Thursday April 25:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v [3] Tarek Momen (EGY)

Women’s Semi Finals (Top Half) Thursday April 25:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [13] Amanda Sobhy (USA)

Pictures courtesy of PSA

Our sympathies to Essex player Ben Nicholson after Sri Lanka tragedy 
By LEE HORTON – Squash Mad Reporter

The heartfelt thoughts of everyone in squash go out to Essex player Ben Nicholson, whose wife and two children were killed in the horror bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

In a statement released over the weekend, Mr Nicholson, formerly from Grays in Essex, said: “I am deeply distressed at the loss of my wife and children. Anita was a wonderful, perfect wife and a brilliant, loving and inspirational mother to our two wonderful children.

“Alex and Annabel were the most amazing, intelligent, talented and thoughtful children and Anita and I were immensely proud of them both and looking forward to seeing them develop into adulthood. They shared with their mother the priceless ability to light up any room they entered and bring joy to the lives of all they came into contact with.”

Mr Nicholson is a partner in the Singapore office of international firm Kennedys. In a statement this morning, Kennedys confirmed the ‘devastating news’ and said it is supporting Ben in every way it can.

The spokesperson added: “Ben is now surrounded by the loving support of his family. This is devastating news and our thoughts are very much with Ben at this difficult time. Understandably, we ask that you respect Ben’s privacy at this tragic time.”

Mr Nicholson revealed how his wife and two children were blown up at a breakfast table in Sri Lanka and said they had ‘mercifully’ died instantly.

Newspaper reports said: Ben Nicholson, 43, was seen wandering the streets of Colombo in a blood-soaked T-shirt in a desperate search for news amid the Easter Sunday massacre which killed at least 321 people, including 45 children.

His wife Anita, 42, son Alex, 14, and daughter Annabel, 11, were killed in the restaurant bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo when two suicide bombers walked in and blew themselves up at breakfast.

Mr Nicholson said they had ‘mercifully died instantly and with no pain or suffering’, in the Table One cafe on the second floor of the hotel, where they were staying on a family holiday.

Mr Nicholson will have many friends from his time playing at Tilbury Squash Club and the Rackets Club at Corringham in Essex. He was also a member at Lamb’s Club in London. His father Eddie also coached at Tilbury.

The Squash Mad team sends our heartfelt condolences to Mr Nicholson and his family at this most tragic of times. 

Saracens and England winger David Strettle will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season.

The 35-year-old played 14 Tests for England between 2007 and 2013, scoring two international tries.

The former Rotherham Titans and Harlequins player rejoined Sarries last summer following a spell with French side Clermont Auvergne.

"I spoke to my wife and we decided now is the time to say goodbye to rugby," he said.

"There are some more adventures for me elsewhere.

"I'm lucky enough to be able to look back, be very proud and privileged to have done some of the things I've done."

Strettle helped Saracens win two Premiership titles in his first spell with the north London club between 2010 and 2015, and he also helped Clermont win the Top 14.

He has scored 122 tries in over 325 appearances over the course of his 17-year club career.

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Veteran Stanton Barrett will return to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this weekend to drive the No. 52 Chevrolet for Rick Ware Racing.

The Bishop, Calif., native is set to make his 24th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start, but first on a superspeedway. Barrett efforts for his first Cup Series race of the season will be supported by Swedish-based Huski Chocolate.

Huski Chocolate will utilize Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race to help launch the company’s ready to drink chocolate beverage, while also explore other business-to-business initiatives for the Huski Chocolate hot chocolate line.

“I’m glad to be back at the race track this weekend,” said Barrett who recently completed his stunt work in the upcoming expected summer blockbuster John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. “I’ve been super busy with my companies, but it’s exciting to come back to NASCAR and not only bring a new sponsor to the sport – but one that is sure to resonate with NASCAR fans.”

Over the course of his NASCAR career, Barrett has made five starts at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway between the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. In 1999, he earned a personal track best of 15th.

While expecting a very competitive race abreast a new rules package and the introduction of tapered spacers, Barrett says a good day will be finishing the race in one-piece with a solid finish.

“There are a lot of unknowns going into this weekend’s race. I’ve ran up front many times at superspeedways and seem to get caught up in the “big one” but we hope this weekend will be different,” added Barrett. “We’re already locked into the race – so we’ll be working on finding the right balance with our No. 52 Huski Chocolate Chevrolet and make sure when we need to put ourselves in the right place we can do so.

“Bringing a good finish will give us some momentum to maybe hopefully come back in the fall.”

Rick Ware, team principal of Rick Ware Racing says the team is thrilled to welcome Barrett back to the team. Barrett made his most recent Cup Series start for Rick Ware Racing last year at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

“Stanton and I have worked together for a lot of years and I’m always happy to have him behind the wheel of one of our cars,” Ware said. “I think Sunday is a race where we can go and be competitive and he (Stanton) can work with the 51 car and have the chance to bring home our best results of the season.”