The chase for the 2024 $50,000 (Ksh6.4 million) World Marathon Majors prize will go down to the final race of the season, the New York Marathon, following what has been witnessed so far.

Kenya’s Benson Kipruto leads the men’s field with 34 points, after his win in Tokyo and third place at the Paris Olympics, followed by Ethiopian contingent of Sesay Lemma (Boston winner), Tamirat Tola (Olympics champion), Mikesa Mengesha (winner in Berlin) and Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso, the London Marathon champion, who all have 25 points after winning one race.

Then there is Belgian’s Bashir Abdi, Ethiopians Kenenisa Bekele and Mohamed Esa as well as Kenyans Timothy Kiplagat and CyBrian Kotut on 16 points each.

Eliud Kipchoge believes the future of marathon running is promising, with athletes motivated to achieve faster times and carry forward the legacy as he looks forward to more races in 2025.

In the women’s category, Hellen Obiri leads with 34 points, following her win in Boston and third place at Olympics, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa is hot on her heels with 32 points, followed by Olympics champion Sifan Hassan (29 points), Sutume Asefa Kebede and Tigist Ketema, both from Ethiopia on 25 points, and Kenya’s Perej Jepcchirchir (25 points).

Kenyans Sharon Lokedi (20 points) and Rosemary Wanjiru (16 points) as well as Mestaowt Firki (16 points) are the other outsiders for the crown.

With two races to go, Chicago set for October 13 and New York, November 3, it looks like it will go down to the very last race to determine the winner since some of those in the lead have signed up for the upcoming events.

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Of interest is Tola who is set to run in New York where victory will take his tally to 50 points and win the title unless Kipruto makes a late entry while in the women’s category, it is Obiri’s to lose.

If she retains her New York title, Obiri will claim the Kh6.4 million which she lost in heartbreaking fashion to Hassan last year after the two tied but the Dutchwoman won for posting better times.

She will, however, have to watch out for Sefa Kebede who will also run in New York as she can move to 50 points with a victory and claim the prize.

Days after being impressive at the Paris Olympics marathon, Hellen Obiri and Tamirat Tola will immediately return to train as they gear up for a grueling task to defend their titles at the New York City Marathon.

In the men’s race, Abdi will also hope to profit with a good performance in New York and so is Lokedi in the women’s category.

The World Marathon Majors is reserved for runners who perform exemplarily in six major marathons; Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York where they accumulate points, and whoever has more at the end of the season is awarded the prize.

In an Olympics and World Championships year, the events also count towards the prize with winners in the men’s and women’s categories awarded $50,000 (Ksh6.4 million) each at the end of the campaign.

Veteran athletics coach Julius Kirwa, who settled on the star-studded Olympics marathon squad for Team Kenya, remains confident in Kenya's dominance.

The cash prizes are not just restricted to the winners as second, third, fourth, and fifth places attract $25,000 (Ksh3.2 million), $12,500 (Ksh1.6 million), $7,500 (Ksh966,000) and $5,000 (Ksh644,000) respectively.

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