On Sunday, the streets of Shanghai will come alive with world-class marathon action as Kenya’s Timothy Kiplagat and Visiline Jepkesho headline a formidable elite field.
The event promises a spectacle, with organizers confirming a strong roster of the world’s top marathoners competing for honors in the Chinese city.
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Kiplagat leads the men’s contingent with his impressive record this season.
The 2024 Tokyo Marathon runner-up clocked an astonishing 2:02:55 in Tokyo, finishing just behind Olympic bronze medallist Benson Kipruto (2:02:16).
Kiplagat has also secured significant accolades, including a win at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Marathon (2:05:20) and a second-place finish at the 2023 Rotterdam Marathon (2:03:50).
With third-place finishes at the 2021 Eindhoven Marathon (2:07:01), Kiplagat has consistently proven himself among the world’s best.
Joining Kiplagat in the men’s elite field is Titus Kipruto, the 2022 Milano Marathon champion and Jonathan Kipleting, who finished second at the 2021 Enschede Marathon.
Adding an exciting dimension to the men’s race is Roncer Konga, the 2023 Buenos Aires Half Marathon champion, who will be making his full marathon debut.
“This year’s Shanghai Marathon is a star-studded event with an elite gathering,” race organizers said in a statement as per
“We have invited 27 international special athletes, including eight platinum athletes and 11 gold athletes. Let us just say all the ‘strongest’ runners we know will come to Shanghai Marathon.”
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In the women’s race, Visiline Jepkesho will lead Kenya’s charge as she aims for her first marathon title of the year.
The 36-year-old, who claimed victory at the 2018 Rotterdam Marathon with a time of 2:23:47, has had a strong season, finishing third at both the Seoul Marathon in March (2:22:52) and the Gold Coast Marathon in July (2:26:17).
Despite narrowly missing out on victories in those races, Jepkesho remains a force to reckon with, boasting titles from the 2016 Paris Marathon (2:25:53) and the 2018 Ljubljana Marathon (2:22:58).
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Jepkesho’s competitors in Shanghai include Naomi Tuei, the 2024 Huai’an Marathon champion, who recently triumphed in 2:34:14.
They will face stiff opposition from an Ethiopian trio, including Belay Bedada, the 2019 Seville Marathon runner-up; Masresha Bere, the 2021 Hamburg Marathon runner-up; and Aberu Ayana, the 2024 Lisbon Marathon champion.
For Jepkesho, the Shanghai Marathon presents an opportunity to cement her place among marathon greats.
Her previous podium finishes at high-profile events like the Nagoya Women’s Marathon (2:22:58) and the Istanbul Marathon (2:22:40) highlight her consistency and determination.