Brigid Kosgei in Sydney (© Getty Images)
Former world record-holder Brigid Kosgei and course record-holder Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba are part of the stellar line-up for the Shanghai Marathon – a World Athletics Platinum Label road race – on Sunday (30).
Kosgei, who held the world record at 2:14:04 between 2019 and 2023, will be contesting her third marathon of the year. The 31-year-old Kenyan finished second in Hamburg in 2:18:26 in April, then came within half a minute of that mark when finishing runner-up in Sydney in August in 2:18:56.
The 2021 Olympic silver medallist is targeting her first marathon victory since the 2023 Abu Dhabi Marathon. Another sub-2:20 clocking would revise the course record, which currently stands at 2:20:36, set by Yebrgual Melese in 2018.
Pacemakers have been requested to set out at 2:17:50 pace, which would also be enough to break the Chinese all-comers’ record of 2:18:09, set by Ruti Aga in Dongying in 2023.
Kosgei won’t have it all her own way, though, as there are two other women in the field with PBs well below 2:20.
Irine Cheptai, still a relative newcomer to the marathon, will be contesting her fourth race at the distance. The 2017 world cross-country champion clocked a PB of 2:17:51 when finishing third in Chicago last year, and earlier this year she finished fourth in Boston.
Kosgei and Cheptai – along with compatriot Selly Chepyego – will be aiming to become just the second Kenyan woman to win in Shanghai.
Ethiopian women have won 10 of the past 14 editions of the Shanghai Marathon, and Tiruye Mesfin will try to maintain that dominance. The 23-year-old set a PB of 2:18:35 almost exactly a year ago when finishing third in Valencia.
China, meanwhile, fields a strong home team led by Zhang Deshun. Earlier this year Zhang became the third-fastest Chinese woman in history, clocking 2:20:53 at the Tokyo Marathon. The 29-year-old, however, will be racing just two weeks after winning at the National Games.
Bekelech Gudeta may not have the fastest PB of the field (2:21:36), but last year she won two marathons in China and she heads to Shanghai off the back of victories in Seoul and Mexico City earlier this year.
The men’s field is headed by a formidable Ethiopian quartet, all of whom have broken 2:04:00.
Deresa Geleta, with a lifetime best of 2:02:38, is the fastest on paper, followed closely by Birhanu Legese at 2:02:48. Geleta set his PB when finishing second in Valencia last year, just four months after finishing fourth at the Paris Olympics. He went on to place second at the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year in 2:03:51, but he was unable to finish his next two marathons, in Wuxi and at the World Championships in Tokyo.
Legese – a two-time Tokyo Marathon winner – returned to the Japanese capital earlier this year and placed 11th in a high-quality race in 2:06:06. He warmed up for Shanghai with a 1:00:54 clocking at the New Delhi Half Marathon in October.
Geleta and Legese are joined by compatriots Milkesa Mengesha, the 2024 Berlin Marathon winner, and Xiamen Marathon champion Dawit Wolde, both of whom have sub-2:04 PBs.
But there’s no guarantee of an Ethiopian victory, as 2023 winner and course record-holder Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba will be back in Shanghai.
The Kenyan clocked a Chinese all-comers’ record of 2:05:35 two years ago, but he hasn’t raced since last year’s Shanghai Marathon, having finished 10th on that occasion.
He’ll be joined on the start line by compatriots Titus Kipruto (2:04:54), Solomon Kirwa Yego (2:05:42), Kenneth Keter (2:05:53) and Edmond Kipngetich (2:06:47).
Home hopes rest prominently on Feng Peiyou, the second-fastest Chinese marathon runner of all time. He’ll be hoping to shave a few more seconds off his PB (2:07:06), which would be enough to break the Chinese record of 2:06:57.
Pacemakers have been assigned to run at 2:58/km pace, which would result in a finishing time just outside 2:05 – enough to break Kiptoo’s Chinese all-comers’ record.
Leading entries
Women
Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04
Irine Chepet Cheptai (KEN) 2:17:51
Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) 2:18:35
Selly Chepyego Kaptich (KEN) 2:20:03
Zhang Deshun (CHN) 2:20:53
Bekelech Gudeta (ETH) 2:21:36
Veronicah Njeri Maina (KEN) 2:24:46
Xia Yuyu (CHN) 2:25:45
Wu Bing (CHN) 2:26:01
Li Meizhen (CHN) 2:27:51
Shen Ni (CHN) 2:28:47
Huang Xuemei (CHN) 2:29:51
Men
Deresa Geleta (ETH) 2:02:38
Birhanu Legese (ETH) 2:02:48
Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:03:48
Haftu Teklu (ETH) 2:04:42
Titus Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:54
Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:35
Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 2:05:42
Kenneth Keter (KEN) 2:05:53
Edmond Kipngetich (KEN) 2:06:47
Feng Peiyou (CHN) 2:07:06
Challa Gossa (ETH) 2:07:32
Wu Xiangdong (CHN) 2:08:04
