Kelvin Kiptum runs a world record of 2:00:35 to win the Chicago Marathon (© Getty Images)
As the year draws to a close, we look back at the key moments of 2023 in each area of the sport.
The series continues with a review of road running events and will be followed over the coming days by reviews of all the other event groups.
Women’s mile
Season top list
| 4:20.98 | Diribe Welteji (ETH) | Riga | 1 October |
| 4:23.06 | Freweyni Hailu (ETH) | Riga | 1 October |
| 4:24.13 | Faith Kipyegon (KEN) | Riga | 1 October |
| 4:27.97 | Nikki Hiltz (USA) | Des Moines | 25 April |
| 4:28.70 | Sinclaire Johnson (USA) | Des Moines | 25 April |
World medallists
| 🥇 | Diribe Welteji (ETH) | 4:20.98 WRwo |
| 🥈 | Freweyni Hailu (ETH) | 4:23.06 PB |
| 🥉 | Faith Kipyegon (KEN) | 4:24.13 PB |
| Full results | ||
Season at a glance
Women’s World Athlete of the Year for track events Faith Kipyegon – who broke the 1500m, mile and 5000m world records in 2023 as well as winning the world 1500m and 5000m titles – experienced an unfamiliar defeat in the road mile at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga.
The 29-year-old Kenyan, taking part in her first road race, finished third in 4:24.13 as the title went to the Ethiopian who she had beaten to the world 1500m title, Diribe Welteji, in a world record of 4:20.98.
Welteji’s teammate Freweyni Hailu overtook Kipyegon over the final few strides to earn silver in a personal best of 4:23.06.
Fourth and fifth places went to Kipyegon’s compatriot Nelly Chepchirchir and Jessica Hull of Australia in respective personal bests of 4:31.18 and 4:32.45.
The first three home in Riga fill the top three places in the 2023 world list, with the next three being occupied by the first three home in Des Moines on 25 April in a race won by Nikki Hiltz of the United States in 4:27.97.
World 800m finalist Jemma Reekie won the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York – not admissible for record purposes – in 4:19.4, more than two seconds faster than her winning time in 2021, and was followed by Ireland’s Sarah Healy in 4:20.0 and Great Britain’s Melissa Courtney-Bryant in 4:20.6.
Men’s mile
Season top list
| 3:56.13 | Hobbs Kessler (USA) | Riga | 1 October |
| 3:56.41 | Callum Elson (GBR) | Riga | 1 October |
| 3:56.43 | Samuel Prakel (USA) | Riga | 1 October |
| 3:56.57 | Mael Gouyette (FRA) | Riga | 1 October |
| 3:56.98 | Kieran Lumb (CAN) | Riga | 1 October |
World medallists
| 🥇 | Hobbs Kessler (USA) | 3:56.13 WR |
| 🥈 | Callum Elson (GBR) | 3:56.41 PB |
| 🥉 | Samuel Prakel (USA) | 3:56.43 PB |
| Full results | ||
Season at a glance
USA's 20-year-old Hobbs Kessler won the men’s road mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23, with his time of 3:56.13 becoming the official world record.
In an open race which saw the first nine men place within two seconds of one another, Britain’s Callum Elson was second in a European record of 3:56.41, with former world record-holder Samuel Prakel of the United States third in 3:56.43.
The top 15 times of the year, run on a record-eligible course, were all set in Riga.
Josh Kerr, fresh from winning the world 1500m title in Budapest, won the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York – not admissible for record purposes – in 3:47.9, the third-fastest time in the event’s history.
His British compatriot George Mills was second in 3:49.9, followed by New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish in 3:50.0.
“It's a very different effort to run a mile down the street in flats versus running around the oval with spikes,” Kerr said.
Women’s 5km
Season top list
| 14:33 | Lilian Kasait Rengeruk (KEN) | Al Khobar | 9 December |
| 14:35 | Caroline Nyaga (KEN) | Lille | 19 March |
| 14:35 | Mekides Abebe (ETH) | Lille | 19 March |
| 14:35 | Beatrice Chebet (KEN) | Riga | 1 October |
| 14:40 | Doris Lengole Cherop (KEN) | Lille | 19 March |
| 14:40 | Ejgayehu Taye (ETH) | Riga | 1 October |
World medallists
| 🥇 | Beatrice Chebet (KEN) | 14:35 CR |
| 🥈 | Lilian Kasait Rengeruk (KEN) | 14:39 PB |
| 🥉 | Ejgayehu Taye (ETH) | 14:40 SB |
| Full results | ||
Season at a glance
Beatrice Chebet, Kenya’s world 5000m bronze medallist and world cross country champion, earned the women’s 5km title at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga.
The 23-year-old clocked 14:35 to sit joint second on the season’s world list alongside her compatriot Caroline Nyaga and Ethiopia’s Mekides Abebe, who recorded that time as joint winners of the race in Lille on 19 March.
Chebet was chased home in Riga by her fellow Kenyan Lilian Rengeruk, who recorded a personal best of 14:39, and Ethiopia’s world 10,000m bronze medallist and world 5km record-holder in a mixed race, Ejgayehu Taye, who clocked 14:40, one second ahead of her compatriot Medina Eisa.
Of the remaining runners in the top 10, four set national records, with Italy’s Nadia Battocletti fifth in 14:45, Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek sixth in 14:50, Francine Niyomukunzi of Burundi ninth in 15:23 and Klara Lukan of Slovenia 10th in 15:25.
Rengeruk went on to set a world lead of 14:33 in Al Khobar on 9 December.
Compared to 2022, when 14 women broke 15 minutes for 5km on the roads, the total for 2023 was 19 – due in no small part to the World Road Running Championships.
Men’s 5km
Season top list
| 12:50 | Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) | Lille | 19 March |
| 12:59 | Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH) | Riga | 1 October |
| 13:04 | Reynold Cheruiyot (KEN) | Lille | 19 March |
| 13:04 | Biniam Mehary (ETH) | Al Khobar | 9 December |
| 13:05 | Birhanu Balew (BRN) | Al Khobar | 9 December |
World medallists
| 🥇 | Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH) | 12:59 CR |
| 🥈 | Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) | 13:02 |
| 🥉 | Nicholas Kipkorir (KEN) | 13:16 SB |
| Full results | ||
Season at a glance
Yomif Kejelcha’s winning time of 12:50 in yet another top-class race in Lille on 19 March stood as the fastest of 2023 – and the second-fastest of all time behind his Ethiopian compatriot Berihu Aregawi’s 12:49 set in Barcelona in 2021.
But 2019 world 10,000m silver medallist Kejelcha had to settle for another silver at the inaugural World Road Running Championships as his time of 13:02 in the men’s race was three seconds slower than that of his teammate Hagos Gebrhiwet, the 2016 Olympic 5000m bronze medallist.
Ten years after winning the world U20 cross-country title, Gebrhiwet thus earned his long-awaited first senior global title.
Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir earned his first global medal, taking bronze in 13:16.
The two men who followed Kejelcha home in Lille – Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot and Ethiopia’s Telahun Bekele – are joint third and sixth respectively in the season’s world list on 13:04 and 13:07.
Ethiopia’s Biniam Mehary ran 13:04 in Al Khobar on 9 December to join Cheruiyot at the No.3 spot.
Fifth place is held by Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew, who ran 13:05 in Al Khobar after clocking 13:06 in Herzogenaurach in April.
Women’s 10km
Season top list
| 29:19 | Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) | Valencia | 15 January |
| 29:26 | Agnes Jebet Ngetich (KEN) | Lille | 18 November |
| 30:01 | Jesca Chelangat (KEN) | Valencia | 15 January |
| 30:01 | Emmaculate Anyango Acholi (KEN) | Lille | 18 November |
| 30:12 | Senbere Teferi (ETH) | New York | 10 June |
Season at a glance
Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who set the world record of 29:14 in a mixed race at Castellon in February 2022, produced the best effort of 2023 in Spain once again, clocking 29:19 at Valencia on 15 January.
Agnes Ngetich of Kenya moved up to second place behind her in the all-time list as she won the race at Lille on 18 November in 29:26.
It was a notable year for the 22-year-old Kenyan, who won individual bronze and team gold at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst.
Jesca Chelangat of Kenya finished joint third on the season’s list with the 30:01 she set in finishing second to Yehualaw in Valencia.
Yalemzerf Yehualaw wins the 10km Valencia Ibercaja (© Organisers)
Similarly, the runner who shared that distinction with her, Emmaculate Anyango Acholi of Kenya, achieved the time by following Ngetich home in Lille.
Sixth place went to the third woman home in Valencia, Kenya’s Esther Borura, on 30:15.
Fifth and seventh places on the list were occupied by the winner and runner-up in New York on 10 June, Ethiopia’s 2015 world 5000m silver medallist Senbere Teferi, who clocked 30:12, and Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, the two-time Olympic silver medallist and two-time world champion at 5000m, who ran 30:19.
Earlier in the year Obiri, racing her second marathon, had won in Boston, and she returned to the roads of New York to win the marathon on 5 November.
Men’s 10km
Season top list
| 26:33 | Berihu Aregawi (ETH) | Laredo | 11 March |
| 26:49 | Sabastian Kimaru Sawe (KEN) | Herzogenaurach | 29 April |
| 26:53 | Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) | Herzogenaurach | 29 April |
| 26:54 | Nicholas Kipkorir (KEN) | Herzogenaurach | 29 April |
| 26:55 | Weldon Langat (KEN) | Valencia | 15 January |
Season at a glance
Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi topped the 2023 standings with the 26:33 he recorded at Laredo in Spain on 11 March – putting himself second on the all-time list.
Berihu Aregawi runs 26:33 for 10km in Laredo (© Pedro Aboitiz)
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe, who ended the year as the men’s world half marathon champion at the inaugural World Road Running Championships, was the second fastest man in 2023 with the 26:49 he set in winning at the Herzogenaurach race on 29 April.
The next two places on the list go to his compatriots who followed him home in Germany, Kibiwott Kandie and Nicholas Kipkorir, who respectively recorded 26:53 and 26:54.
The following seven places on the list are filled by the finishers at the Valencia race on 15 January, won by Kenya’s Weldon Langat in 26:55.
A total of 64 athletes dipped under 28 minutes throughout the year.
Women’s half marathon
Season top list
| 1:04:37 | Irine Jepchumba Kimais (KEN) | Barcelona | 19 February |
| 1:04:46 | Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) | Barcelona | 19 February |
| 1:04:46 | Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (KEN) | Valencia | 22 October |
| 1:04:53 | Irine Chepet Cheptai (KEN) | Valencia | 22 October |
| 1:05:05 | Hellen Obiri (KEN) | Ras Al Khaimah | 18 February |
World Athletics rankings
| 1 | Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (KEN) | 1271 |
| 2 | Irine Chepet Cheptai (KEN) | 1258 |
| 3 | Irine Jepchumba Kimais (KEN) | 1257 |
| 4 | Agnes Jebet Ngetich (KEN) | 1254 |
| 5 | Janeth Chepngetich (KEN) | 1246 |
World medallists
| 🥇 | Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) | 1:07:25 CR |
| 🥈 | Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (KEN) | 1:07:26 |
| 🥉 | Catherine Reline Amanang'ole (KEN) | 1:07:34 |
| Full results | ||
Season at a glance
Kenya’s Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir earned a third world half marathon title at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23.
The 30-year-old employed her famed finishing speed to take gold in 1:07:25.
She was followed home by her compatriot Margaret Kipkemboi in 1:07:26, with Catherine Reline Amanang’ole completing a 1-2-3 for Kenya in 1:07:34.
“I wanted to win three times and make history, and thank God I have made it,” said Jepchirchir. “It was my birthday this week and I told my husband I would work extra hard to get the win.”
In terms of the fastest times recorded in 2023, six other Kenyan athletes topped the list, headed by Irine Kimais, who clocked 1:04:37 in Barcelona on 19 February, with second-placed Joyciline Jepkosgei, the former world record-holder in a mixed race and 2018 world silver medallist, also one place below her on the list in 1:04:46.
As well as winning world silver in Riga, Kipkemboi finished equal second on the 2023 list through her win in Valencia on 22 October, with the woman who followed her to the line in 1:04:53, Irine Cheptai, remaining fourth on the list.
Behind Hellen Obiri (1:05:05) and Janeth Chepngetich (1:05:15), Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana is seventh on the list with her 1:05:30 win in Lisbon. Also in the top 10 is Eilish McColgan, who took 43 seconds off her own British half marathon record, set 14 months earlier, as she won in Berlin in 1:05:43.
Men’s half marathon
Season top list
| 57:40 | Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) | Valencia | 22 October |
| 57:41 | Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) | Valencia | 22 October |
| 57:41 | Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH) | Valencia | 22 October |
| 57:50 | Selemon Barega (ETH) | Valencia | 22 October |
| 58:29 | Sabastian Kimaru Sawe (KEN) | Valencia | 22 October |
World Athletics rankings
| 1 | Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH) | 1303 |
| 2 | Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) | 1301 |
| 3 | Sabastian Kimaru Sawe (KEN) | 1292 |
| 4 | Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) | 1290 |
| 5 | Jemal Yimer Mekonnen (ETH) | 1274 |
World medallists
| 🥇 | Sabastian Kimaru Sawe (KEN) | 59:10 CR |
| 🥈 | Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (KEN) | 59:14 SB |
| 🥉 | Samwel Nyamai Mailu (KEN) | 59:19 PB |
| Full results | ||
Season at a glance
Kenya dominated the half marathon at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga.
After Peres Jepchirchir headed a Kenyan sweep of the women’s medals, Sabastian Sawe led home two of his Kenyan compatriots in the men’s race.
The 26-year-old Sawe, who had emerged as a force the previous year with a series of high profile wins over the distance, overtook his compatriot Daniel Ebenyo on the home straight to earn the title in 59:10, with Ebenyo taking silver in 59:14 and Samwel Mailu earning bronze in 59:19.
Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer Mekonnen, who had made a bold move for gold earlier, was fourth in 59:22, with Jimmy Gressier of France fifth in 59:46.
It was just the second time in 25 world half marathon races that a nation had swept the men’s podium, the last occasion being in 1997.
Jacob Kiplimo, the world record-holder and world cross country champion who had to miss the World Athletics Championships and World Road Running Championships because of injury, made a notable return to the roads later in the season.
On 19 November, at Nijmegen, he equalled the world 15km best with 41:05, matching the mark set five years earlier by his Ugandan compatriot Joshua Cheptegei.
Women’s marathon
Season top list
| 2:11:53 | Tigist Assefa (ETH) | Berlin | 24 September |
| 2:13:44 | Sifan Hassan (NED) | Chicago | 8 October |
| 2:15:37 | Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) | Chicago | 8 October |
| 2:15:51 | Worknesh Degefa (ETH) | Valencia | 3 December |
| 2:16:22 | Almaz Ayana (ETH) | Valencia | 3 December |
World Athletics rankings
| 1 | Tigist Assefa (ETH) | 1488 |
| 2 | Amane Beriso Shankule (ETH) | 1462 |
| 3 | Sifan Hassan (NED) | 1443 |
| 4 | Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) | 1443 |
| 5 | Almaz Ayana (ETH) | 1416 |
World medallists
| 🥇 | Amane Beriso Shankule (ETH) | 2:24:23 SB |
| 🥈 | Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) | 2:24:34 SB |
| 🥉 | Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi (MAR) | 2:25:17 |
| Full results | ||
Major winners
World Championships: Amane Beriso Shankule (ETH) 2:24:23
Osaka: Haven Hailu Desse (ETH) 2:21:13
Tokyo: Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) 2:16:28
Nagoya: Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:18:08
Xiamen: Meseret Abebayahau (ETH) 2:24:42
Boston: Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:21:38
London: Sifan Hassan (NED) 2:18:33
Sydney: Betsy Saina (USA) 2:26:47
Berlin: Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:11:53
Chicago: Sifan Hassan (NED) 2:13:44
Amsterdam: Meseret Belete (ETH) 2:18:21
New York City: Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:27:23
Shanghai: Siranesh Yirga (ETH) 2:21:28
Valencia: Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 2:15:51
Season at a glance
The first of two marathon landmarks in 2023 took place in Berlin on 24 September as Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa retained her title in stupendous fashion by shattering the women's world record, clocking 2:11:53.
The 27-year-old Ethiopian, who moved from track to road running in 2018, had created a stir in 2022 by knocking 18 minutes off her personal best. Her performance a year on was seismic as she took more than two minutes off the previous mark of 2:14:04 set by Kenya's Brigid Kosgei at the 2019 Chicago Marathon.
The former 800m runner's winning time in Berlin last year of 2:15:17 was then the third-fastest ever recorded; upon her return she set the 13th world record to be witnessed in this race. Assefa finished almost six minutes clear of the second runner home, Kenya’s 2022 Commonwealth bronze medallist Sheila Chepkirui, who clocked 2:17:49.
Not bad for someone who had only taken up marathon running the previous year – and a performance that earned Assefa the World Athlete of the Year award in the out of stadia category.
The women’s title in Chicago was won by a fellow newcomer to the distance, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, whose time of 2:13:44 would have been a world record had it been set just over a fortnight earlier.
The 30-year-old Dutch runner had made her marathon debut in London on 23 April, winning in 2:18:33 despite losing contact with the leaders after stopping to stretch and being 28 seconds adrift at the 25km mark.
In between her two marathons Hassan competed at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, falling metres from the line when apparently poised to regain the 10,000m title she had won in 2019, and earning silver in the 5000m and bronze in the 1500m. The marathon title in Budapest was won by Amane Beriso Shankule, who clocked 2:24:23 ahead of her Ethiopian compatriot Gotytom Gebreslase.
Hassan’s triumph in Chicago frustrated the ambition of Kenya’s 2019 world champion Ruth Chepngetich to earn a third consecutive victory. The latter’s time of 2:15:37 as runner-up was the third fastest of the year.
Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa and Almaz Ayana occupy fourth and fifth places on the season top list after finishing as respective winner and runner-up at the Valencia Marathon on 3 December in 2:15:51 and 2:16:22.
Kenya’s 34-year-old two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri also had a spectacular year on track and road. Having finished sixth in her marathon debut at the 2022 New York City race, Obiri won the Boston Marathon on 17 April in a personal best of 2:21:38.
On 5 November she won the New York City Marathon in 2:27:23, just six seconds ahead of the Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey, who had narrowly beaten her to the world 10,000m title in Oregon the previous year.
Four women broke 2:16 in 2023, 11 bettered 2:18 and 16 went sub-2:19.
Men’s marathon
Season top list
| 2:00:35 | Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) | Chicago | 8 October |
| 2:01:48 | Sisay Lemma (ETH) | Valencia | 3 December |
| 2:02:42 | Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) | Berlin | 24 September |
| 2:03:11 | Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) | Valencia | 3 December |
| 2:03:13 | Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (KEN) | Berlin | 24 September |
World Athletics rankings
| 1 | Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) | 1504 |
| 2 | Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) | 1488 |
| 3 | Benson Kipruto (KEN) | 1408 |
| 4 | Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) | 1396 |
| 5 | Tamirat Tola (ETH) | 1394 |
World medallists
| 🥇 | Victor Kiplangat (UGA) | 2:08:53 |
| 🥈 | Maru Teferi (ISR) | 2:09:12 SB |
| 🥉 | Leul Gebresilase (ETH) | 2:09:19 |
| Full results | ||
Major winners
World Championships: Victor Kiplangat (UGA) 2:08:53
Tokyo: Chalu Deso (ETH) 2:05:22
Seoul: Amedework Walelegn (ETH) 2:05:27
Xiamen: Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba (KEN) 2:08:04
Boston: Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:05:54
London: Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) 2:01:25
Sydney: Othmane El Goumri (MAR) 2:08:20
Berlin: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:02:42
Chicago: Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) 2:00:35
Amsterdam: Joshua Belet (KEN) 2:04:18
New York City: Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:04:58
Shanghai: Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:35
Valencia: Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:01:48
Season at a glance
Kelvin Kiptum ran his first marathon on 4 December last year, two days after he turned 23. He managed to fit in two more before his 24th birthday, by which time he was the world record-holder – and the first man to run a recognised race in less than 2:01:00.
That first marathon, in Valencia, had seen the Kenyan become only the third man to break two hours and two minutes as he clocked 2:01:53, the fastest marathon debut time.
Only his 39-year-old compatriot Eliud Kipchoge, whose official world record, run in that year’s Berlin race, stood at 2:01:09, and Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele, who had recorded 2:01:41, had run faster.
Four months later Kiptum toed the line in rainy conditions at the London Marathon, which he won in 2:01:25, the second-fastest time ever behind Kipchoge’s world record.
And on 8 October Kiptum won the Chicago Marathon in a world record of 2:00:35, taking 34 second off Kipchoge’s mark.
Kiptum was four seconds inside world record pace as he went through 10km in 28:42 and he passed the halfway mark in 60:48, with only compatriot Daniel Mateiko in contact.
"A world record was not in my mind today,” he told reporters. “But I knew one day, one time, I would be a world record-holder. Now I am very happy.”
Kiptum’s achievement came just a fortnight after a similarly seismic improvement of the women’s world record by Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa.
Kipchoge, the two-time Olympic champion, earned a record fifth men's title in Berlin, clocking 2:02:42. That was the fourth-fastest time of 2023, behind the performances of Kiptum and Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, who won the Valencia Marathon in 2:01:48.
The world title was claimed by Victor Kiplangat in Budapest, as he clocked 2:08:53 to win ahead of Israel's Maru Teferi.
Nine men dipped under 2:04 in 2023, while 29 went sub-2:05 and 70 went sub-2:06.
Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics
