Kenya&rsquo;s Hellen Obiri and Evans Chebet will defend their Boston Marathon titles against formidable fields at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Monday (15).
Obiri &ndash; the only woman in history to have won senior world titles indoors, outdoors and at cross country &ndash; made her marathon debut in New York in 2022, clocking 2:25:49, a time that remains her official PB (as performances in Boston are not record-eligible)
Five months later, she won on Boston&rsquo;s downhill course in 2:21:38, then triumphed in a tactical race in New York at the end of 2023 in 2:27:23.
Her only race so far this year came in January at the Houston Half Marathon, where she finished second in 1:06:07. Having won her past two marathons, the two-time world 5000m champion will be keen to make it three in a row on Monday.
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Tadu Teshome and Hiwot Gebrekidan are the fastest women in the field, having both set sub-2:18 PBs in Valencia in recent years.
Teshome&rsquo;s last race was at the Shanghai Marathon in November, where she finished sixth in 2:25:05 &ndash; some way down on her 2:17:36 PB from Valencia one year prior. Gebrekidan was eighth in Boston last year, then went on to finish third in Valencia in a PB of 2:17:59.
Other Ethiopian women in the line-up include 2015 world 5000m silver medallist Senbere Teferi and former world half marathon record-holder Ababel Yeshaneh, a previous podium finisher in Boston, New York and Chicago.
Obiri is one of four past Boston winners who&rsquo;ll take to the startline in the women&rsquo;s race, alongside two-time champion Edna Kiplagat, 2015 winner Caroline Rotich and 2018 victor Desiree Linden.
Kiplagat, the 2017 and 2021 champion, will be making her seventh appearance at the Boston Marathon. The 44-year-old, who has a PB of 2:19:50, finished seventh at last year&rsquo;s New York Marathon.
Other leading Kenyans in the field include 2022 world marathon silver medallist Judith Korir, 2022 New York champion Sharon Lokedi, 2015 world silver medallist Helah Kiprop, and 2014 world half marathon silver medallist Mary Ngugi-Cooper.
Surprise world bronze medallist Fatima Gardadi will be making her first ever appearance in a World Marathon Majors race. Before finishing third in Budapest last year, the Moroccan had won in Marrakech in 2022 and Rabat in 2023. She set a PB of 2:24:12 to finish second in Xiamen earlier this year.
Linden and Rotich feature in a US contingent that also includes Sara Hall, Emma Bates &ndash; who finished fifth last year &ndash; and Jenny Simpson. Simpson, the 2011 world 1500m champion, made her marathon debut at the US Olympic Trials in February but did not finish, so she was keen to put her newfound endurance fitness towards another race.
Evans Chebet heads to Boston looking to become the first man to win three back-to-back Boston Marathon titles since Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot in 2008.
In fact, only four men in total have achieved that feat, with Clarence DeMar (1922-1924), Bill Rodgers (1978-1980) and Cosmas Ndeti (1993-1995) preceding Cheruiyot&rsquo;s triple.
Chebet won in Boston in 2022 in 2:06:51, then successfully defended his title last year in 2:05:54 &ndash; his sixth victory from his past seven marathons.
But Sisay Lemma will take to the start line as the fastest man in the field. The Ethiopian won in Valencia in December in 2:01:48, making him the fourth-fastest man in history.
It was Lemma&rsquo;s first marathon victory since his triumph in London in 2021, but his record in Boston is not quite so strong. He didn&rsquo;t finish in 2017, then placed 30th in 2019. He&rsquo;ll be hoping that Monday&rsquo;s race will be third time lucky.
Tanzania&rsquo;s Gabriel Geay, who was runner-up in Boston last year, also returns to the US city. He has an identical PB to Chebet &ndash; 2:03:00 &ndash; and, like the Kenyan, it was also set in Valencia.
Other men in the field with sub-2:05 PBs are Kenya&rsquo;s 2016 Paris Marathon winner Cyprian Kotut (2:04:34), Ethiopia&rsquo;s Haftu Teklu (2:04:43) and Shura Kitata (2:04:49), the runner-up in London and New York in 2018.
Albert Korir won the 2021 New York Marathon and 2019 Houston Marathon, so he&rsquo;ll be keen to notch up a marathon victory in a third US city on Monday. He has competed in Boston twice before, finishing sixth in 2022 and fourth last year.
Former Japanese record-holder Suguru Osako and Norwegian record-holder Sondre Moen are also in the field, as is Morocco&rsquo;s Zouhair Talbi, winner of this year&rsquo;s Houston Marathon in a course record 2:06:39. Talbi was fifth in Boston last year, finishing one place ahead of Eliud Kipchoge.
<h3>Elite fields</h3>
Women Tadu Teshome (ETH) 2:17:36 Hiwot Gebrekidan (ETH) 2:17:59 Judith Korir (KEN) 2:18:20 Meseret Belete (ETH) 2:18:21 Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) 2:18:47 Worknesh Edesa (ETH) 2:18:51 Senbere Teferi (ETH) 2:19:21 Dera Dida (ETH) 2:19:24 Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50 Mary Ngugi-Cooper (KEN) 2:20:22 Sara Hall (USA) 2:20:32 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:51 Vibian Chepkirui (KEN) 2:20:59 Siranesh Yirga (ETH) 2:21:08 Helah Kiprop (KEN) 2:21:27 Buze Diriba (ETH) 2:23:11 Emma Bates (USA) 2:23:18 Caroline Rotich (USA) 2:23:22 Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:23:23 Fatima Gardadi (MAR) 2:24:12 Angie Orjuela (COL) 2:25:35 Fabienne Konigstein (GER) 2:25:48 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:25:49 Desiree Linden (USA) 2:25:55 Dominique Scott (RSA) 2:27:31 Jenny Simpson (USA) n/a
Men Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:01:48 Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:03:00 Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:03:00 Cyprian Kotut (KEN) 2:04:34 Haftu Teklu (ETH) 2:04:43 Shura Kitata (ETH) 2:04:49 John Korir (KEN) 2:05:01 Mohamed Esa (ETH) 2:05:05 Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:05:29 Sondre Moen (NOR) 2:05:48 Zouhair Talbi (MAR) 2:06:39 Isaac Mpofu (ZIM) 2:06:48 Albert Korir (KEN) 2:06:57 Kento Otsu (JPN) 2:08:15 Ryoma Takeuchi (JPN) 2:08:40 Sam Chelanga (USA) 2:08:50 Segundo Jami (ECU) 2:09:05 Tsegay Tuemay (ERI) 2:09:07 Matt McDonald (USA) 2:09:49 Elkanah Kibet (USA) 2:10:02 CJ Albertson (USA) 2:10:04 David Nilsson (SWE) 2:10:09 Tristan Woodfine (CAN) 2:10:39 Yemane Haileselassie (ERI) debut

Hellen Obiri and Evans Chebet will defend their Boston Marathon titles against formidable fields

Defending champions Obiri and Chebet take on strong opposition in Boston

Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland will send 32 athletes to the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 on 4-5 May.
Great Britain secured medals in four of the five relay disciplines at last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Budapest, so they will be hopeful of another successful outing in Nassau as they aim to earn qualifying places for the Paris Olympic Games.
&ldquo;The performances in Budapest last summer were fantastic but we know each year the other nations are working harder and harder on their relay programmes,&rdquo; said UKA Olympic Head Coach Paula Dunn. &ldquo;We cannot take anything for granted and we are going there with a clear aim to put us on the road to Paris.&rdquo;
<h3>British team for Bahamas</h3>
Women 4x100m: Kristal Ama-Awuah, Alyson Bell, Amy Hunt, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Asha Philip, Aleeya Sibbons, Annie Tagoe, Bianca Williams 4x400m: Hannah Kelly, Victoria Ohuruogu, Emily Newnham, Lina Nielsen, Laviai Nielsen, Ama Pipi, Nicole Yeargin, Jodie Williams
Men 4x100m: Eugene Amo-Dadzie, Jona Efoloko, Romell Glave, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Reece Prescod, Chijindu Ujah 4x400m: Joe Brier, Lewis Davey, Charlie Dobson, Toby Harries, Alex Haydock-Wilson, Matthew Hudson Smith, Lee Thompson, Brodie Young
Mixed 4x400m: athletes chosen from men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 4x400m squads

World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

Great Britain will send 32 athletes to the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

British team named for World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

Multiple global medallists &ndash; including double world champions Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez &ndash; will be among the athletes in action at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 on 21 April.
The programme features five races (times stated are local time): 7:00 U20 men&rsquo;s 10km race walk 8:00 U20 women&rsquo;s 10km race walk 9:10 senior women&rsquo;s 20km race walk 11:05 senior men&rsquo;s 20km race walk 12:55 marathon race walk mixed relay
The competition holds extra significance this year, as it is a qualifying event for the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Paris Olympic Games.
All races will be contested on a 2km loop course located close to the Antalya Expo Centre in Antalya, Turkiye.
It is a wide, flat course with large turning points at both ends. The start and finish area is in front of the Expo 2016 Botanical Park.
<h3>Scoring</h3>
In the senior 20km races, each team can feature up to five athletes, with the top three athletes on each team to score. In the U20 10km races, teams can include up to three athletes, with the top two athletes on each team to score.
Each race will be scored separately and the team with the lowest aggregate of points will be judged the winner. If a team fails to finish with a complete scoring team, the athletes will be counted as individuals in the race result and be eligible for the corresponding individual medals.
In the event of a tie, it shall be resolved in favour of the team whose last scoring member finishes nearer to first place.
Prize money will be awarded as follows for the senior team events:
Team 1st US$15,000 2nd US$12,000 3rd US$9000 4th US$7500 5th US$6000 6th US$3000
If a world record is broken in the senior women&rsquo;s or men&rsquo;s 20km races, a prize of US$50,000 will be awarded, subject to ratification.
<h3>Marathon race walk mixed relay and Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualification</h3>
The marathon race walk mixed relay makes its World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships debut in Antalya. The event involves teams of one man and one woman who will complete the marathon distance (42.195km) in legs of 12.195km (man), 10km (woman), 10km (man) and 10km (woman). Athletes must carry a wristband that will be transferred to the next athlete within the 20m long takeover zone. Scoring for the relay will be according to the finishing order.
Each nation can have up to three teams competing in the marathon race walk mixed relay in Antalya. The first 22 teams to finish will automatically qualify for the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Olympics in Paris. Up to five of those first 22 teams can be a second team from the same country.
In Antalya, the composition of each team and the competing order will be declared on the day of competition.
Entry lists for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 were published on Thursday (11) and are available <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/antalya-24/news/press-releases/entry-lists-wrw-antalya-24-published" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
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World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships

Useful details ahead of the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

Key info for WRW Antalya 24

Entry lists for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 confirm that 431 athletes from 52 countries will descend on Turkiye for the global event on Sunday 21 April.
The entry lists can be downloaded here: <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6617b8e56c070960987c7029.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6617b8e56c070960987c7029.pdf">Entries by event and season&rsquo;s best</a> <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6617b8fa6c070960987c702c.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6617b8fa6c070960987c702c.pdf">Entries by country</a>
A total of 198 athletes (108 men, 90 women) are entered for the senior 20km races, while 106 athletes (56 men, 50 women) are set to compete in the U20 races.
The marathon race walk mixed relay makes its World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships debut in Antalya, with Paris 2024 Olympic Games places up for grabs. While the entries by country list features the names of athletes entered by each nation for the relay, athletes entered for other events in Antalya can also be included in the final composition of mixed relay teams.
China topped the medal table at the last edition of the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat, Oman, in 2022, with a total of six gold medals.
Ma Zhenxia was among the winners two years ago and she is entered to defend her senior women&rsquo;s 20km title fresh from setting a PB of 1:26:07 at the Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix in Taicang on 3 March. Peru&rsquo;s double 2022 world champion Kimberly Garcia, who was third in Muscat, and Ecuador&rsquo;s Glenda Morejon, who won the 35km race in Muscat, are expected to provide tough opposition.
The fields are stacked and listed for the mixed relay alone are all three reigning Olympic race walk champions &ndash; Italy&rsquo;s Antonella Palmisano, Italy&rsquo;s Massimo Stano and Poland&rsquo;s Dawid Tomala &ndash; plus Spain&rsquo;s Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez, who both achieved a 20km and 35km race walk double at last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Budapest.
Tokyo Olympic medallists Lorena Arenas of Colombia, Evan Dunfee of Canada, Jonathan Hilbert of Germany, Koki Ikeda of Japan and Liu Hong of China are also among those listed, as are 2023 world medallists Caio Bonfim of Brazil, Masatora Kawano of Japan and Jemima Montag of Australia.
Sweden&rsquo;s four-time world medallist Perseus Karlstrom is entered for the senior men&rsquo;s 20km, two years on from winning the 35km title in Muscat. Bonfim is also listed for this event, along with Ecuador&rsquo;s world 35km silver medallist Brian Pintado, Germany&rsquo;s Christopher Linke, Japan&rsquo;s Ryo Hamanishi and Spain&rsquo;s Paul McGrath.
The host nation&rsquo;s squad features multiple world age group medallist Meryem Bekmez and world U20 champion Mazlum Demir.
China&rsquo;s Li Chenjie and Yang Xizhen lead the lists of entries for the U20 events.
The final start lists will be available on Saturday 20 April.
World Athletics

Entry lists for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 confirm that 431 athletes from 52 countries will descend on Turkiye for the global event on Sunday 21 April

Entry lists for WRW Antalya 24 published

Benson Kipruto has won multiple major marathons, but despite being one of Kenya&rsquo;s most consistent and accomplished road runners, competing at the Olympic Games has so far eluded him.
After winning the Boston Marathon in 2021, the Chicago Marathon in 2022 and the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year, the 33-year-old has been named on Kenya&rsquo;s provisional marathon squad for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. To wear the Kenyan vest on the biggest stage would mean everything to him.
Sharing insight into his lifestyle, ambitions and inspiration, Kipruto takes <a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6617b26eb6179ffbd2fe7dbe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Inside Track</a> on a run at dusk through the tea plantations in Nandi County, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the beautiful environment in which he hones his craft:
<div><a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/latest-videos/6617b26eb6179ffbd2fe7dbe" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6617ae14b6179ffbd2fe7dbb.jpg" alt="Benson Kipruto: the love of a country" /></a>
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</div>
&ldquo;We feel at home here,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really nice to stay together &ndash; the big athletes, as you say. But here, we are equal because we stay humble. Everyone stays humble here. We all train together, we all eat together, so we are like a family.
&ldquo;Whenever I am in a race or whenever I am training, I get motivated by other athletes, even the young ones. We train together and we encourage each other.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m inspired by the likes of Eliud Kipchoge. When he might retire &ndash; I hope not soon &ndash; I would like to follow his footsteps.
&ldquo;Competing in the Olympics will mean a lot. If I qualify, I will do my best to represent my country. I would be privileged to represent my country for the first time. I love my country.&rdquo;

Sharing insight into his lifestyle, ambitions and inspiration, Kipruto takes World Athletics Inside Track on a run at dusk through the tea plantations in Nandi County, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the beautiful environment in which he hones his craft

Benson Kipruto: the love of a country

Athing Mu, Mary Moraa and Keely Hodgkinson &ndash; the three women who&rsquo;ve claimed the 800m medals at the past two World Championships &ndash; will clash at the Prefontaine Classic when the Wanda Diamond League reaches Eugene on 25 May.
Mu won in Eugene last year when Hayward Field hosted the Wanda Diamond League Final. Having finished third at the World Championships three months prior, the Olympic champion gained revenge on home soil and kicked to victory in a US record of 1:54.97.
Hodgkinson &ndash; as she had done at the Olympics in 2021, as well as at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships &ndash; finished second on that occasion in a British record of 1:55.19.
Moraa wound up fourth in that race, but the Kenyan had won the biggest prize of the year in Budapest, taking the world title in a PB of 1:56.03.
The trio have clashed just three times in the past, with Mu coming out on top in two of those encounters.
It&rsquo;s the second big middle-distance clash announced by the Prefontaine Classic, following the news last month that Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen will take on world champion Josh Kerr and North American record-holder Yared Nuguse in the Bowerman mile.

World 800m medallist will clash at the Prefontaine Classic on 25 May

Mu, Moraa and Hodgkinson confirmed for 800m clash in Eugene

In a landmark decision, World Athletics has today (10 April) announced it will become the first international federation to award prize money at an Olympic Games, financially rewarding athletes for achieving the pinnacle of sporting success, starting at this summer&rsquo;s Olympic Games in Paris.
A total prize pot of US$2.4 million has been ring fenced from the International Olympic Committee&rsquo;s revenue share allocation, which is received by World Athletics every four years. This will be used to reward athletes who win a gold medal in each of the 48 athletics events in Paris with US$50,000.
This initiative by World Athletics also includes a firm commitment to extend the prize money at a tiered level, to Olympic silver and bronze medal winners at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
When sharing details of the decision, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe commented: "The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, underscoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognising the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games.
&ldquo;This is the continuation of a journey we started back in 2015, which sees all the money World Athletics receives from the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games go directly back into our sport.
&ldquo;We started with the Olympic dividend payments to our Member Federations, which saw us distribute an extra US$5m a year on top of existing grants aimed at athletics growth projects, and we are now in a position to also fund gold medal performances for athletes in Paris, with a commitment to reward all three medallists at the LA28 Olympic Games.
&ldquo;While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, I think it is important we start somewhere and make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is.&rdquo;
The payment of prize money will depend upon the World Athletics ratification process, including athletes undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures. Each individual Olympic champion will receive US$50,000. Relay teams will receive the same amount, to be shared among the team. The format and structure of the LA28 Olympic bonuses will be announced nearer the time.
World Athletics

The XXXIII Olympic Games

World Athletics will become the first international federation to award prize money at an Olympic Games

World Athletics introduces prize money for Olympic gold medallists

Polish race walking great Robert Korzeniowski has been announced as World Athletics ambassador for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 taking place on 21 April.
Korzeniowski is a four-time Olympic gold medallist who also claimed three world titles and became a world record-breaker during his highly decorated career.
He now heads to the Turkish coastal city of Antalya where the current generation of race walk talent will compete for titles and Olympic places.
&ldquo;I am convinced that our Turkish hosts will delight us not only with their beautiful hospitality, but they will also show their excellent sports side,&rdquo; said Korzeniowski, who claimed 20km silver at the World Race Walking Cup in 2004.
After winning his first Olympic gold in the 50km race walk in Atlanta in 1996, Korzeniowski became the first athlete to successfully defend the title in Sydney four years later, also making history as the first athlete to win a 20km and 50km race walk double at the same Olympic Games.
He won his third consecutive Olympic 50km race walk title in Athens in 2004 and by that point he was the world record-holder, having clocked 3:36:03 to win his third world title in Paris in 2003 after getting gold in Athens in 1997 and Edmonton in 2001.
Having experienced great global success during his own career, Korzeniowski is looking forward to watching the world&rsquo;s best attempt to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Not only does the programme in Antalya include senior 20km races and U20 10km events, but it also features the marathon race walk mixed relay for the first time. Teams of one man and one woman will complete the marathon distance in legs of 12.195km (man), 10km (woman), 10km (man) and 10km (woman). The first 22 teams to finish in Antalya will automatically qualify for the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Olympics in Paris. Up to five of those first 22 teams can be a second team from the same country.
&ldquo;I am very curious how the mixed relays will proceed in terms of qualifying for the Olympics. This will be a very exciting and most important pre-Olympic test,&rdquo; said Korzeniowski. &ldquo;I believe that the marathon distance of the relay and its mixed nature perfectly fit into the new trends in athletics.
&ldquo;I am also waiting to see the U20 athletes in action, because they will be responsible for the Olympic future of walking in LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032.&rdquo;
Since his retirement from international competition, Korzeniowski has gone on to craft a successful career in broadcasting and business. He created the Robert Korzeniowski Foundation and organises world-class race walking meetings.
&ldquo;I must admit that instead of commentating on the relay, I would like to try my hand at it myself, for example with my sister Sylwia with whom I took part in the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004,&rdquo; Korzeniowski added.
&ldquo;Promoting walking as a healthy, lifelong activity and educating the next generations of sports walking champions is my life mission.&rdquo;
World Athletics

Polish race walking great Robert Korzeniowski has been announced as World Athletics ambassador for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

Korzeniowski announced as ambassador for WRW Antalya 24

Antonella Palmisano and Massimo Stano, the Olympic 20km race walk champions, will compete for Italy at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24 on 21 April.
The two global gold medallists are part of a strong marathon race walk mixed relay squad for Italy, alongside 2023 European Team Championships winner Francesco Fortunato and Olympian Valentina Trapletti.
It&rsquo;s possible for countries to qualify two teams for the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Paris Olympics, and Italy will have high hopes of doing that in Antalya.
In the 20km races, the team includes 2019 world 50km bronze medallist Eleonora Giorgi and European U23 silver medallist Alexandrina Mihai in the women&rsquo;s race, plus Olympian Andrea Agrusti in the men&rsquo;s event.
European U20 medallists Giulia Gabriele and Giuseppe Disabato are named for the U20 10km events.
<h3>Italian team for Antalya</h3>
Women 20km: Nicole Colombi, Federica Curiazzi, Eleonora Dominici, Eleonora Giorgi, Alexandrina Mihai U20 10km: Michelle Canto, Serena Di Fabio, Giulia Gabriele
Men 20km: Andrea Agrusti, Michele Antonelli, Emiliano Brigante, Riccardo Orsoni, Gianluca Picchiottino U20 10km: Alessio Coppola, Andrea Di Carlo, Giuseppe Disabato
Mixed Team relay: Francesco Fortunato, Massimo Stano, Antonella Palmisano, Valentina Trapletti

Antonella Palmisano and Massimo Stano, the Olympic 20km race walk champions, will compete for Italy at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Antalya 24

Olympic champions Palmisano and Stano lead Italian team for WRW Antalya 24

Mestawut Fikir excelled on her debut at the distance by winning the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon in 2:20:45, while compatriot Mulugeta Uma made it an Ethiopian double by taking the men&rsquo;s title in 2:05:33 at the World Athletics Elite Label road race on Sunday (7).
In a close finish, Fikir won by three seconds from fellow Ethiopian Enatnesh Tirusew, who was also making her marathon debut. Kenya&rsquo;s Vivian Cheruiyot, the 2016 Olympic 5000m champion and four-time world champion on the track, was third in 2:21:46 in what was the 40-year-old&rsquo;s first marathon in five years.
Uma won the men&rsquo;s race by 15 seconds from Kenya&rsquo;s Titus Kipruto. Elisha Rotich, the course record-holder and 2021 winner, was third this time in 2:06:54.
A pack of about 10 women ran together during the early stages, with Ethiopia&rsquo;s Rahma Tusa leading them through 10km in 33:23. That pack had reduced to six women by the time they reached half way in 1:10:11, with Tusa still leading from Tirusew and Fikir while Cheruiyot bided her time at the back of the pack.
By 30km, Cheruiyot had fallen about 20 seconds behind the leaders with Tusa still pushing the pace out in front. But the long-time leader started to fade a few kilometres later as Fikir and Tirusew made a break.
The Ethiopian duo continued to run side by side through the closing kilometres while Cheruiyot rallied back and made her way up into third place. In the final push, Fikir broke away from her compatriot to win in 2;20:45, while Tirusew claimed second place in 2:20:48. Cheruiyot crossed the line 58 seconds later.
The men&rsquo;s race played out in similar fashion, the large lead pack going through 10km in 29:08 and half way in 1:02:09, at which point they were on track to challenge Rotich&rsquo;s course record of 2:04:21.
The pack became strung out over the course of the next 10 kilometres with Kipruto leading them through 30km in 1:28:27, closing followed by Uma and his fellow Ethiopians Deso Gelmisa and Dejane Megersa.
Kipruto continued to lead through 35km, at which point he had just three others for company: Gelmisa, Uma and Kenya&rsquo;s Bethwell Kipkemboi. Uma then started to pick up the pace and overtook Kipruto with just a few kilometres to go. Further back, Rotich was making his way through the field.
Uma continued to extend his lead over Kipruto in the closing stages and he went on to win in a PB of 2:05:33, finishing 15 seconds ahead of Kipruto. Rotich passed a fading Kipkemboi to take third in 2:06:54.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Mestawut Fikir (ETH) 2:20:45 2 Enatnesh Tirusew (ETH) 2:20:48 3 Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:21:46 4 Valentina Mateiko (KEN) 2:24:21 5 Rahma Tusa (ETH) 2:24:48 6 Yenenesh Dinkesa (ETH) 2:26:00 7 Medina Armino (ETH) 2:26:01 8 Ethlemahu Sintayehu (ETH) 2:26:03
Men 1 Mulugeta Uma (ETH) 2:05:33 2 Titus Kipruto (KEN) 2:05:48 3 Elisha Rotich (KEN) 2:06:54 4 Bethwell Kipkemboi (KEN) 2:07:08 5 Cosmas Muteti (KEN) 2:07:37 6 Deso Gelmisa (ETH) 2:07:39 7 Mathias Kyburz (SUI) 2:07:44 8 Dejane Megersa (ETH) 2:08:41
&nbsp;
<h2>Aga breaks course record in Daegu</h2>
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Rui Aga chopped 48 seconds off the course record at the Daegu Marathon, winning the World Athletics Gold Label road race in 2:21:08 on Sunday (7).
Kenya&rsquo;s Stephen Kiprop, meanwhile, won the men&rsquo;s race by a comfortable 36-second margin in 2:07:04.
In the women&rsquo;s race, the lead pack passed through 10km in 33:23 but by 20km, reached in 1:06:17, the front group had been reduced to just three women: Aga, Kenya&rsquo;s Evaline Chirchir, and Bahrain&rsquo;s Tigist Belay. Angela Tanui &ndash; the fastest woman in the field &ndash; had dropped behind by about nine seconds by this point.
The same lead trio passed through the half-way point in 1:10:00, then Aga started to make a break a few kilometres later. By 30km, which Aga passed in 1:38:50, she had a 31-second lead over Chirchir. Tanui, meanwhile, had moved up into third, 12 seconds behind her compatriot.
Aga reached 35km in 1:55:28, which suggested a finishing time comfortably inside 2:20. But the Ethiopian &ndash; who was contesting her second marathon of the year, having equalled her PB of 2:18:09 in January &ndash; then started to tire in the final few kilometres.
Tanui, meanwhile, was going from strength to strength and started to catch glimpses of the Ethiopian on the longer stretches. Fortunately for the tiring Aga, the lead she had built up earlier in the race provided enough of a cushion for her to maintain the lead as she entered the Daegu Stadium &ndash; venue of the 2011 World Championships &ndash; and crossed the finish line in 2:21:08, breaking the course record of 2:21:56 that had been set by Eritrea&rsquo;s Nazret Weldu in 2022.
Tanui finished second in 2:21:32, then Chirchir followed 40 seconds later. Australia&rsquo;s Commonwealth champion Jessica Stenson came through for fourth place in a PB of 2:24:01.
By contrast, a large lead pack remained in contention in the men&rsquo;s race and it was only in the final few kilometres that the group finally split apart.
They went through the first 10km in 29:48, and 20 men were still in contention at half way, reached in 1:03:20. Even by 30km, which was passed in 1:30:19, there were 18 men in the lead pack.
But at 35km (1:45:46), Stephen Kipruto started to push the pace. The lead pack, which still comprised 14 men, started to break up, and two kilometres later there were just five men out in front.
Cherop and fellow Kenyan Kennedy Kimutai made a break at about 37km, opening up some significant distance on the few remaining opponents. But they didn&rsquo;t run as a duo for long, because Cherop then managed to carve out a lead of his own with just under three kilometres remaining.
He continued to extend his lead to the end, eventually crossing the finish line in a PB of 2:07:04. Kimutai held on for second in 2:07:40 and Tanzania&rsquo;s Alphonce Simbu claimed third place in 2:07:55.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Ruti Aga (ETH) 2:21:08 2 Angela Tanui (KEN) 2:21:32 3 Evaline Chirchir (KEN) 2:22:12 4 Jessica Stenson (AUS) 2:24:01 5 Tigist Belay (BRN) 2:24:39 6 Sandrafelis Tuei (KEN) 2:26:57
Men 1 Stephen Kiprop (KEN) 2:07:04 2 Kennedy Kimutai (KEN) 2:07:40 3 Alphonce Simbu (TAN) 2:07:55 4 Ben Chelimo (KEN) 2:08:04 5 Kaan Kigen Ozbilen (TUR) 2:08:19 6 Gilbert Kibet (KEN) 2:08:32
&nbsp;
<h2>Kipkosgei and Memuye the winners in Milan</h2>
Kenya&rsquo;s Titus Kimutai Kipkosgei and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Tigist Gebeyahu Memuye were the winners at the Wizz Air Milano Marathon &ndash; a World Athletics Label road race &ndash; on Sunday (7).
Kipkosgei crossed the finish line in 2:07:12, improving his PB by 34 seconds, while Memunye won the women&rsquo;s race in 2:26:32. The race was held on a new loop course, with the start and finish in Piazza del Duomo.
In the men&rsquo;s race, a large lead pack went through 10km in 29:57 and the half-way mark in 1:03:42.
Ten athletes were still in the lead group at 28km. Andrew Rotich Kwemoi, who won in Milan last year, made a move and reached 30km in 1:30:51 with only Kipkosgei, Isaac Kipkemboi Too and Raymond Choge Kipchumba able to stick with him.
Kwemoi surged away at 34km and held the lead until 37km when Kipkosgei caught him. Kipkosgei broke away from Kwemoi at 39km and held on to win in 2:07:12.
Kipchumba moved past Kwemoi at 40km to finish second in 2:07:36 with Kwemoi taking third place in 2:07:52.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very happy to set a PB in such a beautiful race,&rdquo; said Kipkosgei. &ldquo;I was careful to save some energy for the final part of the race. When I took the lead, I found the energy to launch my final sprint.&rdquo;
In the women&rsquo;s race, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Fantu Gelasa Shugi and Kuftu Dadiso Tahir took an early lead and went through 10km in 33:27 with a 23-second margin over Memunye. Shugi surged away at 18km and reached the half-way mark in 1:10:34 with a gap of 26 seconds over Dadiso, while Memunye was a further 51 seconds adrift.
Shugi built a gap of almost two minutes over Memunye and reached 30km in 1:40:59, but her effort took its toll in the final stages of the race.
Sophy Jepchirchir from Kenya moved up into third, overtaking Dadiso at 30km. Then Memunye caught up Shugi at 39km and broke away from her compatriot in the final two kilometres before crossing the finish line in 2:26:32.
Jepchirchir moved past Shugi in the closing stages to finish second in a PB of 2:27:12. Shugi was third in 2:30:52.
&ldquo;The win was totally unexpected,&rdquo; said Memuye, who trains alongside world record-holder Tigist Assefa and world champion Amane Beriso. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m very happy with my performance. This is my come-back after a long break due to injury.&rdquo;
Diego Sampaolo for World Athletics
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Gebeyahu Tigist Memuye (ETH) 2:26:32 2 Sophy Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:27:12 3 Gelasa Fantu Shugi (ETH) 2:30:52
Men 1 Titus Kimutai Kipkosgei (KEN) 2:07:12 2 Raymond Choge Kipchumba (KEN) 2:07:36 3 Andrew Kwemoi Rotich (UGA) 2:07:52

Round-up of marathon action from Paris, Daegu and Milan

Marathon debutante Fikir leads Ethiopian double in Paris

March winds were harsh on both Podebrady Walking winners, but April has brought pure joy.
Perseus Karlstrom and Kimberly Garcia were forced to drop out of World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold races last month, but bounced back to triumph in the Czech spa town east of Prague on Saturday (6).
Garcia took on a hot race in every sense of the word. The thermometer rose to 23&deg;C in a 20km race that still provided a course record for the double world champion from Peru.
In fact, the first three broke the previous mark set by Antonella Palmisano in 2021.
This time, the Olympic gold medallist had to give way at 16km as Garcia went through the gears. It seemed for a moment the Italian was destined to take a consolation second place. But Ecuador&rsquo;s Glenda Morejon had other ideas, turning a two seconds disadvantage into a three-second lead going into the bell lap that decided the order.
All three were comfortably under 1:28:00. Garcia&rsquo;s new Podebrady mark was a heartening 1:27:08.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66117a44fc55e3a58525fe6a.jpg" alt="Kimberly Garcia leads the women's 20km at Podebrady Walking" />
Kimberly Garcia leads the women's 20km at Podebrady Walking (&copy; Jan Houska / Czech Athletic Federation)
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Behind them were four PBs in the top 10 to belie conditions.
From the gun, 20-plus athletes went through the first kilometre in a comfortable 4:30, comfortable that is for the calibre of walker at the front.
By the end of the second lap, that throng was already thinning as the pace picked up. In fact, the leading nine had creviced open a small gap at 3km (13:16), with another significant group headed by France&rsquo;s Clemence Beretta right behind.
The pace had steadied by the next time round, but it still found past winner Eleonora Giorgi just about hanging on.
The leaders were forced to go the long way round, right and left, when passing four lapped walkers stretched across the course. Even so, quarter distance was reached in 22:06, and the leaders were down to six although Magaly Bonilla from Ecuador was desperately trying to stay in touch.
It was Italy versus south and central America by lap eight (35:21) &ndash; and the rest playing catch-up, with double world silver medallist Katarzyna Zdzieblo back in 13th already 34 seconds behind, and Beretta passed by two teammates mixing it with a second group from South America.
At halfway in 44:06, Bonilla and Giorgi were again feeling the pace, especially with a last circuit of 4:21.&nbsp;
The gloves were definitely off one lap later. The front four clocked 4:18, and that did for Giorgi, Bonilla and Brazilian Viviane Lyra.&nbsp;
The next casualty was surprisingly Alegna Gonzalez from Mexico, with Garcia biding her time. That was because the pink-vested Morejon had already made a break for home, seven laps before the finish.
But the gap was a mere second, and Garcia underlined her class as she refused to give way.
At three-quarters distance (65:39) it was 22 seconds to a distant Gonzalez walking solo, so barring disaster the podium was already filled.
As the leading trio completed 16km with a 4:17 lap, it was Garcia&rsquo;s turn to put the hammer down.
As the day got hotter, so did the pace. The next lap was a second quicker but it found Palmisano and Morejon nine seconds back.
The leader sailed on imperiously over the next kilometre, and the battle for second also looked settled. Palmisano got a vital three seconds over the Ecuadorean, and that appeared to be that in deciding first, second, third.
However, Morejon would not be denied and lit the afterburners to claw back the deficit and finish a fine second.
There were PBs for Lyra and Bonilla in fifth and sixth behind Gonzalez, who duelled to the line, as well as Paula Torres from Ecuador who chopped a massive 3:15 off her previous mark.
France&rsquo;s Pauline Stey, ninth, and Camille Moutard, 11th, also had reasons to be cheerful as they re-wrote personal records going under 1:30:00 for the first time.
&ldquo;I liked the circuit very much and was happy to set the record,&rdquo; said Garcia. &ldquo;Everything is geared to the Olympics and the preparation is going well.&rdquo;
<h2>Win No.4 for Karlstrom</h2>
Unlike the women, the leading group of 14 men had already creviced a small gap after the first 1km lap, covered in 3:54.
The pace eased to a more comfortable 4:03 at 2km, and 11:58, one lap later, suggested things were levelling out with real racing yet to come.
Mexico&rsquo;s Jose Luis Doctor and Ricardo Ortiz were pushing at the front of a group of nine, but four others ominously including Sweden&rsquo;s multiple world medallist Karlstrom were only a couple of seconds back.
The pace eased a little more, so that by 5km in 20:00 exactly a single file of 18 streamed through. Parity was almost retained at 7km, but that stretched elastic had whittled the group as it lost three off the back.
Olympic and world bronze medallist Evan Dunfee of Canada decided to give it a go at the front and clocked a three-second lead over former winners Francisco Fortunato of Italy, Caio Bonfim of Brazil and Christopher Linke of Germany, by eighth time round.&nbsp;
They in turn had the luxury of a gap to the leading chasers now passing in dribs and drabs.
Karlstrom then hit the accelerator to join the chasing three, and along with Linke and Dunfee they had left Bonfim and Fortunato in their wake at halfway (39:40).
Dunfee was just about in touch by 14km, but still four seconds behind the Swede, with Bonfim (55:25) now commanding third ahead of Fortunato (55:37). France's Gabriel Bordier was having the race of his life and chasing Fortunato.
A symmetrical 58:58 was Karlstrom&rsquo;s clocking after 15km, with Dunfee staring at the leader&rsquo;s distant back which was getting smaller all the time.
Bonfim was an isolated third, but Bordier had drawn level with Fortunato and both were another 30 seconds in arrears.
The race for top spot was over at 17km.&nbsp;
By then, Karlstrom was 30 seconds up on Dunfee, although Bonfim was enjoying a second wind and closing in on second place. In fact, there was only seven seconds in it at the bell, but it was enough and the order of the first three was decided.
Bordier was a plucky fourth, and last year&rsquo;s winner Fortunato finished a tired sixth.
Behind them was a PB for his Italian teammate Andrea Cosi in 1:20:56, improving his previous best by an impressive 43 seconds.
The winner admitted he eased off the pedal despite clocking a meeting record of 1:18:22 to break the existing mark &ndash; his own, shared with Bonfim &ndash; by 32 seconds.
&ldquo;I could see at 16km I had a lead, but I was worried my leg was tightening up and so I slowed down a little,&rdquo; said Karlstrom, &ldquo;but I was still pleased with my performance.&rdquo;
Paul Warburton for World Athletics

March winds were harsh on both Podebrady Walking winners, but April has brought pure joy

Karlstrom and Garcia break meeting records in Podebrady

World half marathon champion Sabastian Sawe improved the 14-year-old race record by winning the Prague Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, in a world-leading PB of 58:24 on Saturday (6).
The 29-year-old was racing just a week after finishing seventh at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, where he formed part of Kenya&rsquo;s gold medal-winning senior men&rsquo;s team.
But he showed no signs of fatigue as he took control of the race in warm conditions in Prague. Despite running the second half solo, he maintained his pace and managed to take five seconds off his PB to claim a dominant win ahead of his compatriots Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba (1:00:01) and Patrick Mosin (1:00:15).
The women&rsquo;s race was much closer and after exchanging the lead from 15km, Ethiopia&rsquo;s Gete Alemayehu eventually strode away from Kenya&rsquo;s Jesca Chelangat to win in 1:08:10. Chelangat finished three seconds behind the winner, while Ethiopia&rsquo;s Nigsti Haftu was third in 1:09:30.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/661140caff451ebba73aa863.jpg" alt="Gete Alemayehu wins the Prague Half Marathon" />
Gete Alemayehu wins the Prague Half Marathon (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
In the men&rsquo;s race, the lead group set off behind two pacemakers and quickly created a gap on the rest of the field.
With the pacemakers gone, Sawe took charge and led through 5km in 13:48. As he forged ahead, his rivals couldn&rsquo;t stick with the pace and by 10km Sawe was running alone. He passed that point in 27:32, nine seconds ahead of his compatriots Gideon Kiprotich Rop and Mosin.
Sawe increased his advantage to 45 seconds by 15km, which he reached in 41:25, and he continued untroubled to pick up his pace in sight of the finish line, which he crossed in 58:24.
Improving his PB, he moved from 14th to 12th on the world all-time list.
Behind Kipchumba and Mosin, Rop ran 1:00:45 and Jackson Muema 1:02:01 to complete a Kenyan top five.
In the women&rsquo;s race, Alemayehu and Chelangat ran together through 5km in 15:43 but Alemayehu dropped back as Chelangat followed the pacemaker through 10km in 31:26. Alemayehu was 11 seconds behind Chelangat at that point but as the race approached 15km, Alemayehu caught and then passed her rival.
That lead was short-lived and Chelangat responded as they fought for top spot behind the pacemaker.
But as the race reached the closing stages, Alemayehu had a look of concentration on her face as she moved away from Chelangat and she managed to hold on to that lead, winning by three seconds in 1:08:10.
Kenya&rsquo;s Vivian Jepkemei Melly followed Haftu over the finish line to finish fourth in 1:09:33, while Turkiye&rsquo;s Sultan Haydar was fifth in 1:09:48.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1&nbsp;Gete Alemayehu (ETH)&nbsp;1:08:10 2&nbsp;Jesca Chelangat (KEN)&nbsp;1:08:13 3&nbsp;Nigsti Haftu (ETH) 1:09:30 4&nbsp;Vivian Jepkemei Melly (KEN)&nbsp;1:09:33 5&nbsp;Sultan Haydar (TUR) 1:09:48
Men 1&nbsp;Sabastian Sawe (KEN)&nbsp;58:24 2&nbsp;Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba (KEN) 1:00:01 3 Patrick Mosin (KEN) 1:00:15 4&nbsp;Gideon Kiprotich Rop (KEN)&nbsp;1:00:45 5 Jackson Muema (KEN) 1:02:01

World half marathon champion Sabastian Sawe improved the 14-year-old race record by winning the World Athletics Elite Label event in a world-leading PB of 58:24

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