Defending champions Tola and Obiri ready for strong participants during the New York Marathon

Olympic champion Tamirat Tola and two-time world 5000 meter champion Hellen Obiri will defend their titles at the TCS New York City Marathon – a Platinum label for world athletics road race – but they will both face strong opposition on Sunday (3).

Tola, the 2022 world champion, won in New York last year in a course record of 2:04:58 and then claimed the Olympic title in Paris in a Games record of 2:06:26. What made his performance all the more impressive is that he was named to the Ethiopian team just two weeks before the Games, after initially being named as a reserve.

“I’m looking forward to defending my title in New York, especially since I set an Olympic record in the marathon,” said Tola. “The hilly course and the crowds in Paris certainly prepared me well for the bridges and spectators in New York, where I may be able to go even faster this year.”

Two-time Olympic medalist Bashir Abdi will also be one to watch; the Belgian earned silver at the recent Games, after taking bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Championships.

Three previous winners – all from Kenya – are also in the field: 2022 champion Evans Chebet, 2021 winner Albert Korir, and 2019 and 2017 winner Geoffrey Kamworor. Chebet has won the Boston Marathon twice and has finished first or second in 13 marathons.

Meanwhile, Kamworor – a three-time half-marathon world champion and two-time cross-country world champion – has reached the podium in all four of his appearances at the New York Marathon.

Compatriot Abel Kipchumba, who won the NYC half marathon this year, will make his debut at the New York City Marathon. He warmed up for New York by winning the Great North Run in 59:52 in September.

The American attack is led by Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who finished eighth and ninth, respectively, in the Paris Olympic Marathon.

Like fellow New York Marathon champion Tola, Obiri also reached the podium in Paris, claiming bronze in the marathon. It was her third Olympic medal, after winning silver in the 5000 meters in 2016 and 2021.

Last year, the seven-time world medalist from Kenya became the first woman in 34 years to win both Boston and New York in the same calendar year. Earlier this year, she retained her Boston Marathon title in 2:22:37.

“There’s no place like New York, and I’m so ready to defend my title,” Obiri said. “I have been racing very well on the US roads and I hope I can have another good day to be in contention once we enter the final stages in Central Park.”

Fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi, winner of the 2022 NYC Marathon, returns after finishing third and fourth at last year’s Paris Olympic Marathon.

The Kenyan delegation also includes 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat, four-time Olympic medalist Vivian Cheruiyot and Sheila Chepkirui.

Kiplagat, now 44 years old, is still very competitive on the international running circuit. Earlier this year she set a half marathon PR of 1:07:52 in Houston and then finished third at the Boston Marathon in 2:23:21.

Vivian Cheruiyot, a four-time world track champion, finished third at the Paris Marathon earlier this year in 2:21:46, her first completed marathon in almost five years. The 41-year-old, a 2:18:31 performer at her best, will be keen to match or better her second-place finish in New York in 2018.

Chepkirui is the fastest participant based on PBs. She clocked a best time of 2:17:29 in her marathon debut in Valencia two years ago, and has finished within 2:20 in all three marathons since, with her most recent being a time of 2:19:31 in London . April.

Making her debut at the New York City Marathon, Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba is one of the world’s most accomplished long-distance runners as a three-time Olympian and sixteen-time world champion. She has run four marathons so far, the last in 2018, but finished on the podium each time.

She is joined by compatriot Senbere Teferi, the 2015 5000m silver medalist who set a marathon PR of 2:19:21 last year, and Dera Dida, the fastest competitor based on season’s best results ( 2:19:29).

Dakotah Popehn (Lindwurm), the top American finisher at the Paris Olympics marathon, leads the American contingent alongside Sara Vaughn, Aliphine Tuliamuk and Jenny Simpson.

Elite fields

Women
Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29
Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 2:17:56
Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:18:31
Senbere Teferi (ETH) 2:19:21
Dera Dida (ETH) 2:19:24
Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50
Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:02
Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:22:45
Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:23:10
Sara Vaughn (USA) 2:23:24
Kellyn Taylor (USA) 2:24:29
Fabienne Schlumpf (SUI) 2:24:30
Aliphine Tuliamuk (USA) 2:24:37
Dakotah Popehn (USA) 2:24:40
Lily Partridge (GBR) 2:25:12
Jessica McClain (USA) 2:25:46
Des Linden (USA) 2:25:55
Tristin Colley (USA) 2:25:58
Khishigasaikhan Galbadrakh (MGL) 2:26:32
Maggie Montoya (USA) 2:28:07
Katja Goldring (USA) 2:29:01
Savannah Berry (USA) 2:29:13

Gentlemen
Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:03:00
Bashir Abdi (BEL) 2:03:36
Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39
Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:04:23
Abdi Nageeye (NED) 2:04:45
Addisu Gobena (ETH) 2:05:01
Abel Kipchumba (KEN) 2:06:49
Albert Korir (KEN) 2:06:57
Conner Mantz (USA) 2:07:47
Clayton Young (USA) 2:08:00
Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:08:01
Callum Hawkins (GBR) 2:08:14
Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (MGL) 2:08:50
Elkana Kibet (USA) 2:09:07
Noah Droddy (USA) 2:09:09
Jonny Mellor (GBR) 2:09:09
Jared Ward (USA) 2:09:25
Colin Bennie (USA) 2:09:38
Futsum Zienasellassie (USA) 2:09:40
CJ Albertson (USA) 2:09:53
Nico Montanez (USA) 2:09:55
Yuma Morii (JPN) 2:09:59