Elvis Cheboi heads back to Canada to defend his title

Toronto marathon reigning champion Elvis Cheboi will be looking forward on defending his title at the 24th edition of the event that is slated for this Sunday (21) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The 29 year-old who took the top honors in a new personal best of 2:09.20, will have to get past three top athletes who have gone under the 2:07 mark, led by Ethiopia’s Mulugeta Uma, who is the fastest athlete on paper with a time of 2:05.33 that he got at this year’s Paris Marathon, where he took title.

Ethiopia’s Abdi Fufa and Hailu Zewdu are the other top notch athletes who have come to this race with the third and fourth fastest time on paper of 2:05.57 and 2:06.31 that they both got in Dubai in 2024 and 2020 respectively.

The 2023 Paris Marathon champion and the youngest athlete on the elite entry list, Gizealew Ayana from Ethiopia has also been slotted in and he carries on his shoulders a personal best of 2:07.15, that he got last year on his debut.

Kenyan trio of Dominic Ngeno, Brian Kipsang and Noah Kipkemboi will also be on the start line as they seek to dislodge the four race favorites. The three have life time best of 2:07.26, 2:07.56 and 2:09.06 respectively.  

United States will have their hopes three athletes who will also be fighting for the top podium position, led by Sydney Gidabuday, Aidan Reed and Yusuf Nadir. The three have come to this race with personal best of 2:14.34, 2:15.27 and 2:20.23 respectively.

MEN LEADING TIME

1. Elvis Cheboi          (KEN) 2:09:20
2. Mulugeta Uma      (ETH) 2:05.33
3. Abdi Fufa               (ETH) 2:05.57
4. Hailu Zewdu          (ETH) 2:06.31
5. Gizealew Ayana    (ETH) 2:07.15
6. Domenic Ngeno     (KEN) 2:07.26
7. Noah Kipkemboi   (KEN) 2:09.06. 
8. Brian Kipsang        (KEN) 2:07.56 
9. Abe Gashahun        (ETH) 2:08.51
10. Sydney Gidabuday (USA) 2:14.34
11. Yusuf Nadir             (USA) 2:15.27
12. Aidan Reed              (USA) 2:20:23