Kenneth Kipkemoi, the man to watch at the Istanbul Marathon

The 2011 All- Africa Games half marathon silver medallist, Kenneth Kiprop Kipkemoi will be the man to watch at the 46th edition of the Bankasi Istanbul Marathon, scheduled for November 3, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Kipkemoi who turned 40 years two months ago, comes to this race with the second fastest time of 2:05.43 that he got in April at the Rotterdam Marathon where he finished in fourth place.

Kipkemoi who is also the 2012 Africa Games 10,000m champion, will battle for the top honors with Ethiopia’s Abebe Negewo, who is the fastest athlete on paper with a time of 2:04.51 that he got in 2019 in Spain. The 40 year-old Negewo, who is also known as Abebe Degefa, who has not raced since December last year, has produced excellent marathon runs in each year: 2:05.27 in Valencia in 2021, 2:06.05 in Hamburg in 2022 and 2:08.12 in Rotterdam last year, where he finished in eight place.

ALSO READ: Sharon Cherop headlines Istanbul Marathon

Kipkemoi and Negewo joins high ranking athletes that include, Kenenisa Bekele, Tadesse Abraham, who have turned 40 and still amazing runs on the roads.

Two more Ethiopians who are more than ten years younger will be among the favourites challenge for the top honors. The 28 year-old Kelkile Gezahegn, who holds a life-time best of 2:05.56 and has won all his first four marathons in the year 2016, all in China.

Another title contender is the 29 year-old Dejene Debela, who ran his personal best of 2:05.46 when he was runner-up in Chicago in 2019. After a two year-break, which seems to have been injury related, he came back this year with a 2:09.33 in Taiyuan, China.

“No marathon is run in a city that bears the traces of three great empires that have left a significant mark on world history. No marathon passes over a bridge that connects continents above a magnificent strait.

“Thanks to this unique feature, we believe that the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon is the best thematic marathon in the world,” said Race Director Renay Onur.

A total of 42,500 runners have entered the race that leads the athletes from the Asian side of the city onto the July 15 Martyrs Bridge and then into the European part of Istanbul. 7,500 of them will run the classic distance on 3rd November.