• Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Road Racing

The Clash of the Titans: Kipsang and Kimetto to clash at 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon

Larry EderbyLarry Eder
January 12, 2015
0
0 0
0
SHARES
6
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

At the VIP reception for the Virgin London Marathon each year, Chris Brasher, the current Race Director, will invite the VIPs to enjoy the ‘World’s Greatest marathon”, a tradition started by David Bedford, in his former tenure as London’s race director. For years, The Virgin London Marathon has been both the most well run and most logistically sophisticated road event on the circuit. In truth, for those same years, if an athlete was not at London, that meant, that, in nearly all of the cases, London had not chosen them to race over the 26.2 miles of London history that makes up the Virgin London course. 


I have thought that there were years in the past that London could not surpass; well, 2015 may be one of them. On a recent media report, Wilson Kipsang is quoted as saying the WR could be broken in London. Sounds fascinating. And now, with the Boston field (one of its’ best ever), and the upcoming Tokyo Marathon, the World Marathon Majors are staring off 2015 at brakeneck speed: perhaps a fitting launch to the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series launch on February 1, 2015? 


clashoftitanslondon.jpg

Updated January 12, 2015

In 2015, Wilson Kipsang, former World marathon record holder and Dennis Kimetto, current World marathon record holder will duel against each other, for the first time. That race should not only make gripping television, but continue to show the care that London takes in developing it’s racing field as well as its charity field. 

RunBlogRun, as it has for nearly a decade now, will provide live coverage over RunBlogRun.com and the RunningNetwork.com with our week long coverage of the Virgin London Marathon. See you in London on 26 April 2015! 


RelatedPosts

Bekele meets Cheptegei, the man who took away his world records, in Valencia

Ayana, Chelimo and Dibaba highlight the women’s elite field for Sunday’s Valencia Marathon

Coffee with Larry, The Running Event is Here!

KIPSANG AND KIMETTO TO CLASH
AT 2015 VIRGIN MONEY LONDON MARATHON
 
The world’s greatest men’s marathon runners will go head-to-head over the marathon distance for the first time when they clash at the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 26 April, the race organisers announced today.
 
Former world-record holder Wilson Kipsang will defend his London Marathon title in a mile-by-mile bout against fellow Kenyan Dennis Kimetto, the man who made history last year when he broke Kipsang’s record to become the first man ever to run 26.2 miles in less than two hours three minutes.
 
Kimetto, who clocked 2:02:57 in last September’s Berlin Marathon, will make his London Marathon debut in April, while Kipsang takes on the iconic course for the fourth time having won in 2012 and 2014. The two are training partners in the Kenyan town of Iten but have never faced each other over the marathon distance.
 
Kipsang, who set the former world record of 2:03:23 at the Berlin Marathon in 2013, broke the London course record last year when he won in 2:04:29. Now he is aiming to become only the fourth man in the event’s 35-year history to claim a hat-trick of London titles.
 
The 32-year-old has won eight marathons in his career, including his last three races, and was crowned the 2013-2014 World Marathon Majors champion after winning the 2014 New York City Marathon last November.
 
“I would love to join the London Marathon legends by winning a third title,” said Kipsang, who took the bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
 
“London always has the best fields but with Dennis in the line-up this year it promises to be a bruising battle. I certainly won’t give up my title without a fight, but let’s see who has the knock-out blow.”
 
The 30-year-old Kimetto, a relative late-comer to world-class distance running, ran the fastest ever debut marathon when he finished second in Berlin in 2012. He has since won three World Marathon Majors races, taking victory at the 2013 Tokyo and Chicago Marathons before last year’s triumph in the German capital when he averaged four minutes 41 seconds per mile to break the historic 2:03 barrier.
 
“I broke Wilson’s world record in Berlin last year and now I want his London Marathon crown,” said Kimetto. “I am relishing the chance to face my friend over the famous course. I know it won’t be easy but I am confident I can go the distance whatever he throws at me.”
 
Virgin Money London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher said: “Having the current and former world-record holders in the same race, going stride for stride for the first time, is a real coup for us on our 35th anniversary, and a thrilling prospect for marathon fans.
 
“Wilson is familiar with our course and showed last year why he is already regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time. But Dennis arrives as a history-maker after making headlines around the world a few months ago. It would take a brave man to predict which one will be left standing on 26 April.”
 
The Kenyan pair are just two of the big hitters in a magnificent men’s elite field announced today that includes the three quickest marathon runners of all time (on legitimate courses); five of the world’s all-time top 10; and eight men in total who have run sub-2:05.
 
And that’s without counting the legendary Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, the triple Olympic track gold medallist, and multiple world-record breaker, who makes his London Marathon debut in what is scheduled to be his fourth race over the distance.
 
Bekele ran 2:05:04 to win the Paris Marathon in 2014, but such is the quality of the London field that he is only the ninth quickest in the line-up and third fastest Ethiopian behind 2012 Dubai Marathon champion Ayele Abshero and Tsegaye Mekonnen, who became the fastest junior in history when he won the Dubai race last January.
 
Kipsang and Kimetto are joined by four other strong Kenyans, including 2011 London champion Emmanuel Mutai, who ran the second quickest time ever when finishing runner-up to Kimetto in Berlin last year; Eliud Kipchoge, the former world 5000m champion who won the 2014 Chicago Marathon last October; and Sammy Kitwara, who was second in Chicago and third in Tokyo last year.
 
Last year’s runner-up Stanley Biwott, another sub-2:05 man, returns to the London Marathon seeking to go one better in 2015, while a former Rotterdam Marathon champion, Tilahun Regassa, is the fourth Ethiopian in the field with a best of 2:05:27.
 
British interest rests with Scott Overall, a 2012 Olympian who was fifth at the Berlin Marathon in 2011, and Steve Way, the 40-year-old reformed drinker and smoker who broke the British veterans’ record to finish 10th at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
 
The 2015 men’s elite line-up and their best marathon times:
 
Wilson Kipsang (Kenya) 2:03:23
Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) 2:02:57
Emmanuel Mutai (Kenya) 2:03:13
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:04:05
Ayele Abshero (Ethiopia) 2:04:23
Sammy Kitwara (Kenya) 2:04:28
Tsegaye Mekonnen (Ethiopia) 2:04:32
Stanley Biwott (Kenya) 2:04:55
Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) 2:05:04
Tilahun Regassa (Ethiopia) 2:05:27
Samuel Tsegay (Eritrea) 2:07:28
Serhiy Lebid (Ukraine) 2:08:32
Aleksey Reunkov (Russia) 2:09:54
Ghebrezgiabhier Kibrom (Eritrea) 2:10:00
Marcin Chabowski (Poland) 2:10:07
Koen Raymaekers (Netherlands) 2:10:35
Scott Overall (Great Britain & NI) 2:10:55
Michael Shelley (Australia) 2:11:15
Javier Guerra (Spain) 2:12:21
Steve Way (Great Britain & NI) 2:15:16
Christian Kreienbühl (Germany)
2:15:35
Pedro Ribeiro (Portugal) Debut

Author

  • Larry Eder
    Larry Eder

    Larry Eder has had a 51-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

    View all posts

Previous Post

A snapshot of TopoAthletic, a brand for the complete runner/athlete, by Max Lockwood

Next Post

European Athletics Results 2015 (weekend, 03-04.01.2015), by Carles Baronet

Larry Eder

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 51-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

Similar Post

Coffee with Larry (December 5, 2023), my 3 sisters birthdays, owning nicknames, my time at Bellarmine…
Coffee With Larry

Coffee with Larry (December 5, 2023), my 3 sisters birthdays, owning nicknames, my time at Bellarmine…

December 6, 2023
The Munich Olympics at 50! Fourth  & Final In A Series – September 10th, 1972 – Bill Rodgers Smoking Cigarettes & Watching Frank Shorter Make History Across The Pond! 
Coffee With Larry

Coffee with Larry (Dec. 4, 2023), Sound Running Brooks Cross Country Champs, Nike NXN, Cal International sends 27 men and 14 women to Orlando and Kenenisa Bekele sets Masters WR of 2:04.19 in Valencia

December 5, 2023
2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing Program, Week 14, Day 2…Today is Tempo Day…
Cross Country

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing Program, Week 14, Day 2…Today is Tempo Day…

December 5, 2023
Coffee With Larry, Dick Fosbury, the man who changed the High Jump, has died, 5,800 athletes in Boston, the complete story, Julien Alfred wins 60m and 200m at NCAA Indoor!

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing, Week 14, day 1, Monday is a recovery day…

December 4, 2023
2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing Program, Week 13, Day 7…Sunday is long run

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing Program, Week 13, Day 7…Sunday is long run

December 4, 2023
2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country, Training & Racing Program, Week 13, Day 6, a day at the races…

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country, Training & Racing Program, Week 13, Day 6, a day at the races…

December 3, 2023

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to RunBlogRun's Global News Feed

Wake up to RunBlogRun’s news in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll keep you informed about the Sport you love.

*we hate spam as much as you do

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

August 27, 2023
An epic pole vault competition

An epic pole vault competition

October 19, 2023
2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Melissa Jefferson takes the Women’s 100m title in windy 10.69!

The curious case of Sha’Carri Richardson: How can the sprinter turn around her career?

February 8, 2023
Reborn Sha’Carri Richardson comes back from the brink and is now ready to become the world champion

Reborn Sha’Carri Richardson comes back from the brink and is now ready to become the world champion

July 17, 2023
What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

7
Asafa Powell, Considering Longevity in Sprinting

The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell

5
2022 Munich Diary, Day Five, a Great Friday Night

2023 European Athletics Indoor Champs, The Women’s 60m, who will win the final tonight?

5
TCS New York City Marathon Broadcast to be Available in More Than 530 Million Homes Around the World on Sunday, November 6

RunblogRun Editorial: The Sorry State of Running Television Coverage, by Peter Abraham, note by Larry Eder

4
Coffee with Larry (December 5, 2023), my 3 sisters birthdays, owning nicknames, my time at Bellarmine…

Coffee with Larry (December 5, 2023), my 3 sisters birthdays, owning nicknames, my time at Bellarmine…

December 6, 2023
The Munich Olympics at 50! Fourth  & Final In A Series – September 10th, 1972 – Bill Rodgers Smoking Cigarettes & Watching Frank Shorter Make History Across The Pond! 

Coffee with Larry (Dec. 4, 2023), Sound Running Brooks Cross Country Champs, Nike NXN, Cal International sends 27 men and 14 women to Orlando and Kenenisa Bekele sets Masters WR of 2:04.19 in Valencia

December 5, 2023
2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing Program, Week 14, Day 2…Today is Tempo Day…

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing Program, Week 14, Day 2…Today is Tempo Day…

December 5, 2023
Coffee With Larry, Dick Fosbury, the man who changed the High Jump, has died, 5,800 athletes in Boston, the complete story, Julien Alfred wins 60m and 200m at NCAA Indoor!

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing, Week 14, day 1, Monday is a recovery day…

December 4, 2023

Popular Stories

  • USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

    Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • An epic pole vault competition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The curious case of Sha’Carri Richardson: How can the sprinter turn around her career?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reborn Sha’Carri Richardson comes back from the brink and is now ready to become the world champion

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Coffee with Larry (December 5, 2023), my 3 sisters birthdays, owning nicknames, my time at Bellarmine…
Coffee With Larry

Coffee with Larry (December 5, 2023), my 3 sisters birthdays, owning nicknames, my time at Bellarmine…

December 6, 2023
The Munich Olympics at 50! Fourth  & Final In A Series – September 10th, 1972 – Bill Rodgers Smoking Cigarettes & Watching Frank Shorter Make History Across The Pond! 
Coffee With Larry

Coffee with Larry (Dec. 4, 2023), Sound Running Brooks Cross Country Champs, Nike NXN, Cal International sends 27 men and 14 women to Orlando and Kenenisa Bekele sets Masters WR of 2:04.19 in Valencia

December 5, 2023
2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing Program, Week 14, Day 2…Today is Tempo Day…
Cross Country

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing Program, Week 14, Day 2…Today is Tempo Day…

December 5, 2023
Coffee With Larry, Dick Fosbury, the man who changed the High Jump, has died, 5,800 athletes in Boston, the complete story, Julien Alfred wins 60m and 200m at NCAA Indoor!

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing, Week 14, day 1, Monday is a recovery day…

December 4, 2023

Recent Tweets

Next Post

European Athletics Results 2015 (weekend, 03-04.01.2015), by Carles Baronet

runblogrun

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. @runblogrun

Browse by Category

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Select a password for yourself. (minimum length of 8)

Paste here the user biography.

Provide here the twitter screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the instagram screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the facebook profile URL. i.e. http://www.facebook.com/RunBlogRun

Provide here the linkedin profile URL. i.e. https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-eder-5497253

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist