by Justin Lagat
This is Justin Lagat’s preview of the women’s marathon, which will be held outside the stadium, in Budapest City Centre, on August 26, 2023, on Day 8.
The day will start early on the 8th day of the championships when seventy-eight women take a run on a warm morning on the streets of Budapest to seek medals for their countries. The race is scheduled to start at 7:00 AM (local time).
Ethiopia presents a strong squad for the women’s marathon race. 24-year-old Tsehay Gemechu has a personal and seasonal best time of 2:16:56, which she ran early this year to finish second at the Tokyo Marathon. Amane Beriso Shankule has the fastest time on the start list of 2:14:58, which she set last December at the Valencia Marathon to win the race in a new Ethiopian national record.
Also on the start list is the world defending champion, Gotytom Gebreslase, with a personal best time of 2:18:11. The other name to watch out for in the Ethiopian team is Yalemzerf Yehualaw with a personal best time of 2:17:23 which she ran to win the London last year. The 24-year-old holds the 10km world record at 29:14.
Only Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru has a personal best time that places her among the fastest three Ethiopians. The 2023 Tokyo Marathon champion has 2:16.28, a time that makes her the world leader this year for the marathon.
The other sub 2:20 runners on the start list in Israel’s Lorna Salpeter, with a time of 2:17.45, and USA’s Keira D’amato, who has 2:19.12. She is also returning as one of the medalists from Eugene, having won the bronze medal there.
Rose Chelimo of Bahrain doesn’t have one of the fastest times here but is a championship runner, having won a silver medal in almost similarly warm conditions in Doha 2019.
The weather has been warm and humid most of the mornings here in Budapest, and it could play a great role in how the runners will run here. Perhaps experience could win over personal best times.
Others to watch out for will be Kenya’s Sally Kaptich, who has a personal best of 2:20.03, and Shyline Toroitich, who is the current Enschede Marathon champion, where she set her personal best time this year.
