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Reigning champions Brighton Marathon Weekend 2016
BRIGHTON MARATHON
WEEKEND
PRESS RELEASE
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Maiyo in mood for record run at 2016 Brighton Marathon Reigning champion Duncan Maiyo believes he will break the course record
when he defends his men’s title at the 2016 Brighton Marathon on Sunday 17
April.
The Kenyan ran the race of his life to claim the men’s crown on the town’s
famous seafront 12 months ago, slicing more than a minute and a half from his
personal best as he romped home in 2 hours 10 minutes 15 seconds to win the
IAAF Bronze Label Race.
But the 30-year-old farmer’s son says he will knock more than two minutes
from that time when he takes on one of the toughest elite fields in the event’s
seven-year history, and smash William Chebor’s two-year-old course record of
2:09:25.
“I ran a PB last year and I’m in much better shape this time,” said Maiyo, whose
2015 Brighton victory was the first of his marathon career. “I think I will break
2:08. If it’s sunny weather and the wind is not too bad I can get the course
record.
“I am very happy to be back in Brighton as the champion,” he added. “Training
for this year’s race has gone very well, the course is great and there’s always a
big crowd here.
“You can tell the people really like the athletes. They helped me a lot to win last
year. I could hear them shouting ‘Duncan move. Go, go, go.’ It was fantastic and
this time it will be even louder because they know me.”
With a strong elite field of seven runners, however, Maiyo conceded that it will
be far from easy to defend his title.
“The field is so much stronger than last year, so I can’t even say I will be the
winner,” he said. “That is the aim, of course, but these guys are not easy. I will
try my best.”
Those trying to claim Maiyo’s Brighton crown include five fellow Kenyans and
South Africa’s Olympic hopeful Xolisa Tyali, although the man considered to be
his main threat, 2:08:56 runner John Kemboi, Maiyo’s schoolboy friend and
training partner, will not make the start line.
Kemboi would have been the fastest man in the field, but that status now falls
to Raymond Chemongur who ran 2:10:06 finishing eighth in last October’s
Frankfurt Marathon and has won three of his six marathons so far.
Two other Kenyans should also be in the hunt for the $6,000 winner’s cheque:
the in-form Edwin Kiptoo, who was eighth in the Toronto Marathon last
October in his best time of 2:11:45; and Joel Kimutai who won the Great
Birmingham Run half marathon in 2014 and was sixth on his marathon debut
last year in 2:14:38.
But Tyali could also clinch a place on the podium as he targets a time between
2:10 and 2:11 that should win him a place on South African’s Olympic team.
The 26-year-old joined Hendrick Ramaala’s Johannesburg training group 18
months ago and believes the former New York Marathon champion’s coaching
and experience has put him in the shape of his life.
“Qualifying for the Olympics is my dream,” said the 26-year-old. “Training has
been going really well and I believe this is my turn now. Hendrick is a good
athlete and he has does everything for us.”
A course record could also be on the cards in the women’s race where Maiyo’s
compatriot and training partner, Pennina Wanjiru, defends her title against
former Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion Grace Momanyi and two
Ethiopians – the experienced Asnakech Mengistu and newcomer Halima
Hussein.
Wanjiru marked her marathon debut last year with an eye-catching victory in
2:34:25 and went on to win her second marathon in Malaga last December.
Like Maiyo, Wanjiru believes she’s in better shape this time and is aiming to
break the 2:30 barrier.
“If there’s no rain and some sun, I am confident I can win again,” said the 31year-old from Nyahururu, whose training partners include the world half
marathon record holder, Florence Kiplagat.
“This year I’m in better shape and I’m sure I will run a PB, maybe 2:29 or 2:30,”
she added. “But I have a challenge because the other girls are good too.”
Wanjriu pointed to Mengistu as her chief rival, and for good reason. The 29year-old is the fastest in the field with a PB of 2:25:50, has 15 marathons behind
her, and is in good form having won last November’s Gaochun Marathon in
Nanjing.
“I expect to win,” said the confident Mengistu. “But the conditions are probably
not good enough for a best time.”
After two second places from her two marathons so far, Momanyi also has
victory in mind. Now fully recovered from a knee operation two years ago, the
34-year-old who trains in the same group as last year’s New York Marathon
champion, Mary Keitany, believes she’s in shape to run 2:28 and could claim
the $5000 award if she breaks Eunica Kales’ women’s course record of 2:28:50.
“I have had two second places so I hope this time I will be first,” she said. “I feel
relaxed and ready. I will try to improve my marathon time as well.”
With fine weather expected, Brighton Marathon founder Tim Hutchings also
expects two fast races on the event’s flat course.
“We have world class runners coming back, including both champions, so I
think they will run very fast,” he said. “There should be two fantastic exciting
races, and we hope to have a record field too.
“Sunday’s race is about 10,000 individual stories and of course we are famous
for our crowds. The people of Brighton are stakeholders in this event and long
may that continue.”
2016 Brighton Marathon elite entries
Men
Duncan Maiyo (KEN) 2:10:15
Raymond Chemungor (KEN) 2:10:06
Edwin Kiptoo (KEN) 2:11:45
Sammy Nyokaye (KEN) 2:14:35
Joel Kimutai (KEN) 2:14:38
Xolisa Tyali (RSA) 2:16:03
Timothy Kiptoo (KEN) debut
Women
Pennina Wanjiru (KEN) 2:34:25
Asnakech Mengistu (ETH) 2:25:50
Grace Momanyi (KEN) 2:32:16
Halima Hussen Kayo (ETH) 2:32:51
Course records
Men
2:09:25 William Chebor (KEN) 2014
Women
2:28:50 Eunice Kales (KEN) 2013
ENDS
Further information
Photos: The photos used here are available
[email protected] and are as follows:
in
high
Pic 1: Penina Wanjiru and Duncan Maiyo For further information on The Brighton Marathon Weekend:
Sharon Sandhu
Tel: 01273 201260
[email protected]
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