TÜRKİYE İS BANKASI ISTANBUL MARATHON ON SUNDAY 48th edition: Istanbul is getting “jubilee-ready“ with its fastest elite field ever – Jörg Wenig

With two years to go to its 50th edition the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon is getting “jubilee-ready“: Organisers of one of Europe’s most traditional city marathon races have assembled the fastest elite field in the history of the event for Sunday’s 48th edition.

Four men are on the start list who have personal bests of sub 2:06:00 while three women have already broken the 2:20:00 barrier.  

The Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon is the world’s only intercontinental marathon, leading the runners from Asia to Europe. It is also Türkiye’s biggest marathon and a Gold Label Road Race of World Athletics. A live stream will be accessible via the following website (the race starts at 9 am local time): https://maraton.istanbul

„An exciting race awaits us in both the men’s and women’s categories. Including races at shorter distances the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon will bring together over 45,000 participants from 143 different countries. We are proud to host such a celebration of sports,“ said Race Director Bilge Donuk.

The Women’s Race

There has never been a woman on the start list of the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon with a personal best of sub 2:20:00. This time there are three in this category and two of them have even run under 2:19:00. Kenya’s Judith Korir, the silver medallist from the World Championships’ marathon in Eugene in 2022, leads the start list with a PB of 2:18:20. Ethiopians Azmera Abreha and Kasanesh Baze are number two and three with personal bests of 2:18:33 and 2:19:39 respectively. Dolshi Tesfu of Eritrea has a strong PB of 2:20:40 as well. Turkish record holder Sultan Haydar, who surprised with a 2:21:27 in Valencia three years ago, will return to the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon where she was third back in 2013. 

Such is the depth of this year’s women’s field that defending champion Bizuager Aderra is only the ninth fastest on the start list. A year ago the Ethiopian won the race with 2:26:19 which remains her personal best. But Bizuager Aderra is not bothered by the statistics. “I will try to win again. I am ready and I have trained well in Addis Ababa,“ said the 30 year-old. “The final section of the course is not easy. It is probably an advantage to know it.“

Judith Korir had two very strong years in 2022 and 2023. Besides taking the silver medal in the global championships the Kenyan won the Paris Marathon in 2022, was fourth in the London Marathon in 2022 with 2:18:43 and again sixth in London a year later. However in the following years she could not achieve similar results because of an injury. “I got a hamstring injury which hampered me for around two years,“ said Judith Korir. This spring she was eighth in the Milano Marathon with 2:26:48. But it was not what she had hoped for. “After the Milano race I changed my set-up and moved my training base from Iten to Kaptagat, where I have strong training partners“, said Judith Korir, who usually travels back to Iten for weekends to see her husband and 13 year-old son. „I am in good form now and look forward to Sunday.“

The Men’s Race

Four men are on the start list with personal records of sub 2:06:00. This is the same number as two years ago, but this time the individual PBs are even stronger. Ethiopians Sufaro Woliyi (2:04:35), Amdework Walelegn (2:04:50) and Dejene Debela (2:05:46) as well as Kenya’s Philimon Kipchumba (2:05:35) are the four athletes. 

Dejene Debela has plenty of experience running the Istanbul course. Two years ago the Ethiopian, who clocked his PB of 2:05:46 in Chicago in 2019, won the race and last year he was runner-up. “Compared to last year I am in much better form,“ said Dejene Debela, who has not raced at all this year. “The problem was that I got a muscle injury and it took long to recover.“ Could it be the year when the 2:09:44 course record from 2019 is finally broken? “I am in the shape to run sub 2:10 in Istanbul. But a major factor is the weather. If conditions are fine we should break it,“ answered Dejene Debela.

Fellow-Ethiopian Sufaro Woliyi also knows the course. He was third at the Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Marathon a year ago, crossing the line just 14 seconds behind the winner Rhonzas Kilimo of Kenya. “My training went very well, I am in the best shape of my life. I hope that this time I will be the number one,“ said Sufaro Wiliyi, who lives and trains in Asala, Ethiopia. This spring he ran a strong personal best of 2:04:35 in Seoul, which makes him the fastest runner on the Istanbul start list. 

Hüseyin Can of Türkiye ran a courageous race last year in Istanbul. He pushed the pace a couple of times and was rewarded with a personal best of 2:10:58 and a strong fifth place. He returns to the race with an improved PB of 2:10:03.

Elite Runners with Personal Bests

MEN:

Sufaro Woliyi ETH 2:04:35

Amdework Walelegn ETH 2:04:50

Philimon Kipchumba KEN 2:05:35

Dejene Debela ETH 2:05:46

Silas Too         KEN 2:06:32

Douglass Kiprugut KEN 2:06:40

Francis Langat KEN 2:07:29

Benard Kipkorir KEN 2:08:12

Vincent Ronoh KEN 2:08:32

Shadrack Kenduiywo KEN 2:09:56

Hüseyin Can TUR 2:10:03

Samuel Lomoi         KEN 2:10:21

Paul Tiongik KEN 2:10:25

Yavuz Agrali TUR 2:10:41

Gemechu Yadesa ETH 2:10:54

WOMEN:

Judith Korir KEN 2:18:20

Azmera Abreha ETH 2:18:33

Kasanesh Baze ETH 2:19:39

Dolshi Tesfu ERI 2:20:40

Sultan Haydar         TUR 2:21:27

Veronicah Maina KEN 2:24:14

Alemtsehay Asefa ETH 2:24:42

Flomena Chepkiach KEN 2:25:41

Bizuager Aderra ETH 2:26:19

Everlyn Kemboi KEN Debut

Diribe Alemu ETH Debut

Meaza Asefa ETH Debut

More information is available at: https://maraton.istanbul

www.race-news-service.com   – Jörg Wenig