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• Kenenisa Bekele says London Marathon field will be ‘remembering’ Kelvin Kiptum

  Kelvin Kiptum will always hold a special place in the hearts of all marathon runners, according to veteran three-time Olympic track champion Kenenisa Bekele.

  Kenyan long-distance runner Kiptum won last year’s London Marathon for the third time, but was killed in a car accident in February at the age of 24.

  The death of Kiptum, who had gone on to become the first man to run the marathon under two hours and one minute in Chicago, sent shockwaves through the sport.

  In winning last year, Kiptum set a new London Marathon record time of two hours, one minute and 25 seconds. He is to be remembered before Sunday’s race with 30 seconds of applause.

  Ethiopian Bekele – who won Olympic gold in both the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres at the 2008 Games in Beijing – has run the London Marathon five times, and was runner-up in 2017.

  The 41-year-old, who also has five World Championship titles on the track, has seen plenty of talent come through during his long career, but is in no doubt of the lasting impact made by Kiptum.

  “Kelvin of course, all of us miss him,” Bekele said. “Even within his short time, he has been setting an amazing history.

  “The course record is also under his name and we are all remembering him.

  “We put him in a special place in our heart because in a really within a short time he has done a lot for our sport.”

  Bekele feels a lot of factors will come into play if Kiptum’s course record is to be challenged.

  “Most of the time in London, maybe the first half is a very fast start because of pacing, but with me it can depend,” he said.

  “I can read my body, listening to my feelings and of course the circumstances – like with the weather.”

  Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola comes into London as the reigning New York Marathon champion, which followed on from his victory at the 2022 World Championship in Eugene.

  Tola, who claimed 10,000m bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, feels in good shape heading into Sunday’s showpiece race.

  “I have been working hard to prepare my body for the marathon in London,” he said.

  “My training is OK and my body is okay, so we will see (what happens) on Sunday.”

  Olympics selection could also be secured this weekend, but Tola will not let that distract his focus.

  He said: “If I am selected for the Olympics, I will be happy, but it will depend on our race – and after Sunday we will know.”

• Wolmer’s completes dominant season with ISSA all-island U-19 boys' and girls' Table Tennis titles

  Just as they did in the Urban Area competition, Wolmer’s completed the ISSA all-island girls’ and boys’ U-19 Table Tennis double at the GC Foster College Auditorium on Wednesday.

  The girls’ team secured a dominant 3-0 win over St. Mary High to claim their third straight all-island crown while the boys’ team defeated Titchfield High 4-1.

  Jamaica College defeated Titchfield 5-0 to win the U-16 boys’ title while Immaculate Conception beat St. Hilda’s 3-1 to win the U-16 girls’ crown.

  For Wolmer’s Girls’ team members Gianna Lewis and Liana Campbell, this win was an excellent way to close out their respective high school careers.

  “Very relieved to be closing out with the all-island title,” Lewis told Sportsmax.tv.

  “My team and I knew we had to bring our A game one last time and we did so,” she added.

  Campbell called securing all-island success for the final time a “surreal feeling.”

  “We embodied our school’s motto, ‘Age Quod Agis.’ Whatever you do, do it well. I am so proud of the team and myself and we’ll continue to excel in this sport,” she added.

  The team’s third member, reigning JTTA National Champion Tsenaye Lewis, also reacted to the win.

  “I am very, very happy with this victory especially since this is my last year playing alongside Liana and my big sister Gianna,” she said.

  Lewis will still be at the school next year and hopes for continued success going forward.

  “This is definitely how I envisioned the end of this era but now I hope we can defend our title for my final year next year,” she added.

  The Lewis sisters will now turn their attention to national duty when they represent Jamaica at the Caribbean Youth Championships in Santo Domingo next week.

  “We are looking forward to competing and representing our country again,” Tsenaye Lewis said.

   

   

   

• World record holder Tigst Assefa out to make history in first London Marathon

  World record holder Tigst Assefa hopes to set a new women’s-only best time in the TCS London Marathon on Sunday and believes it will be tougher to win than this year’s Paris Olympics.

  Ethiopian Assefa smashed the world record in September when she finished the Berlin Marathon in two hours, 11 minutes and 53 seconds.

  Next in Assefa’s sights is success in her maiden London Marathon and the women’s-only record, which is 2:17:01 and was set by Kenyan Mary Keitany at the 2017 event.

  “I am very happy to be in London for the first time,” Assefa said via a translator.

  “I did train very well for Berlin and I have trained well for this one. God will show how good I am on Sunday.

  “I have prepared very well for this race and I am sure I can beat the course record here. As I am sure all my competitors here will feel as well.

  “Regardless of whether it is London or Berlin, it will not change my strategy at all.

  “I am here to win.”

  Assefa took part in pre-race press duties on Thursday and was joined at the media centre in St James’ Park by Brigid Kosgei, Ruth Chepngetich and Peres Jepchirchir.

   

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  Kosgei of Kenya held the world record until Assefa broke it in September but has won the London Marathon twice.

  All four athletes were asked if victory in Sunday’s 26.2-mile race would be harder than winning the marathon at the Paris Games after London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher suggested that would be the case on Wednesday.

  Only Kosgei felt the Paris Games would be harder with Assefa, Chepngetich and Jepchirchir all in agreement this weekend’s strong field made Sunday’s race the most difficult to win.

  After Kosgei failed to finish last year’s race due to injury, she revealed preparation this time had gone well.

  “I am happy to be here again this year,” Kosgei said. “Last year when I reached here I was not feeling well.

  “I have been preparing well in Kenya and I am ready.”

  Olympic champion Jepchirchir finished third in 2023 and backed a women’s-only record to be set this weekend.

  Jepchirchir added: “On Sunday I know the field is strong and I know it is not easy. We are running with strong ladies.

  “For myself, when I see the field is strong, I see the (course) record on Sunday. Yes, may the best win.”