Elite Runners to Watch at the Xiamen Marathon: Defending Champions and Record Holders Clash

At the C&D Xiamen Marathon elite runners will gather on Sunday, January 5 for an anticipated showdown. The spotlight is on defending champion Asefa Boki Kebebe in the men's category and a strong trio of female competitors including past winners Mare Dibaba, Meseret Abebayehu Alemu, and Ruti Aga.

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Ruti Aga, holding the fastest personal best in the women's field with a time of 2:18:09 set in Dongying in 2023, brings a record-breaking performance to Xiamen. This time is currently the fastest ever run by a woman in China. Aga's impressive career includes winning the Tokyo Marathon in 2019 and securing a runner-up position at the Berlin Marathon in 2018 with a close time of 2:18:34. In 2021, she claimed victory at the Daegu Marathon and took second place in the Dubai Marathon.

Mare Dibaba, who set the Xiamen Marathon course record of 2:19:52 in 2015, has a rich history of accolades including a world marathon title in Beijing the same year and an Olympic bronze medal in 2016. Her recent performance includes a second-place finish at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon with a time of 2:22:36.

Meseret Abebayehu Alemu, another contender, won the Xiamen Marathon in 2023, clocking 2:24:41. She posted her lifetime best of 2:19:50 at the Amsterdam Marathon in the same year, and most recently, won the Dongying Marathon in 2:22:00.

Women's Elite Field:

1. Ruti Aga (ETH) 2:18:09
2. Buzunesh Getachew Gudeta (ETH) 2:19:27
3. Meseret Abebayehu Alemu (ETH) 2:19:50
4. Mare Dibaba (ETH) 2:19:52
5. Gutemi Shone Imana (ETH) 2:20:11
6. Gladys Chesir (KEN) 2:20:30
7. Fikrte Wereta Admasu (ETH) 2:21:32
8. Tigist Gashaw (BRN) 2:24:39
9. Emebet Niguse Mamo (ETH) 2:25:25
10. Mercy Jerop Kwambai (KEN) 2:25:57
11. Khishigsaikhan Galbadrakh (MGL) 2:26:32
12. Liu Min (CHN) 2:28:36

Joining these elite runners is Buzunesh Getachew Gudeta, who set a personal best of 2:19:27 in Frankfurt in 2023. Other notable entrants include Ethiopia’s Gutemi Shone Imana, Kenya’s Gladys Chesir, and China’s Liu Min.

On the men's side, Ethiopia’s Kebebe returns to defend his title after a victorious run of 2:06:46 last year. He improved his PB to 2:05:40 at the Amsterdam Marathon, positioning him as a strong contender. His main competition includes Dawit Wolde, who holds the fastest time in the field with 2:03:48 from Valencia in 2023.

Other competitors include Chalu Deso Gelmisa, the 2023 Tokyo Marathon champion, Morocco’s Othmane El Goumri, who set a national record of 2:05:12 in Barcelona in 2023, and Hicham Laqouahi. Also participating is China’s Yang Shaohui, a standout performer at the Paris Olympic marathon and bronze medalist at the 2023 Asian Games. This diverse field sets the stage for a compelling race, highlighting the global nature of marathon running.

Men's Elite Field:

1. Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:03:48
2. Chalu Deso Gelmisa (ETH) 2:04:53
3. Othmane El Goumri (MAR) 2:05:12
4. Asefa Boki Kebebe (ETH) 2:05:40
5. Melaku Belachew (ETH) 2:06:30
6. Hicham Laqouahi (MAR) 2:06:32
7. Yang Shaohui (CHN) 2:07:09
8. Berhane Tsegay Tekle (ERI) 2:07:21
9. Tebello Ramakongoana (LES) 2:07:58
10. Dong Guojian (CHN) 2:08:12
11. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (MGL) 2:08:50

C&D Xiamen Marathon forms part of a prestigious World Athletics Platinum Label road race series.