The 2025 road racing season kicks off with a thrilling weekend in Houston, as elite athletes aim for American records at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon and course records at the Chevron Houston Marathon on Sunday, January 19. The Houston Marathon Committee revealed a star-studded lineup featuring returning champions and record-breaking performers.
In the women’s half marathon, Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehaulaw, the fifth-fastest woman in history, headlines the field. Racing in North America for the first time, Yehaulaw, 25, boasts an incredible half marathon personal best of 1:03:51 and a marathon best of 2:16:52, achieved in her Amsterdam Marathon victory last year.
“It has always been my ambition to race in the United States, and now the opportunity has come,” said Yehaulaw, the 2022 TCS London Marathon champion. “I’m eager to win and aim for a fast time.”
The women’s half marathon also marks the return of American record-holder Weini Kelati, who set a record of 1:06:25 in her debut at this event last year. Kelati, who focused on the 10,000m during the 2024 Paris Olympics, is eager for her second half marathon.
“Last year was great, and I hope this year’s race will be even better,” said Kelati. “The competition will be tough, and I’m excited for the challenge.”
The women’s elite field features 15 athletes with personal bests under 1:10, including Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba, who finished third in 2024, and British stars Jessica Warner-Judd and Calli Hauger-Thackery. Hauger-Thackery, a 2024 Olympic marathoner, recently won the California International Marathon.
On the men’s side, the Aramco Houston Half Marathon promises a rematch between Kenya’s Wesley Kiptoo and Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer. Yimer narrowly defeated Kiptoo last year, securing victory by just one second.
“I’m excited to defend my 2024 title,” said Yimer, a two-time Houston champion. “It’s the perfect place to start my road season.”
The men’s field also includes Tanzania’s Gabriel Gaey and a strong contingent of Americans led by 2024 Olympic marathoners Conner Mantz and Clayton Young. Mantz, who set an American 10-mile record in 2024, is determined to break Ryan Hall’s longstanding American half marathon record of 59:43, set in Houston in 2007.
“Opportunities to race on a fast, record-eligible course like this are rare,” said Mantz, who finished sixth here in 2023.
Diego Estrada, the ninth-fastest American half marathoner, and debutant Joe Klecker are also in the hunt for fast times. Klecker, an Olympian in the 10,000m, follows in the footsteps of his mother, Janis Klecker, the 1992 Houston Marathon champion.
The Chevron Houston Marathon features two-time champion Dominic Ondoro of Kenya, joined by Haimro Alame of Israel and Eritrea’s Ande Filmon, who have both run faster than the course record of 2:06:39. Germany’s Hendrik Pfeiffer, last year’s third-place finisher, also returns, hungry for another strong performance.
“Houston was the best marathon of my career so far,” said Pfeiffer. “I’m ready to chase a fast time again.”
In the women’s marathon, Anna Dibaba, sister of Ethiopian running legends, returns to Houston for her second career marathon after a strong debut in Amsterdam, where she clocked 2:23:56. She will face competition from Ethiopia’s Tsigie Hailesale and Sifan Melaku, both with faster personal bests.
American Erika Kemp also joins the field, building on her marathon debut in Boston last spring.
“Houston has been good to me in the past,” said Kemp, a two-time U.S. champion. “I’m hoping for a great marathon here.”
With over $260,000 in prize money and bonuses at stake, Houston promises a historic day. The races will air live on ABC13, with commentary from Olympian and Boston Marathon champion Des Linden.
“We’re thrilled to welcome such exceptional talent to Houston,” said Wade Morehead, Executive Director of the Houston Marathon Committee. “This event continues to solidify its place among the world’s best races.”
For more information visit official Houston Marathon website here.
Women's Half Marathon Elite Field:
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | COUNTRY | PERSONAL BEST |
---|---|---|---|
Yalemzerf | Yehualaw | ETH | 1:03:51 |
Buze | Diriba | ETH | 1:06:24 |
Weini | Kelati | USA | 1:06:25 |
Jess | Warner-Judd | GBR | 1:07:07 |
Amanda | Vestri | USA | 1:08:12 |
Calli | Hauger-Thackery | GBR | 1:08:20 |
Mercy | Chelangat | KEN | 1:08:58 |
Natosha | Rogers | USA | 1:09:36 |
Lindsay | Flanagan | USA | 1:09:37 |
Lauren | Hagans | USA | 1:09:41 |
Natasha | Wodak | CAN | 1:09:41 |
Susanna | Sullivan | USA | 1:09:42 |
Miriam | Dattke | GER | 1:09:43 |
Esther | Pfeiffer | GER | 1:09:51 |
Makena | Morley | USA | 1:09:57 |
Daniela | Torres | MEX | 1:10:22 |
Katie | Izzo | USA | 1:10:27 |
Mebrat | Gidey | ETH | 1:10:32 |
Paige | Wood | USA | 1:10:34 |
Jessie | Cardin | USA | 1:10:35 |
Amy | Davis-Green | USA | 1:10:46 |
Anne-Marie | Blaney | USA | 1:10:57 |
Jessica | Gockley | USA | 1:11:25 |
Megan | Hasz | USA | 1:11:27 |
Elana | Hayday | USA | 1:11:38 |
Paola | Bonilla | ECU | 1:11:48 |
Molly | Bookmyer | USA | 1:12:19 |
Everlyn | Kemboi | USA | 1:12:33 |
Savannah | Berry | USA | 1:12:52 |
Anna | Heiny | USA | 1:15:18 |
Megan | O’Neil | USA | 1:17:16 |
Men's Half Marathon Elite Field:
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | COUNTRY | PERSONAL BEST |
---|---|---|---|
Jemal | Yimer | ETH | 0:58:33 |
Cybrian | Kotout | KEN | 0:59:12 |
Gabriel | Geay | TAN | 0:59:42 |
Callum | Hawkins | GBR | 1:00:00 |
Wesley | Kiptoo | KEN | 1:00:43 |
Tadu | Deme Abate | ETH | 1:00:46 |
Diego | Estrada | USA | 1:00:49 |
Conner | Mantz | USA | 1:00:55 |
Pat | Tiernan | AUS | 1:00:55 |
Abdi | Djamel | DJB | 1:00:56 |
Ben | Flanagan | CAN | 1:01:00 |
Frank | Lara | USA | 1:01:00 |
Morgan | Pearson | USA | 1:01:08 |
Clayton | Young | USA | 1:01:18 |
Hillary | Bor | USA | 1:01:20 |
Futsum | Zienasellassie | USA | 1:01:21 |
Johannes | Motschmann | GER | 1:01:33 |
Andrew | Colley | USA | 1:01:35 |
Reed | Fischer | USA | 1:01:37 |
Colin | Mikow Colin | USA | 1:01:41 |
Aaron | Bienenfeld | GER | 1:01:45 |
Alex | Masai | KEN | 1:01:46 |
Athanas | Kioko | KEN | 1:02:00 |
Tom | Anderson | GBR | 1:02:00 |
Tsegay | Weldlibanos | UNA | 1:02:04 |
Thomas | Fafard | CAN | 1:02:17 |
Michael | Somers | BEL | 1:02:23 |
Marcelo | Laguera | MEX | 1:02:27 |
Elkanah | Kibet | USA | 1:02:29 |
Ryan | Johnson | USA | 1:02:31 |
Ivan | Gonzalez | COL | 1:02:31 |
Barry | Keane | IRL | 1:02:35 |
Afewerki | Zeru | USA | 1:02:40 |
Ben | Preisner | CAN | 1:02:42 |
Juan Luis | Barrios | MEX | 1:02:43 |
Aidan | Reed | USA | 1:02:50 |
Joseph | Trojan | USA | 1:02:50 |
Peter | Lynch | IRL | 1:03:22 |
Zach | Panning | USA | 1:03:27 |
Juan | Pacheco | MEX | 1:03:37 |
JP | Flavin | USA | 1:03:46 |
Jacob | Thomson | USA | 1:04:16 |
Willy | Fink | USA | 1:04:48 |
Joseph | Minor-Williams | USA | 1:06:33 |
Women's Marathon Elite Field:
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | COUNTRY | PERSONAL BEST |
---|---|---|---|
Tsigie | Haileslase | ETH | 2:22:10 |
Sifan | Demise | ETH | 2:23:49 |
Anna | Dibaba | ETH | 2:23:56 |
Kumeshi | Sichala | ETH | 2:25:25 |
Vanessa | Wilson | AUS | 2:28:34 |
Dana | Pidhoresky | CAN | 2:29:03 |
Bria | Wetsch | USA | 2:29:50 |
Rachel | Hannah | CAN | 2:32:09 |
Dot | McMahan | USA | 2:32:11 |
Maya | Weigel | USA | 2:32:16 |
Whitney | Macon | USA | 2:32:48 |
Jen | Odenheimer | USA | 2:40:42 |
Erika | Kemp | USA | DB |
Lilian | Chebii | KEN | DB |
Men's Marathon Elite Field:
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | COUNTRY | PERSONAL BEST |
---|---|---|---|
Haimro | Alame | ISR | 2:06:04 |
Filmon | Ande | UNA | 2:06:38 |
Hendrik | Pfieffer Hendrik | GER | 2:07:14 |
Godadaw | Belachew | ISR | 2:07:45 |
Dominic | Ondoro | KEN | 2:08:00 |
Amanuel | Mesel | ERI | 2:08:17 |
Haftom | Welday | GER | 2:08:24 |
Jake | Robertson | NZL | 2:08:26 |
Catrileo | Hugo Tapia | CHL | 2:08:44 |
Bayelign | Teshager | ETH | 2:08:56 |
Daniel | Mesfun | USA | 2:10:06 |
Shadrack | Kimining | KEN | 2:10:17 |
Josh | Izewski | USA | 2:11:09 |
Thomas | Broatch | CAN | 2:11:51 |
Brogan | Austin | USA | 2:12:38 |
Andrew | Alexander | CAN | 2:14:13 |
Yemane | Haileselassie | UNA | 2:14:14 |
Seth | Totten | USA | 2:14:30 |
Phil | Parrot-Migas | CAN | 2:15:32 |
Nadir | Yusuf | USA | 2:16:15 |
Robert | Swoboda | USA | 2:16:46 |
Emad | Bashir-Mohammed | SUD | 2:17:33 |