Langat and Ware Dominate at Wizz Air Milano Marathon
Kenya’s Leonard Langat and Ethiopia’s Shure Demise Ware claimed victory at the 23rd edition of the Wizz Air Milano Marathon, a World Athletics Label Race held on a sunny and warm day in Milan.
Men’s Race:
Kenya swept the men’s podium. Leonard Langat won in 2:08:38, pulling away decisively in the final kilometers. Langat and Amos Kipruto Too broke clear at 38 km, and Langat launched his winning move at 40 km, finishing in Piazza del Duomo. Too held on for second in 2:08:45, while Timothy Kosgei Kipchumba secured third in 2:09:11.
A conservative early pace saw a lead pack of 12 reach 10 km in 30:29 and 15 km in 45:17. Things picked up as Kiprono, Too, Tefera, and Choge pushed through 21 km in 1:04:16. By 30 km (1:31:57), seven athletes remained in contention. The group narrowed to five by 35 km: Kipchumba, Too, Langat, Tadesse, and Kipyego.
Eritrea’s Aron Kifle, making his marathon debut, impressed with a fourth-place finish in 2:09:39. Uganda’s Naman Kipyego followed in 2:10:06.
This marks Langat’s third marathon win, following Hefei in 2018 (2:10:49) and Vienna in 2021 (2:09:25). He also has two podium finishes at the Roma Ostia Half Marathon, running sub-60 twice.
Langat: “I’m very happy with the win. I came to Milan aiming for victory. I knew I was in good shape and waited until the final 2 km to make my move. The support from fans along the course was amazing.”
Women’s Race:
Shure Demise Ware returned from maternity leave to dominate the women’s race in 2:23:21—this year’s fastest marathon time on Italian soil. She finished nearly two minutes ahead of Kenya’s Joan Jepkosgei Kilimo (2:25:32), with Ethiopia’s Alemtsehay Mekuria third in 2:27:23.
A leading group of four—Ware, Kilimo, Mekuria, and Juliet Chekwel—passed 10 km in 33:36 and 15 km in 50:46. By halfway (1:10:58), only Ware, Kilimo, and Mekuria remained. Ware and Mekuria broke away at 27 km, but Ware took control at 31 km and ran solo to the finish. Though the rising temperature slowed her pace after 35 km, she held on strongly.
Ware’s previous marathon best is 2:20:59 from Dubai 2015. She also placed third in Tokyo (2:21:05) and Chicago (2:22:08), and clocked 1:08:17 in the 2022 Roma Ostia Half Marathon.
Ware: “This was my first marathon since returning from maternity leave, so I wasn’t sure about my form. I’m grateful to my coach Gemedu Dedefo for guiding me back. Training with Tigist Dedefo and Amane Beriso motivates me every day.”
