WRITTEN FOR THE LONDON MARATHON MAGAZINE
Seven qualifying races in five nations within one year – a review of the Abbott World Marathon Majors series.
As the crème de la crème of the world’s finest marathon runners prepare to join over 36,000 participants in the 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon, we take a look back over the past twelve months to recap series IX of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) contest, of which the British capital’s race is a fundamental element.
London’s historic, annual 26.2-mile race – this year held on Sunday 24 April – forms just one piece of the global big-city marathon race puzzle with Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo also hosting AWMM events – not forgetting the intermittent Olympic and World Championship races.
At the end of each series, male and female winners are crowned on the basis of their two best performances across the seven-event competition – as opposed to four in previous years – with the Tokyo marathon providing both the starting and finishing point for the 2014/15 contest.
The winner of each race is awarded 25 points, with the runner-up gaining 16, the third-placed runner nine, the fourth-placed runner four and the fifth-placed runner one point.
A prize of $500,000 is awarded to the male and female winner of each series, adding plenty of incentive for athletes to utilise the contest in preparation for the 2016 Olympic and 2017 World Championship years.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors Series IX Champions
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge took pride of place at the top of the leader board, courtesy of his 50 points gained from his victories at the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon and BMW Berlin Marathon.
The 31-year-old 2003 world 5,000m champion and 2008 Olympic 5,000m silver medallist owned the two fastest times on the 2015 world list with his swift 2:04.00 lifetime best in the German capital and 2:04.42 from his London win.
Elsewhere, series VI winner Mary Keitany was crowned champion once more thanks to her 2015 TCS New York victory and runner-up placing in London.
The 34-year-old 2009 world half marathon champion – who boasts a superb 2:18.37 personal best from the 2012 London marathon, which propelled her to the world all-time number two spot – had a 2015 best of 2:23.40 which was set in the British capital.
2015/16 other notable performances – men
Three men shared the runner-up position in series IX, emphasising the strength in depth of entrants to the 2014/15 worldwide competition.
Each with 34 points were Kenya’s Dickson Chumba and Ethiopian duo, Feyisa Lilesa and Lelisa Desisa.
Chicago winner, Chumba also finished third in Tokyo in both the 2015 and 2016 events, and the 29-year-old has a fine 2:04.32 best from the 2014 season for 14th on the all-time rankings.
Lilesa meanwhile, has impressive consistency having captured the 2016 Tokyo crown with 2:06.56 and placed third in Berlin in just a second slower. The 26-year-old 2011 world bronze medallist has a 2:04.52 lifetime best from his runner-up position in Chicago, 2012.
2013 World silver medallist, Desisa was the victor in Boston and placed third in New York. The 26-year-old has a 2:04.45 best from winning Dubai in 2013.
2015/16 other notable performances – women
Keitany’s 41 finishing point score was shared by two other women – Ethiopian pair, Birhane Dibaba and Helah Kiprop but in accordance with the Abbott WMM tie-breaking procedure, the series race directors met as a group immediately after the conclusion of the 2016 Tokyo Marathon and voted unanimously for Keitany to be crowned the series champion. The decision was based on the strength of the race fields she competed against, as determined by the number of total points earned by the competitors of the top three women in the respective races.
Dibaba, 22, won the 2015 Tokyo title in 2:23.15 and finished third in Chicago – she has a 2:22.30 best from the 2014 season.
World silver medallist Kiprop meanwhile, set a 2:21.27 lifetime best in winning the 2016 Tokyo crown – twelve months on from her second place finish in the Japanese capital. The 30-year-old smashed her best by over two and a half minutes in the process.
2015/16 series recap
Boston Marathon
Regularly held on Patriots’ Day – the third Monday of April – the 2015 Boston Marathon was won by Lelisa Desisa and Kenya’s Caroline Rotich, respectively.
At the 119th running of the event, Desisa finished over half a minute clear of world silver medallist, Yemaine Adhane Tsegay in 2:09.17 to his Ethiopian compatriot’s 2:09.48. Kenya’s Wilson Chebet came home in third with a 2:10.22 clocking.
Rotich meanwhile, sealed a tightly-fought victory over Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba – who went on to capture the world championship title in Beijing four months later – clocking 2:24.55 to her rival’s 2:24.59. Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia finished closely behind in third with 2:25.09.
Virgin Money London Marathon
With a record 37,675 runners, the 35th edition of the race witnessed classy wins for two London debutants and an emotional competitive farewell for Britain’s world marathon record holder, Paula Radcliffe.
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge – the world all-time number eight – claimed his first of two AWMM titles in 2015 with a surprise 2:04.42 victory over a classy field.
In the runner-up position, Kenya’s former world record holder and defending champion, Wilson Kipsang – the Olympic bronze medallist and 2013/14 AWMM series champion – clocked 2:04.47, whilst his compatriot Dennis Kimetto, the world record holder (with 2:02.57 from Berlin in 2014) placed third in 2:05.50.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigist Tufa stole the biggest win of her career with a narrow 2:23.22 victory over the established Mary Keitany (2:23.40) and 2014 Berlin winner, Tirfi Tsegaye of Ethiopia, who registered 2:23.41.
IAAF World Championship Marathon
The 2015 AWMM qualifying races took place within the IAAF World Championships in Beijing in August, with Eritrea’s Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (2:12.28) and Mare Dibaba (2:27.35) taking the gold medal spoils in the Chinese capital.
In the silver medal positions were Ethiopia’s Yemaine Adhane (2:13.08) and Helah Kiprop (2:27.36 – only a second adrift of the winner) whilst Uganda’s Solomon Mutai (2:13.30) and Eunice Jepkirui (2:27.39) of Burundi claimed the bronze medals.
BMW Berlin Marathon
Having developed a reputation for boasting a fast course in recent years – with five men’s world records having been set in the German capital since 2007 – the 2015 BMW Berlin did not disappoint yet again in September as Eluid Kipchoge stormed clear for a superb 2:04.00 lifetime best win – five months on from his London victory.
Over a minute behind, his Kenyan team-mate, Eliud Kiptanui – fifth in the 2011 world championship race – clocked 2:05:21, as Ethiopia’s 2011 world marathon bronze medallist, Feyisa Lelisa finished third with 2:06.57.
Kenya’s 2014 world half marathon champion and 2013 world 10,000m runner-up, Gladys Cherono enjoyed her AWMM race debut, crossing the finish-line first in 2:19:25 as Ethiopian duo, Aberu Kebede – the 2009 world bronze medallist – and Meseret Hailu, the 2012 world half marathon champion – finished second and third with 2:20.48 and 2:24.33, respectively.
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Staged in October, the ‘Windy City’ saw Kenyan pair Dickson Chumba and Florence Kiplagat steal the show with strong performances.
Following his third place in Tokyo, Chumba registered 2:09.25 to ensure Kenya’s 2010 world half marathon bronze medallist, Sammy Kitwara had to settle for the runner-up spot for the second consecutive year with 2:09.50. Sammy Ndungu – also of Kenya – claimed third in 2:10:06.
Two-time Berlin Marathon winner and 2010 world half marathon champion, Kiplagat clocked 2:23.33 to improve one place on her 2014 position ahead of AWMM debutante, Yebrqual Melese (2:23.43) and Tokyo winner, Birhane Dibaba (2:24.24) – who also placed third in 2014.
TCS New York City Marathon
The largest race in the world with more than 50,000 finishers in 2014, ‘the Big Apple’ saw Kenyan pair Stanley Biwott and Mary Keitany take the honours in the 2015 November event.
Enjoying his first marathon win since Paris in 2012, Biwott – fourth in London – registered 2:10.34 ahead of his countryman, Geoffrey Kamworor – the 2014 world half marathon champion (2:10.48) and Boston victor, Lelisa Desisa (2:12.10).
Keitany meanwhile, defended her 2014 title with a 2:24.25 victory over 2009 world bronze medallist, Aselefech Mergia of Ethiopia and London winner, Tigist Tufa – who clocked 2:25.32 and 2:25.50, respectively.
Tokyo Marathon
The Japanese capital showcased its tenth edition of the late February race and its fifth since joining the AWMM competition roster.
In 2015, Ethiopian duo Endeshaw Negesse and Birhane Dibaba claimed the men and women’s titles, winning in 2:06:00 and 2:23:15, respectively and in the 2016 event, the honours went to Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa (2:06.56) and Helah Kiprop of Kenya (2:21.27).
Lilesa took charge with a mile to go to claim his first major marathon victory in a nine-year career ahead of Kenya’s 2009 world half marathon runner-up, Bernard Kipyego who pipped his team-mate – a tiring Dickson Chumba, the victor in 2014 – on the line with 2:07.33 to his compatriot’s 2:07.34.
In the women’s race, Kiprop broke away from the field after the 35km mark to go one better than in 2015 in what represented a huge personal best breakthrough race.
The world championship runner-up smashed the course record by almost a minute and crossed the finish-line 24 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Amane Gobena – who also set a big lifetime best with 2:21.51.
Two-time world marathon champion, Edna Kiplagat of Kenya placed third in 2:22.36.
2015/16 FINAL STANDINGS
MEN’S
1st Eliud Kipchoge 50 points
2nd = Dickson Chumba 34 points
2nd = Feyisa Lilesa 34 points
2nd = Lelisa Desisa 34 points
5th Yemane Tsegay 32 points
WOMEN’S
1st = Mary Keitany 41 points
1st = Mare Dibaba 41 points
1st = Helah Kiprop 41 points
4th Tigist Tufa 34 points
5th Birhane Dibaba 34 points
