The 2018 Rotterdam Marathon champion Visiline Jepkesho will be gunning for her first marathon title of the year as she leads the women’s elite field at the Shanghai Marathon on December 1.
The event promises to be a thriller with race organisers confirming that the world’s top marathoners will compete for glory in the Chinese city.
“This year’s Shanghai Marathon is a star-studded event with an elite gathering,” race organisers said.
“We have invited 27 international special athletes, including eight platinum athletes and 11 gold athletes. Let us just say all the “strongest” runners we know will come to Shanghai Marathon.”
Jepkesho, 36, has had a solid year so far, finishing third in both the Seoul Marathon on March 17 ( 2:22:52 ) and the Gold Coast Marathon on July 7 ( 2:26:17 ) .
In Seoul, she was narrowly edged by Ethiopia’s Fikrte Wereta ( 2:21:32 ) and Bahrain’s Desi Mokonin ( 2:22:19 ).
At Gold Coast, she trailed Japan’s Yuki Nakamura ( 2:24:22 ) and Ethiopia’s Sichala Kumeshi ( 2:25:25 ).
Her credentials are, however, impressive.
Besides her Rotterdam win in 2018 ( 2:23:47 ), she claimed titles at the Paris Marathon in 2016 ( 2:25:53 ) and Ljubljana in 2018 ( 2:22:58 ).
In 2017, Jepkesho finished second in Istanbul ( 2:22:40 ), just behind world record holder Ruth Chepngetich ( 2:22:36 ).
Jepkesho clocked 2:22:58 for a runners-up finish at the Nagoya women’s marathon and placed third ( 2:24:44 ) at the 2015 Paris Marathon.
Joining Jepkesho in Shanghai is Naomi Tuei, the 2024 Huai’an Marathon champion, who claimed victory in 2:34:14.
The duo will face stiff competition from the Ethiopian trio of Belay Bedada— the 2019 Seville marathon runners-up, Masresha Bere —the 2021 Hamburg marathon runner up and Aberu Ayana, the 2024 Lisbon marathon champion.
The men’s field features a strong Kenyan contingent spearheaded by 2024 Tokyo marathon runners-up Timothy Kiplagat.
Kiplagat clocked 2:02:55 for second place in Tokyo behind Olympic bronze medallist Benson Kipruto ( 2:02:16 ) and just ahead of Vincent Ngetich ( 2:04:18 ).
His accolades include a victory at the 2022 Abu Dhabi marathon ( 2:05:20 ), a second-place finish at the 2023 Rotterdam marathon ( 2:03:50 ) and third-place finishes at the 2021 Eindhoven ( 2:07:01 ) race.
Kiplagat will be joined by 2022 Milano Marathon champion Titus Kipruto and 2021 Enschede Marathon runner-up Jonathan Kipleting.
Adding to the race is 2023 Buenos Aires Half Marathon champion Roncer Konga who will be making his full marathon debut.
