Reigning champions Duncan Maiyo and Pennina Wanjiru will return to defend their titles at the 2016 Brighton Marathon on Sunday 17 April when they take on two of the strongest elite fields in the event’s seven-year history.
The Kenyan pair ran the races of their lives to claim the men’s and women’s crowns on the town’s famous seafront in 2015 when Maiyo sliced more than a minute and a half from his personal best and Wanjiru marked her marathon debut with an eye-catching victory in the IAAF Bronze Label Road Race.
Maiyo dominated the men’s contest 12 months ago to clinch the first marathon victory of his career on his first appearance outside Kenya. The 30-year-old won by more than a minute in 2 hours 10 minutes 15 seconds from 2013 winner Dominic Kangor, but he will need to be on top form again in 2016 to retain the title against six fellow-Kenyans, two Ethiopians, a Ugandan and a South African.
The main threat to the champion will come from his compatriots, John Kemboi Cheruiyot and Raymond Chemungor, the two quickest men in the field who could well have their eyes on William Chebor’s 2014 course record of 2:09:25 and the handsome $5,000 bonus.
Cheruiyot has already proved he can run the 26.2-mile challenge in that sort of time having clocked 2:08:56 finishing sixth on his debut at last October’s prestigious Frankfurt Marathon.
A former African 10,000m silver medallist, the 25-year-old has considerable experience overseas. He has won major road races in Chicago and Mobile in the United States, and ran a half marathon best of 61:10 in Lille, France, two years ago.
Chemungor also has an impressive record having won no fewer than half of his six marathons to date, including the Lens Marathon twice and the Toulouse Marathon in 2014.
The 28-year-old was only two places behind Cheruiyot in Frankfurt last year when he lowered his personal best to 2:10:06. He also finished sixth in the Prague Marathon last May and will come to Brighton full of confidence that he can finally dip below the 2:10 barrier.
Two other Kenyans should also be in the hunt for the $6,000 winner’s cheque: the in-form Edwin Kiptoo, who was eighth in the Toronto Marathon last October in his best time of 2:11:45; and Joel Kimutai who won the Great Birmingham Run half marathon in 2014 and was sixth on his marathon debut last year in 2:14:38.
Uganda’s Thomas Ayeko may be the surprise package as he seeks to mark his 24th birthday on race day with a place on the podium. The youngest man in the field, Ayeko already has valuable international experience having won African junior bronze medals at 5000m and 10,000m five years ago, and finished 11th in the 10,000m final at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.
He finished fourth in Rennes last October on his marathon debut in 2:12:17 but clearly has the talent to run much quicker.
South Africa’s Xolisa Tyali is also one to watch. Coached by former New York Marathon champion Hendrick Ramaala, Tyali will be racing on foreign soil only for the second time as he seeks selection for this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio.
Like Maiyo, Wanjiru was also a comfortable winner last year, taking the women’s title by 30 seconds in 2:34:25 having run at course record pace to 20 miles.
She returns to Brighton with an undefeated record after winning her second marathon in Malaga in December, but she could face her stiffest test yet on 17 April when she takes on three other east Africans all with quicker performances under their belts.
Ethiopian Asnakech Mengistu is the fastest on paper with a best of 2:25:50 set when winning the Milan Marathon in 2010. With 15 marathons behind her, the 29-year-old has huge experience and good form – she won the Gaochun marathon in Nanjing last November and has chalked up 10 top five places including five podium finishes.
Mengistu is joined by her 23-year-old compatriot, Halima Hussen Kayo, who ran 2:32:51 finishing eighth in Prague last May, while Wanjiru has fellow Kenyan and former Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion, Grace Momanyi, for company.
Momanyi also ran a PB last year when she was second in Dublin in 2:32:16. Now 30, she moved up to the marathon in 2014 after a successful track career in which she won an African Championships bronze medal at 5000m and was fourth over 10,000m at the 2009 World Championships before taking the Commonwealth title in Delhi in 2010.
Event Founder Tim Hutchings commented: “To have both our reigning champions return is clear indication that they enjoyed their visits 12 months ago, but we’ve purposely not made the defence of their titles easy and the quality in depth of both races will mean fierce contests on 17 April.
“The course records are vulnerable but first and foremost, I’m excited about the racing that we’ll witness with athletes of this calibre.”
Total prize money of $24,000 is on offer to the top five finishers in both races while $30,000 is available in course record and time bonuses.
2016 Brighton Marathon Elite Entries
Men
Duncan Maiyo (KEN) 2:10:15
John Kemboi Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:08:56
Raymond Chemungor (KEN) 2:10:06
Edwin Kiptoo (KEN) 2:11:45
Thomas Ayeko (UGA) 2:12:17
Sammy Nyokaye (KEN) 2:14:35
Joel Kimutai (KEN) 2:14:38
Xolisa Tyali (RSA) 2:16:03
Teshome Girma (ETH) 2:21:51
Alemayew Abshero (ETH) debut
Timothy Kiptoo (KEN) debut
Women
Pennina Wanjiru (KEN) 2:34:25
Asnakech Mengistu (ETH) 2:25:50
Grace Momanyi (KEN) 2:32:16
Halima Hussen Kayo (ETH) 2:32:51
Course records
Men
2:09:25 William Chebor (KEN) 2014
Women
2:28:50 Eunice Kales (KEN) 2013
