African runners set to dominate a record-breaking Copenhagen Marathon

Record upon record. With all 21.000 bib numbers already sold out, this year's Copenhagen Marathon has not just beaten its own record; it will as well be the biggest marathon race ever on Danish soil. Whether new race records will see the light of day, only time, literally, can tell.

As usual, fast runners from East Africa are expected to dominate the elite field. With a flat and fast course - and unusual cold temperatures for May as well - the runners certainly will have the best conditions for running at record pace.

With a personal best of 2:05,22 set in Seville 2022, Adugna Takele tops the men's entry list. For the 36-year-old Ethiopian, it will be a reunion with Copenhagen, where he at the 2014 World Half Marathon Championships took a solid 9^th spot. He will be joined by his compatriot Aychew Bantie, who has run a personal best of 2:06.23 twice: in Prague (2019) and Dubai (2020).

The race record of 2:08,23 was set three years ago by Berhane Tsegay of Eritrea. This year, the same nation is sending another strong contender to the Danish capital, Berhane Tesfaye (PR 2:07.07), who as late as in January won the Mumbai Marathon. However, Boaz Kipkemei of Kenya can boast an even fresher victory - from Chongqing, China, where he in March set a race record of 2:07.18.

A fourth East African country, Uganda, is also expected to be up front in the form of 24-year-old Andrew Rotich Kwemoi. Despite his relatively young age, he already made a mark in 2023 winning the Milano Marathon in a personal best time of 2:07.14.

Copenhagen will also showcase the marathon debuts of Jonathan Korir and Vincent Mutai. Two Kenyan runners who recently have dipped under the one-hour-mark at half the distance.

Ethiopians leading the women’s field
With four female athletes – all from Ethiopia - having run sub-2:24, the women's elite field is as well packed with high-quality runners. Among them Sofia Assefa, who as a steeplechaser won Olympic silver and World Championship bronze back in 2012 and 2013. Having been absent for several years, she made a comeback in 2023 – now as a marathon runner – coming in 8^th in Amsterdam that year. All three of her compatriots seem to have a winning potential: Tigist Getnet (2:23,17 - Dubai 2023), Tinbit Gidey (2:23,37 – Valencia 2018) and Abebech Afework (2:23,33 - Dubai 2015).

A fifth Ethiopian, now representing Bahrain, Tigist Gashaw, arrives with a fresh victory from Chongqing in March. There she ran 2:24.44, placing her as well among the favorites.

It will, no doubt, be a tough task to beat the race record of 2:23,14, which Rodah Chepkorir Tanui of Kenya established two years ago, but with expected temperatures as low as 8-9 degrees and hardly any wind, all 21.000 runners will have optimal conditions.

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