World champ Bekele to lead constellation of runners as TSK 25k goes international

A constellation of stars will assemble at the City of Joy led by the redoubtable Kenensia Bekele in the men’s field and Helah Kiprop and Valentine Kipketer in the women’s as TSK 25K goes international from this year.

Kenenisa Bekele is a legend in his sport and has won over 21 Olympic and World Champion titles and broke 6 senior world records in a front line career of more than eight years, Bekele has won gold at the 10.000m in four straight World Championships. He won double Olympic Gold in Beijing in the 5.000m and 10.000m and repeated that at the Berlin World Championships. Furthermore, he is the first ever and only athlete to be world indoor, outdoor, cross and Olympic champion.

In 2014 he made his marathon debut in Paris winning in 2:05:03. Two years later he shaved exactly two minutes of his personal best by setting a new Ethiopian record of 2:03:03 in Berlin marathon. The form that he has shown in recent months have kept the world of running fingers crossed for he can easily set a world record at this distance here putting Kolkata on the record book.

The men’s flock could see Tanzanian Augustine Sulle emerge as the dark horse for the meet, who after competing in Brazil began his European chapter with a wonderful debut in Amsterdam.

Helah Kiprop will lead the women’s pack, with Valentine Kipketer and young Dibabe Kuma giving her tough competition.

Helah is well-known in India, she was the TCS World 10k Champion in 2012 and she won Cochin Half Marathon in 2013. She is an all-round athlete, holding personal best of 31:44 for 10k, 67:39 for half marathon and 2:21:27 in the marathon. In 2015 she won the silver medal at the World Marathon Championships in Beijing and in 2016 she won the prestigious Tokyo marathon. She took third places in last year’s Delhi half marathon and this year’s Bangalore 10k.

“The first three editions of the Tata Steel Kolkata 25km cultivated a domestic field but offered no incentives for international elite runners to participate. That has changed dramatically with the fourth edition to be held on 17 December with a host of top-ranked athletes contesting the race. Foremost among them is multiple world record holder Kenenisa Bekele who was the world's fastest Marathon runner in 2016 only five seconds shy of the world record. It's hard to see who in the men's field could challenge him but the up and coming Tanzanian, Augustine Sulle might,” said Hugh Jones, Race Director. TSK25K.

“The women's event, by contrast, has no standout favourite but is packed with seasoned campaigners still at the top of their game. Helah Kiprop has run many times in India and Valentine Kipketer won the Mumbai Marathon when she was a youngster and has since improved her marathon best significantly,” he added.

The elite field showcases a clash between the powerhouses in long distance running as all East African countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Eritrea and Tanzania are represented in the festival. There is also participation from Italy and South Africa.

Please find the list below of the international elite athletes participating in the TSK 25K International:

MEN ELITE ATHLETES

Kenenisa Bekele ETH/1982

Robert Chemonges UGA/1997

Augustino Sulle TAN/1997

Michael Mazibuko RSA/1986

Tsegay Tuemay ERI/1995

Stefano La Rosa ITA/1985

Clement Langat KEN/1991

Dickson Marwa TAN/1982

WOMEN ELITE ATHLETES

F1 Helah Kiprop KEN/1985

F2 Valentine Kipketer KEN/1993

F3 Dibabe Kuma ETH/1996

F4 Failuna Matanga TAN/1992

F5 Nazret Weldu ERI/1990

F6 Bornes Kitur KEN/1988

F7 Eunice Jeptoo KEN/1983

F8 Degitu Azimeraw ETH/1999

MEN ELITE ATHLETES

Kenenisa Bekele

ETH/1982

In 2014 he made his marathon debut in Paris winning in 2:05:03. Two years later he shaved exactly two minutes of his personal best by setting a new Ethiopian record of 2:03:03 in Berlin marathon.

2017	London Marathon	2^nd	2:05:57
2016	Olympic Games Marathon	1^st	2:03:03
2016	London Marathon	3^rd	2:06.36
2014	Chicago Marathon	4^th	2:05:51
2014	Paris Marathon	1^st	2:05.03
2013	Great North Run Half Marathon	1^st	60:09

2	Robert Chemonges	UGA/1997
Robert hails from a talented family, many of his brothers also are international runners. One of them, Jacob Kiplimo is the World Junior Champion Cross 2017. Robert lives and trains from Kween district in Uganda.
2017	MTN Kampala Half Marathon		1^st	64:31 (A)
2017	World Championships Marathon		43^rd	2:21.24
2017	Dusseldorf Marathon		1^st	2:10.32
2016	Ljubljana Marathon		7^th	2:11.04
2016	Pordenone Half Marathon		1^st	62:55
2016	Trieste Marathon		1st	2:11.45
2016	World Half Marathon Championships		21st	63:39

3	Augustino Sulle	TAN/1992
Training in Arusha with a small group of athletes Augustino started his career competing mostly in Brazil. In 2017 he made the step to compete in Europe and made his marathon debut in Amsterdam in a very good way qualifying himself for the 2018 Commonwealth Games Marathon.
2017	Amsterdam Marathon		15^th	2:10:01
2017	Rio de Janeiro 10Km		3^rd	29:42
2017	Jever Funlauf 10 Miles		2^nd	47:32
2016	Brasilia Half Marathon		1^st	1:03.43
2016	Brasilia Circuito Caixa 10km		1^st	29:40

4	Michael Mazibuko	RSA/1986
Being coached by well-known distance legend, Hendrick Ramaala, Michael run a strong Cape Town Marathon in 2015 finishing 3^rd running 2.12 on the hilly course. In 2016 had some challenges which kept him from competing internationally. He returned training early this year with the Ramaala group and Kolkata will be his first international appearance back. He earlier competed in Mumbai Marathon in 2015 where he unfortunately DNF.
2015	Cape Town Marathon		3^rd	2:12:29
2012	George SA Marathon		2^nd	2:15:12
2011	Cape Gate Vaal Half Marathon		1^st	1:04:24
2010	Hartebeespoort Half Marathon		2^nd	1:05.11
2010	Port Elisabeth Half Marathon		15^th	1:05.15

5	Tsegay Tuemay	ERI/995
Eritrea has brought some very big talents over the years in road racing. Tuemay is no different, winning road races often and running top 3 frequently. Tsegay trains in the Eritrean capital Asmara.
2017	San Diego Half Marathon		1^st	1:01:38
2017	Hengshui Lake Marathon		5^th	2:13.40
2016	Boston Half Marathon		3^rd	1:03.29
2016	Yiwu Half Marathon		2^nd	1:02.59
2015	Breda Half Marathon		2^nd	1:01.39
2015	Asmara Half Marathon		5^th	1:04:33
6	Stefano La Rosa	ITA/1985
Stefano represented Italy on many occasions throughout his career. His personal bests on both track (13.23 5000m, 28:13 10.000m) and road (62.15 half and 2.11.11 full marathon) are credit to that as well. He belongs among Europe best distance runners at this moment.
2017	Arezzo Half Marathon		7^th	63:20
2017	European Cup 10.000m		5^th	29:08.05
2017	Italian Championships 10.000m		2^nd	28:51.73
2017	Treviso Marathon		1st	2:12.26
2016	Olympic Games Marathon		57th	2:18.57
2016	World Championships Half Marathon		25^th	64:05
2016	European Championships Half Marathon		13^th	64:15
2015	TCS Amsterdam Marathon		12^th	2:11.11

7	Clement Langat	KEN/1991
Clement trains in Iten with multiple Olympic and World Champion Asbel Kiprop. Where Asbel is focused more on middle distance, Clement joins Leonard Barsoton (Silver at the World Cross Champs 2017) for the longer distances. Clement was part of the pacemaker group of NIKE Breaking 2 test event in Monza in March.
2017	San Blas Half Marathon		1^st	64:01
2017	Beach to Beacon 10km		5^th	28:42
2017	Okpekpe Road Race		5^th	29:44

8	Dickson Marwa	TAN/1982
Dickson is a familiar face in India, having competed already seven times in India before in Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai it’s now time to add Kolkata to that total as well. Dickson boosts impressive PB’s on both the track (27:38.58 for 10.000m) and road (59:52 for half marathon). He represented Tanzania in international championship for the first time in 2006 during the Commonwealth Games where he finished 6^th over 10.000m and 8^th over 5.000m. His best performance was a 8^th place in 2007 at the World Half Marathon Championships.
2017	Kilimanjaro Airport International half marathon		5^th
2016	Shanghai International 10km		3^rd	29:51
2014	Tanzanian Championships 10.000m		8^th	28:57
2013	TCS Bangalore 10km		6^th	28:50
2011	All African Games Half Marathon		6th	65:22

WOMEN ELITE ATHLETES MUMBAI MARATHON 2016

F1	Helah Kiprop	KEN/1985
Helah Kiprop is well-known in India, she was the TCS World 10k Champion in 2012 and she won Cochin Half Marathon in 2013. She is an all-round athlete, holding personal best of 31:44 for 10k, 67:39 for half marathon and 2:21:27 in the marathon. In 2015 she won the silver medal at the World Marathon Championships in Beijing and in 2016 she won the prestigious Tokyo marathon. She took third places in last year’s Delhi half marathon and this year’s Bangalore 10k.
2017	Airtel Delhi Half Marathon		4^th	68:10
2017	World Championships Marathon		7^th	2:28:19
2017	TCS World 10k Bangalore		3^rd	32:02
2017	RAK Half Marathon		6^th	67:48
2016	New Delhi Half Marathon		3^rd	68:11
2016	Tokyo Marathon		1^st	2:21:27
2015	World Championships Marathon		2^nd	2:27:36
2015	Istanbul Half Marathon		2^nd	68:23
2015	Tokyo Marathon		2^nd	2:24:03
2014	Seoul International Marathon		1^st	2:27:29
2014	RAK Half Marathon		4^th	68:36
2013	TCS World 10k Bangalore		6^th	32:26
2013	Cochin Half Marathon		1^st	71:54
2013	Berlin Half Marathon		1^st	67.54
2012	TCS Bangalore 10k		1^st	32:22

F2	Valentine Kipketer		KEN/1993
She left a landmark after her first appearance in India, breaking the Mumbai Marathon course record and setting an Indian All Comers record for the distance which remains unbroken till today. She then kicked off her international marathon career competing in some of the World Major Marathon series races. She gave birth to her first born in 2014 and returned to competition late 2015.
2017		Chicago Marathon		5^th	2:28.05
2017		Boston Marathon		6^th	2:29.35
2016		Chicago Marathon		3^rd	2:23.41
2016		Boston Marathon		5^th	2:33.13
2016		Mumbai Marathon		3^rd	2:34.07
2013		Amsterdam Marathon		1^st	2:23.02
2013		Mumbai Marathon		1^st	2:24.33

F3	Dibabe Kuma		ETH/1996
Younger sister to Internationally known marathoner Abera Kuma, Dibabe got her shot at an international career in 2015 winning her 1^st international appearance in a 10km in Holland.
2017		Barcelona Half Marathon		2^nd	1:09:49
2017		Göteborg Marathon		5^th	1:12:01
2016		Paris Half Marathon		1^st	1:09:18
2016		Kopenhagen Half Marathon		7^th	1:10:47
2016		Barcelona Half Marathon		1^st	1:09:19
2016		Göteborg Marathon		5^th	1:12:15

F4	Failuna Matanga		TAN/1992
After starting her career competing in Brazil for a couple of years, Failuna made her breakthrough this year. 2017was a year full off highlights for the young Tanzanian runner competing in two world championships and making her marathon debut in Amsterdam.
2017		Amsterdam Marathon		10^th	2:34.12
2017		World Championships 10.000m		23^rd	32:29.97
2017		FBK Games Hengelo 10.000m		9^th	31:47.37
2017		TCS Bangalore 10km		7^th	33:32
2017		World Championships Cross		16^th

F5	Nazret Weldu		ERI/1990
Where Eritrean men are represented in bigger numbers and at the highest level, for women that’s a different scenario. Nazret is already for years the lone Eritrean female athlete competing internationally.
2017		Houston Half Marathon		2^nd	1:14:56
2016		Houston Half Marathon		5^th	1:11:30
2016		Xiamen Half Marathon		4^th	1:12:23
2016		FBK Games 10.000m		13^th	32:58.28
2016		Nanning Half Marathon		3^rd	1:12:44
2015		San Francisco 12 KM		2^nd	40:46

F6	Bornes Kitur	KEN/1986
Bornes Kitur has had a very successful year running sub 2.30 in three marathons and winning the Mumbai Marathon. In 2016 she came a surprise 2^nd in Mumbai Marathon, now she will use Kolkata 25km as a last test towards defending her Mumbai title on 21^st January 2018.
2017	Sydney Marathon		2^nd	2:29.01
2017	Seoul Marathon		7^th	2:29.40
2017	Mumbai Marathon		1^st	2:29.02
2016	Eldoret Marathon		1^st	2:42:58 (A)
2016	Cologne Marathon		1^st	2:32:16
2016	Mumbai Marathon		2^nd	2:32:00
2016	Copenhagen Half Marathon		5^th	70:00
2014	Hannover Marathon		3^rd	2:33:50
2014	Ljubljana Marathon		5^th	2:36:02
2014	Azkoitia-Azpeitia Half Marathon		2^nd	70:32

F7	Eunice Jeptoo		KEN/1983
Eunice is a very experienced marathon runner having completed 11 marathons in her career so far. Four times she managed to finish top 3 and once she won.
2017		Eindhoven Marathon		1^st	2:26.13
2017		Rabat Marathon		2^nd	2:33.41
2016		Enschede Marathon		4^th	2:32.36
2016		Sevilla Marathon		4^th	2:33.13
2015		World Military Championships Marathon		12^th	2:42.27
2015		Stockholm Marathon		2^nd	2:34.59

Degitu Azimeraw

ETH/1999

Only little is known about Degitu, Kolkata will be her 1^st international competition. She is training with Meseret Defar in Ethiopia for a year now.

2017

Addis Ababa 5km

1^st

15:54

Tata Steel Kolkata 25K

Tata Steel Kolkata 25K

World champ Bekele to lead constellation of runners as TSK 25k goes international