Prime
Kolkata checks Kissa, Chekwel eyes Tokyo Worlds
Juliet Chekwel must go hard. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
Only two Ugandan marathoners; Stephen Kissa and Stella Chesang have qualified for Tokyo and there is still room to fill the six quota slots available, three per gender.
The season may be over for most elite athletics competitors across the globe. And truly, the crowning of Dutch Sifan Hassan and Botswana’s sprinter Letsile Tebogo announced as World Athletes of the Year at the World Athletics Awards 2024 in Monaco, France last weekend.
For the marathoners though, the plans are in process already ahead of 2025. A majority are in quest already for tickets to the Tokyo World Athletics Championships due September 13-21 in the Japanese capital.
Only two Ugandan marathoners; Stephen Kissa and Stella Chesang have qualified for Tokyo and there is still room to fill the six quota slots available, three per gender.
And the desire to increase Uganda’s entries continues today when Juliet Chekwel pursues a victory at the Mersin Marathon in Turkiye.
Owing to her personal best (PB) mark of two hours, 23 minutes and 13 seconds, Chekwel is the fastest in the ladies’ field set up in the Mersin Municipality. “My plan is to try my best and run a good time,” said Chekwel via a phone chat this week.
The race will mark her fourth 42km race in 13 months. She won the Guadalajara Marathon with a time of 2:33:10 in Mexico on November 5, 2023.
On January 27, Chekwel posted 2:45:54 for ninth place at the Buriram Marathon in Buri Ram, Thailand and on August 25, she returned to Asia, picking fourth place in 2:40:21 at the Maybank Marathon in Bali, Indonesia.
However, none of the times have come close to her PB mark she set while winning her debut 42km race at the Zurich Maratón de Sevilla Marathon in Seville, Spain in 2020.
And Chekwel hasn’t competed for Uganda since featuring at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics three years ago. She desires to return to the same city for the Worlds in 10 months’ time. “The Tokyo 2025 mark is my plan,” she added.
It implies Chekwel must record a new PB to beat the Tokyo Worlds qualifying standard of 2:23:30. She will be up against Kenyans Truphena Chepchirchir and Hildah Jepkogei who boast respective PBs at 2:27:52 and 2:28:31.
Meanwhile, Andrew Kwemoi is in quest to join Kissa to Tokyo when he competes at the Malaga Marathon in Southern Iberia on the Costa del Sol of the Mediterranean, Spain.
American Paul Chelimo, whose half-marathon PB is 1:02:19 stands out, is the favourite. Kwemoi is fancied for the podium with his PB at 2:07:14 while Kenyan Josphat Kiprono at 2:06:44 is a challenger too.
Meanwhile, Kissa will check his speed and body with the Kolkata 25K test in India. He will be paced by youngster Emmanuel Kibet. “The race is to see what his (Kissa) level is at the moment,” said Kissa’s coach Addy Ruiter.
Another competitor in the Kolkata race will be Bernard Cheptoch, a familiar pace maker. Kissa is the national marathon record holder at 2:04:48 from the 2022 Hamburg Marathon in Germany but, he did not exceed the 25km mark during the Paris Olympics’ race four months ago.
A performance in Kolkata will be crucial before Kissa embarks on a full marathon test before the end of April.
UGANDANS IN ACTION - ACTION
Kolkata 25K: Stephen Kissa, Emmanuel Kibet (Pacer), Bernard Cheptoch (Pacer)
Mersin Marathon: Juliet Chekwel (42km)
Malaga Marathon: Andrew Kwemoi (42km)
ROAD TO TOKYO 2025 WORLD CHAMPS - UGANDAN MARATHONERS
MEN’S QUALIFICATION
1 Stephen Kissa (Osaka Marathon, 2nd, 2:06:22, Feb 25, 2024)
Entry Standard: 2:06:30, Qualifying window: Nov 5, 2023 - May 4, 2025
WOMEN’S QUALIFICATION
1 Stella Chesang (Valencia Marathon, 2nd, 2:18:26 on Dec 1, 2024)
Entry Standard: 2:23:30, Qualifying window: Nov 5, 2023 - May 4, 2025
