Kolkata victory gives big push Kissa for 2025

Back in 2022, he stepped in a hole on the course while in touch with the lead group, and ended up 21st in his first World Marathon Major (WMM) at the Chicago Marathon in the USA. 

And even with the battering of the course he took at the Paris Olympics in France back in August, Kissa is fighter. At the weekend, he produced some rare yet superb tactics to win the Kolkata 25K race in India. 

He won only his fifth major race in an 11-year career, when he posted a best time of one hour, 12 minutes and 33 seconds. 

“I am very happy,” Kissa said on his way back from India. “It was a really tactical race. The conditions were not bad.”

He won the race with 200 metres to go, holding off Kenyans Daniel Ebenyo and Anthony Chepchirchir who settled for second and third places. 

“Super. In this strong field, we were not expecting that he would win this race. The boy finishing second was winning silver behind Joshua (Cheptegei) in Budapest,” reacted Kissa’s coach Addy Ruiter.

Kissa was in the company of his manager Jurrie van der Velden from Global Sports Communication, whom he left in awe by a mature race in Kolkata. 

“Stephen is not an athlete who wins races often,” a happy Jurrie said. 

“He does take podium every now and but to win is something special. Kissa was patienly waiting till his time to strike would come and to my surprise, he waited until 200m to go.”

Kissa and Ebenyo dictated the tempo at about 16.5km but Chepchirchir hang on later before the Ugandan pounced. 

The victory is significant for Kissa, who is the only Ugandan male runner thus far, to qualify already for the marathon at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships due September in Japan. 

He has already beaten the qualifying mark of 2:06:30 via second place at the Osaka Marathon in Japan on February 25.

And the victory in Kolkata will come in handy when Kissa competes at possibly a WMM next year, before Tokyo. 

“It is a big confidence boost leading in to the spring marathon season. And hope he will be able to build on this further leading to new heights going to Tokyo,” Jurrie.

Meanwhile, Uganda had two other podium finishes; Juliet Chekwel expectedly winning the Mersin Marathon in Türkiye with a season best time of 2:29:18 but she was still about five minutes outside the Tokyo qualifying mark of 2:23:30.

Chekwel still has a chance to qualify before May 4, and so is Andrew Kwemoi who came third at the Malaga Marathon in Spain, with a time of 2:10:20. The race was won by 42km debutant Kenyan Vincent Kigen. 

KOLKATA 25K

MEN’S RESULTS

1 Stephen Kissa (UGA)                      1:12:33

2 Daniel Ebenyo (KEN)                     1:12:37

3 Anthony Kipchirchir (KEN)            1:12:55

4 Benson Kipruto (KEN)                    1:13:25

5 Asbel Rutto (KEN)                          1:13:36

MERSIN MARATHON

WOMEN’S RESULTS

1 Juliet Chekwel (UGA)                     2:29:18

2 Deborah Sang (KEN)                      2:30:29

3 Truphena Chepchirchir (KEN)         2:31:06

4 Roselida Jeoketer (BRN)             2:32:56

7 Viola Chemos (UGA)                      2:54:15

MALAGA MARATHON

MEN’S RESULTS

1 Vincent Kigen (KEN) 2:08:05

2 Micah Chemweno (KEN) 2:09:21

3 Andrew Rotich Kwemoi (UGA) 2:10:20 

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