Kenyan runners to feature in Sunday's Seoul Marathon

A star-studded field, led by last year's winners Jemal Yimer and Fikrte Wereta will take part in the 2025 Seoul Marathon when the World Athletics Platinum Label road race takes place this Sunday.

Two-time world half marathon fourth-place finisher Yimer ran a personal best PB of 2:06:08 to win the men’s race last year, while his Ethiopian compatriot Wereta also clocked a lifetime best – 2:21:32 – to take home the women’s honors.

He will face competition from a group of determined Kenyan and Ethiopian runners.

Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo and Edwin Kiptoo, plus four men who have dipped under 2:06 in their careers so far: Bernard Kiprop Koech, Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba, Solomon Kirwa Yego, and Ethiopia’s Haftu Teklu.

They will go up against other contenders such as Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo and Mike Kiptum Boit, as well as Ethiopia’s Gebretsadik Abraha.

In the women's segment, Wereta’s compatriots Mestawut Fikir and Bosena Mulatie could prove the biggest threats in the women's race as she looks to retain a title she won for the first time last year.

Wereta has had a strong start to the year, however, having finished third in the Xiamen Marathon in January and first in the Meishan Renshou Half Marathon in February.

Now she takes on Fikir and Mulatie, as part of a field that features a total of six runners whose personal best (PB) times are below 2:23 hrs.

Fikir set her PB of 2:18:48 when finishing runner-up in Berlin in September. She also won last year’s Paris Marathon and ended her year with a second-place finish in the Boston Half Marathon.

Mulatie was just one place and 12 seconds behind Fikir in Berlin, while Tanzania’s Jackline Sakilu ran her PB of 2:21:27 when winning in Chongqing.

Ethiopia’s Betelihem Afenigus is another athlete who returns to Seoul, the 23-year-old having finished fourth last year in a PB of 2:23:20.

They will be joined on the start line by Ethiopia’s Bekelech Gudeta, winner of last year’s marathons in Xiamen and Shanghai – the former in a PB of 2:22:54, plus Kenya’s Sandrafelis Chebet Tuei, the 2023 Shanghai Marathon fourth-place finisher (2:22:22). (Additional reporting courtesy World Athletics)

Leading entries Seoul Marathon 2025

Women

Mestawut Fikir (ETH) 2:18:48

Bosena Mulatie (ETH) 2:19:00

Jackline Sakilu (TAN) 2:21:27

Fikrte Wereta (ETH) 2:21:32

Sandrafelis Chebet Tuei (KEN) 2:22:22

Bekelech Gudeta (ETH) 2:22:54

Betelihem Afenigus (ETH) 2:23:20

Li Zhixuan (CHN) 2:26:15

Ayano Ikeuchi (JPN) 2:32:26

Men

Bernard Kiprop Koech (KEN) 2:04:09

Haftu Teklu (ETH) 2:04:42

Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:35

Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 2:05:42

Daniel Ebenyo (KEN) 2:06:04

Gebretsadik Abraha (ETH) 2:06:08

Mike Kiptum Boit (KEN) 2:06:08

Jemal Yimer (ETH) 2:06:08

Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo (KEN) 2:06:09

Edwin Kiptoo (KEN) 2:06:10

Cyrus Mutai (KEN) 2:06:11

Ashenafi Moges Weldegiorgis (ETH) 2:06:12

Felix Kirwa (KEN) 2:06:13

Adane Kebede Gebre (ETH) 2:06:54

Stanley Bett (KEN) 2:07:00