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With such a quality field, the course records could be shattered.
The 2023 Padova Marathon scheduled for Sunday, April 23 has attracted strong women’s and men’s fields and the course records might be at stake.
In the men’s marathon Kenya’s Jonathan Maiyo is one to watch when the race starts. Maiyo clocked 2:04:56 at the 2012 Dubai Marathon and the same year, went ahead and won silver medal at the African Championships.
He was also a pacer at the 2008 Berlin Marathon and helped Haile Gebrselassie improve his then marathon world record at the event. recently, during the 2022 Malaga Marathon, the 34-year-old settled for fourth place in 2:09:47. He also settled for fourth place at this year’s Hannover Marathon.
He will be challenged by the energy of 25-year-old Ethiopian Yergalem Shewalem, who has a Personal Best (PB) of 2:08:32 and will be looking for his first success in a renowned competition.
Another Kenyan, Gilbert Chumba, will also be a force to reckon with as he lines up with a lifetime best of 2:10:16. He returns to the city of the Saint after third place last year.
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In the women’s field, the underdog is the twenty-four-year-old Ethiopian Alemtsehay Asefa, who has already won the Taipei Marathon on two occasions. It means she will be able to try to get all the spotlights in Prato della Valle on Sunday 23 April.
On her part, Burundi’s Cavaline Nahimana, returns to these latitudes. Another athlete to watch will be Uganda’s Nancy Cheptegei who is also a valid steeplechaser.
In the men’s half marathon, the pre-race favourites include the Kenyan trio of Kennedy, Ishmael Chelanga Kalale, and Solomon Koech.
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However, others to watch out for are Rwandan John Hakizimana and Burundian Jean Marie Niyomukiza.
In the women’s field, the best chronometric result belongs to the Ethiopian Likina Amebaw, who lines up with a PB of 1:09:01 achieved last year at the Poznan Half Marathon. Slovenian Neja Krsinar will, however, pose a threat to the Ethiopian.
With such a quality field, the course records could be shattered. In the men’s marathon, the record is currently held by Ethiopian Aredo Toleda Tadese (2:09:02, established in 2011) and Ethiopian Waganesh Mekasha (2:29:18, 2018) holds the women’s record.
In the half marathon, for men it is by Kenyan Victor Kipchirchir (59:19 in 2021) and Ethiopia’s Tusa Rahma (1:09:06, in 2021) holds the women’s record.
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