Dominic Ngeno in a previous race/ HANDOUTThe 2024 Los Angeles Marathon champion, Dominic Ng’eno, is determined to claim his first major title on Canadian soil when he lines up at the Toronto Marathon on October 19.
Ng’eno clocked 2:07:23 to finish second in last year’s race, behind Ethiopia’s Mulugeta Asefa (2:07:16). Noah Kipkemboi rounded out the podium in 2:07:31.
The 27-year-old said that the near miss has sharpened his resolve.
“It was an amazing race last year and I learned a lot,” Ng’eno told race organisers. “Now I’m coming for more glory.”
His confidence is bolstered by a switch in training bases — from Kaptagat to Iten — earlier this year.
He draws motivation from a strong performance at the Paris Marathon on April 13, where he ran 2:06:37 to finish fifth behind Benard Biwott (2:05:25), Ibrahim Hassan (2:06:13) and Sila Kiptoo (2:06:21).“I ran 2:06 in Paris, which was a hard course—it’s not like Toronto,” he said. “Last year in Toronto, I feared the course would be tough because I saw people running 2:09 or 2:10. But now, comparing it with Paris, I think Toronto has a nice course.”
Ng’eno first tested the marathon distance in April 2023 in Milan, placing ninth in 2:11:23. He showed major progress later that year in Eindhoven, finishing third in 2:07:26 behind Kenneth Kipkemoi (2:04:52) and Cyrus Mutai (2:06:11).
His breakthrough came in March 2024, when he stunned the field to win the Los Angeles Marathon in 2:11:01, outkicking compatriot Cosmas Kiplimo (2:11:06) and Ethiopia’s Belay Bezabeh (2:13:25).
Beyond the marathon, Ng’eno has competed in the half-marathon, finishing third in Nice (1:03:40) and fifth in Málaga (1:01:26), both in 2022.
Looking ahead, his ultimate dream is to represent Kenya on the global stage.
“I have love for my country, and I believe I will represent Kenya in years to come—maybe at the World Championships or the Olympic Games,” he said.
