Padova Marathon champion Gilbert Chumba goes head-to-head against 2018 Praha Marathon champion Stephen Chemlany in Sunday’s Zurich Marathon.
Chumba boasts an impressive personal best of 2:10:16, achieved at the 2021 Siena Marathon, Italy. He clinched the 2022 Mytho Marathon title in Italy with a stellar time of 2:15:22.
Chemlany, 42, has a best of 2:06:22 set while finishing third at the 2019 Lisbon Marathon.
He is also a silver medallist at the 2014 Seoul Marathon, clocking 2:06:24.
The duo will face stiff competition from the 2014 Birmingham Half Marathon champion Joel Kimutai and William Kibor, the 2014 Verona Half Marathon titleholder.
In the women’s elite race, all eyes will be on Naomi Maiyo, the 2022 Tallinn (Estonia) Marathon silver medallist.
Maiyo clocked 2:35:02 to clinch the Casablanca Marathon title in Morocco and a silver medal (2:34:08) at the Krakow Marathon in Poland in 2018.
She will be challenged by formidable opponents including Lenah Jerotich, the Torino City Marathon bronze medalist, and Lydia Jeptoo, the 2022 Salinas Half Marathon silver medallist.
However, the Kenyan contingent will face a tough challenge in Ethiopia’s Serkalem Mekonnen, the reigning Bucharest Marathon champion.
Meanwhile, Torino City Marathon bronze medalist Timothy Kipchumba is gearing up for a fierce battle against Kenya-born American athlete Shadrack Kipchirchir at the Padova Marathon.
Kipchumba has a PB of 2:12:50 set in Torino whereas Kipchirchir has a best of 2:13:02 set at last year’s Amsterdam Marathon.
The women’s elite race will be headlined by Rholex Jelimo, the Kazungula Bridge Marathon (Botswana) silver medallist.
She will be joined by Caroline Kimosop, who placed third at last year's Iten Marathon.
