The week in world running, straight from the paddock.

1. SAMUEL BREAKS THE HOUR IN BOSTON

First sub-60 half ever run in Massachusetts, Belayneh makes it three in a row

Habtom Samuel’s had quite the fortnight. The Eritrean signed his first pro deal with Hoka on 30 Oct, then on Sunday won the Boston Half in 59:49, the first time anyone’s broken an hour for the half in Massachusetts. It also took down Lelisa Desisa’s event record of 1:00:34 from 2013. He kicked away just after 15K and ran the last four miles on his own along the Emerald Necklace. Andrea Kiptoo was a distant second in 1:01:03, Abel Kipchumba third in 1:01:16, and Jack Aho’s 1:01:53 in sixth was the fastest by an American in the race’s history.

The women’s race came down to a sprint up the final hill into Franklin Park. Ethiopia’s Fentaye Belayneh won it in 1:09:14, two seconds clear of Kenya’s Winfred Mbithe, to become the first woman to win the Boston Half three years running. Sydney Vaught was top American in 1:09:44. Samuel’s now won 14 straight races in the US. Bit of a thoroughbred, that one.

Sources: B.A.A. race report · World Athletics results · Canadian Running

2. LA 2028: THE BAR’S BEEN RAISED (A LOT)

Olympic marathon standard now 2:05:00 for men and 2:22:20 for women

World Athletics published the LA28 qualifying system on Tuesday and it’s not for the faint-hearted. The marathon entry standards are 2:05:00 for men and 2:22:20 for women, down from 2:08:10 and 2:26:50 for Paris. That women’s mark is quicker than the 2:22:55 Sifan Hassan won Olympic gold with. The marathon window opened on 1 Nov 2026 and runs to 30 Apr 2028.

On the track it’s 3:30.00 and 3:57.50 for the 1500m, 12:50 and 14:34 for the 5000m, and 26:48 and 30:30 for the 10,000m. About 40% of athletes are expected to qualify on standards and 60% on world rankings, and the first five home at any Platinum Label marathon in the window will count as having the standard. Hitting the time doesn’t guarantee a place either. Tough gate to get through.

Sources: World Athletics · CBC Sports · Athletics Weekly

3. NGETICH STEPS UP TO THE MARATHON IN VALENCIA

World 10K record holder debuts on 6 Dec against 2:10 woman Tesfay

This one’s going to be good. Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich, who won the world cross country and world half marathon titles this year, will run her first marathon in Valencia on Sunday 6 December. She knows the place well: she ran her world 10km record of 28:46 there in 2024, plus a 1:03:04 half. Her last race was the Tokyo Legacy Half in October, which she won in 1:04:23.

She’s up against Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay, who ran 2:10:51 in Barcelona in March, the fastest women’s debut ever, and defending champion Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:14:00 last year). The men’s race has Yomif Kejelcha in his second marathon after his 1:59:41 debut in London, with John Korir back to defend. Kenya v Ethiopia over 26.2 to close the year out. Get it in the diary.

Sources: World Athletics · Canadian Running

4. KERR’S MILE IS NOW OFFICIAL

World records ratified for Kerr, Kejelcha, dos Santos and Russell

It’s in the stud book. World Athletics ratified Josh Kerr’s mile world record on Monday, the 3:42.66 he ran in London on 18 July, which knocked off Hicham El Guerrouj’s 3:43.13 from 1999. His 1500m split on the way (3:27.62) was quicker than his own British record for the distance.

Three more got rubber-stamped with it: Yomif Kejelcha’s half marathon world record of 56:51 in Buenos Aires on 23 Aug, Alison dos Santos’s 45.80 in the 400m hurdles and Masai Russell’s 12.09 in the 100m hurdles, both on the same night in Zurich on 27 Aug. Not a bad summer for the record books.

Sources: World Athletics · Canadian Running

5. COURSE RECORDS IN ATHENS, A HAT-TRICK IN SEVILLE

Ethiopian sweep on the original route, Kwizera matches Bekele at Itálica

Sunday was busy. On the original Marathon-to-Athens route, Ethiopia’s Manazot Siyoum Taferi won in 2:10:03, 31 seconds inside Edwin Kiptoo’s 2023 course record, with Asefa Tefera Mengisha second in 2:10:18. Yatane Kormoshe Dusha took the women’s race in 2:30:04, an event record, ahead of Tsiyon Abebe Temesgen in 2:30:29. Ethiopian one-twos in both races, on a course that’s anything but flat.

Over in Seville, Spain’s Rodrigue Kwizera won the Cross Internacional de Itálica for a third time in 27:37, which equals Kenenisa Bekele’s record for wins there, edging Charles Kiboino and Frankline Kibet in a three-way sprint with the top three inside two seconds. Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw won the women’s 9.55km in 30:41. Mud season’s properly under way.

Sources: Watch Athletics (Athens) · World Athletics (Itálica)

6. ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: THE FINAL THREE

Sawe, Duplantis and dos Santos v Jefferson-Wooden, Russell and Werro

The shortlists are in for the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on 29 November. The men’s finalists are Sabastian Sawe (London win in a world record 1:59:30, the first sub-2 in a record-eligible marathon), Mondo Duplantis (pole vault world record up to 6.31m) and Alison dos Santos (that 45.80). Josh Kerr was first to miss out, in fourth.

On the women’s side it’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Masai Russell and Audrey Werro, with Tigst Assefa fourth and Agnes Ngetich sixth. Hard to look past the first man under two hours, but the hurdlers will have their backers.

Sources: World Athletics (men) · World Athletics (women)