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Kenya’s Elisha Rotich is set to lead the pack at the Shanghai Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday with hopes of breaking the men’s course records.

Rotich, aged 33, claimed victory at the Paris Marathon two years ago, clocking a career-best time of 2:04:21. He boasts five additional marathon victories but has yet to showcase his 2023 form.

Elisha Rotich and co chasing record

The men’s field features 12 runners with personal bests below the 2:07:14 course record set by Kenya’s Paul Lonyangata in 2015.

Ethiopia’s Kinde Atanaw holds the fastest time with a PB of 2:03:51 from four years ago in Valencia.

Despite two sub-2:06 performances in 2021 and 2022, including a fourth-place finish at the London Marathon last year, Atanaw’s sole outing in 2023 at the London Marathon ended without finishing.

Another strong contender is Ethiopia’s Abayneh Degu, boasting a PB of 2:04:53. Degu aims for his first marathon title in Shanghai after clocking 2:08:28 in Osaka in February and finishing fifth in China’s Lanzhou in 2:12:57 five months ago.

Elisha Rotich compatriots

Ethiopia’s Tadu Abate, with two sub-2:06 results in 2023, and Kenya’s Enock Onchari, celebrating his first-ever marathon victory in 2:07:52, enter the race in excellent form.

The field also includes three other sub-2:06 Kenyan runners: Nicholas Kirwa (2:05:01), Moses Kibet (2:05:20), and Eric Kiptanui (2:05:47). Jia Erenjia, leading the local contingent, finished third in Shanghai last year and recently improved his PB to 2:09:54 in Berlin.

Men
Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 2:03:51
Elisha Rotich (KEN) 2:04:21
Abayneh Degu (ETH) 2:04:53
Nicholas Kirwa (KEN) 2:05:01
Moses Kibet (KEN) 2:05:20
Tadu Abate (ETH) 2:05:38
Eric Kiptanui (KEN) 2:05:47
Enock Onchari (KEN) 2:05:47
Kenneth Keter (KEN) 2:06:05
Alphonce Simbu (TAN) 2:06:19
Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 2:06:24
Victor Kipchirchir (KEN) 2:06:54
Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba (KEN) 2:07:28
Moses Kemei (KEN) 2:09:26
Jia Erenjia (CHN) 2:09:54
Wu Xiangdong (CHN) 2:10:02
Su Guoxiong (CHN) 2:11:28
Sammy Kosgei (KEN) 2:11:54
Nianzhe Ati (CHN) 2:13:14
Guan Yousheng (CHN) 2:13:25
Yang Dinghong (CHN) 2:13:40
Yang Xiaohua (CHN) 2:13:54
Guan Siyang (CHN) 2:13:56
Boki Diriba (ETH) debut
Cameron Avery (NZL) debut