Kenya’s bid to secure a second gold in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest failed after Rosemary Wanjiru finished a distant sixth on Saturday, August 26, 2023.

Wanjiru, the reigning Tokyo Marathon winner, clocked 2:26:42, Selly Kaptich was seventh in 2:27:09, and Shyline Toroitich did not finish the race.

Ethiopia dominate

Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Beriso Shankule won gold by clocking 2:24:23 and defending champion Gotytom Gebreslase took silver in 2:24:34. 

Ethiopia almost claimed a clean sweep of medals, but Morocco’s Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi claimed bronze in 2:25:17 to ruin the party for the Eastern Africans. Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who was last year’s London Marathon winner, finished fifth in 2:26:13.

70 runners from 47 countries participated, but Ethiopia reigned supreme, with weather conditions taking a toll on some marathoners.

Meanwhile, the Ethiopians were formidable, as they formed a four-strong unit for most of the race and made a decisive break at the 30km marker.

Shankule, the third fastest woman of all time courtesy of her 2:14:58 victory in Valencia, Spain, last December, held on to win gold in Budapest.

As others struggled with the conditions, Ecuador’s Rosa Chacha took the field through 5km in 17:48, which was three seconds ahead of the packed main group, which was moving at 2:30 speed. 

USA’s Susanna Sullivan closed in on Chacha as their lead increased to seven seconds when they entered a 600-meter tunnel with some fresh air and shade.

Sullivan, who enjoyed her best of 2:24.27, which she set at this year’s London Marathon when she finished 10th, was four seconds clear of Chacha and 12 seconds clear of the main pack at 7km. At 8km, the lead grew to 20 seconds. 

The solo lead, however, ended when the American was joined by a group of around 20 athletes after 35 minutes, with the leading pack moving through 10km in 35:31.

Race tightened

As the race tightened, Wanjiru, Gemechu, Gebreslase, Rebecca Cheptegei of Uganda, Salpeter, and Bahrain’s Rose Chelimo of Bahrain were at the fore as the race sped up to a 2:20 pace.

Ethiopia’s dominance was first felt at around the 13-kilometer mark when Shankule, Gemechu, Gebreslase, and Yehualaw arrived and accelerated, therefore detaching from the main group.

At 25km, the race involved around 15 contestants, with Shankule leading in 1:27:51 and Gemechu, Wanjiru, Salpeter, Gebreslase, and Yehualaw comfortably in the top six.

As the race continued, the leading pack reduced to 10, with 27km covered, with the Ethiopian charge remaining strong despite the 27°C temperature.

Kenya’s Wanjiru and Kaptich, as well as Salpeter, Gardadi, and Nazret Weldu of Eritrea, remained in the hunt for medals before Salpetere led a group of nine contestants through 30km in 1:44.26.

By 32 kilometers, the lead group, comprised of Salpeter, Wanjiru, and the Ethiopians, was going through in 1:50:59. The Ethiopians showed great intent on sweeping the medals when they accelerated and left Salpeter and Wanjiru in their wake.

The result meant that Kenya could not grab a second gold in Budapest to add to what Faith Kipyegon delivered in superb fashion during the 1500m final race.