By Paul Gains
East African rivalries continue at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon as two Kenyan women have now been confirmed for this World Athletics Elite Label Race on October 19.
Beatrice Cheserek and Cynthia Chemweno are their country’s response to the young Ethiopian duo, (Almaz Kebebe and Adane Anmaw), who were previously announced by the organizers. The
matchup is expected to yield exciting results with all four possessing incredible potential at the distance.
Cheserek is making her debut in the marathon at the age of 26. However, she comes with superb credentials including a personal best in the half marathon of 66:48 recorded in winning the 2022 Cardiff Half Marathon race.
A taste of big city marathon experience is also in her resume. Two years ago, she paced Rosemary Wanjiru through 30 kilometres of the 2023 Tokyo Marathon – a World Marathon Major – which her teammate won in 2:16:28.
The following year saw her take maternity leave to give birth to her son, Fabian Kiprop.
“This is my first marathon I hope to do my best because I was pacing in Tokyo before I went to Delhi,” she explains. “I paced up to 30k strongly. I paced for Rosemary Wanjiru and Rosemary ran 2:16 so I know I am strong.”
In her first comeback race this year she finished 6th in the Santa Pola (Spain) Half Marathon in 70:25.
“My training now is going well,” she says. “Last week I did a 40k and I saw my body was well. I finished strong. I think I am going to do the best there (in Toronto). I want to run 2:20 or 2:19. I know that Toronto is not a hard course. A little bit faster.”
The course record (2:20:44) is held by Waganesh Mekasha a training partner of the young Ethiopians, the aforementioned Adane Anmaw and Almaz Kebebe.
Meanwhile both Cheserek and Chemweno are part of an Asics group managed by Mezzo Sports Management. The two often trained together a year ago. That was before Chemweno moved to Kaptagat where the men’s group and coaches are located at a camp built by Mezzo. It’s called Chojo Camp after the Japanese word meaning ‘striving for the peak’.
Cheserek has remained in Iten. She was born 40 kilometres away in Chepkorio.
“Now I train with my husband,” the 28-year-old reveals. “He is Cyrus Kiplagat he is the one who assists me with my pacing I just trained a little bit for that time in Kaptagat and I cannot go back. My sister-in-law looks after the baby (during training) here. Fabian is now one year and five months.”
But this is the rainy season in Kenya and many of the roads are dirt and therefore impassable. It’s a common problem. But somehow Kenyan athletes make the best of it. Indeed, Chemweno believes she will run better than when she made her debut in the Hamburg Marathon this past April. There she finished 5th in 2:23:39. Her performance has given her confidence.
“Yes, Hamburg was my first marathon,” Chemweno says. “The course was very good, and I managed to run a good time. I was so excited when I finished. I really enjoyed it.
