Ethiopian/Kenyan showdown for the marathon World champions' titles at Moscow on 10 and 17 August 2013

The opening of the 14th IAAF World Championships Moscow 2013 coming Saturday 10 August will decide the first gold medallist and new World champion when the first final of the 9-day meet, the women marathon, starts at 2:00pm local time at the Luzhniki Stadium while the men's event will kick-off at 3:30pm on the 17 Aug, on the eve of closing day of the biennial competitions.

The 42.195km course consists of a 600m track-run starting at the 100m start area of the Luzhniki Stadium, followed by a short loop and 3x10km loops with turning point at The Red Square along the banks of the Moscow River and it finishes after 300m inside the stadium.

The marathon event of the World Championships  is a World Marathon Majors race, among others, Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, London, Tokyo and the Olympic marathons 

The previous IAAF World Championships was held in Daegu, South Korea in 2011 while Beijing will host the next edition in 2015 August 22/30

A preview on the profile of the top contenders : (before the release of the Start-list)

Women :
Tiki Gelana (ETH) 26 [reigning Olympic Champion] PB 2:18:58 Rotterdam 2012
Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 34 [Defending champion] ---- PB 2:19:50 London 2012
Lucy Kabuu (KEN) 29 --------- PB 2:19:34 Dubai 2012
Aberu Kebede 24 (ETH) ------ PB 2:20:30 Berlin 2012
Meselech Melkamu (ETH) 28 - PB 2:21:01 Frankfurt 2012
Feysa Tadese (ETH) 25 ------- PB 2:21:06 Paris 2013
Meseret Hailu (ETH) 23 ------ PB 2:21:09 Amsterdam 2012
Valentine Kipketer (KEN) 20  PB 2:24:33 Mumbai 2013
Ryoko Kizaki (JPN)  28 ------- PB 2:23:24 Nagoya 2013 
Mizuki Noguchi (JPN) 35 ----- SB 2:24:05 Nagoya 10 Mar, PB 2:19:12 Berlin 2005


Men
Tsegaye Kebede (ETH) 26 [WMM Leader]- PB 2:04:38 Chicago 2012 
Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 23 ------PB 2:04:45 [WL] Dubai 2013
Yemane Tsegay (ETH) 28  - PB 2:04:48 Rotterdam 2012
Tadese Tola (ETH) 26 ------- PB 2:04:49 Dubai 2013
Feyisa Lelisa (ETH) 23  ----- PB 2:04:52 Chicago 2012
Bernard Koech (KEN) 22 --- PB 2:04:53 Dubai 2013
Tilahun Regasa (ETH) 23 --- PB 2:05:27 Chicago 2012
Peter Some (KEN) 23 -------- PB 2:05:38 Paris 2013
Nicholas Kipkemboi (KEN) 27  PB 2:06:33 Dubai 2013
Michael Kipyego (KEN) 30 - SB 2:06:58 Tokyo 24 Feb, PB 2:06:48 Eindhoven 2011
Bernard Kipyego (KEN) 27-- SB 2:07:53 Tokyo 24 Feb, PB 2:06:29 Chicago 2011 
Stephen Kiprotich (UGA) 24 [Olympic champion]SB 2:08:05 London 21 Apr, PB 2:07:20 Enschede 2011


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The Ethiopian squad :

Men (6)
Tsegaye Kebede 26 - PB 2:04:38 Chicago 2012
Lelisa Desisa 23 -----PB 2:04:45 [WL] Dubai 2013 
Yemane Tsegay 28 -- PB 2:04:48 Rotterdam 2012
Feyisa Lelisa 23 ----- PB 2:04:52 Chicago 2012
Tadese Tola 26 ------- PB 2:04:49 Dubai 2013
Tilahun Regasa 23 --- PB 2:05:27 Chicago 2012 
Women (6)
Tiki Gelana 26 ---------- PB 2:18:58 Rotterdam 2012
Aberu Kebede 24 ------- PB 2:20:30 Berlin 2012
Meseret Hailu 23 ------- PB 2:21:09 Amsterdam 2012
Meselech Melkamu 28 - PB 2:21:01 Frankfurt 2012
Merima Mohamed 21--- PB 2:23:06 Toronto 2010
Feysa Tadese 25 ------- PB 2:21:06 Paris 2013






  The Kenyan squad :

Men (5)
Peter Some 23 -------- PB 2:05:38 Paris 2013
Nicholas Kipkemboi 27 PB 2:06:33 Dubai 2013
Michael Kipyego 30  -- PB 2:06:48 Eindhoven 2011
Bernard Kipyego 27 --- PB 2:06:29 Chicago 2011
Bernard Koech 22 ----- PB 2:04:53 Dubai 2013 
Women (3)
Edna Kiplagat 34 [Defending champion] PB 2:19:50 London 2012
Lucy Kabuu 29 ------- PB 2:19:34 Dubai 2012
Valentine Kipketer 20 PB 2:24:33 Mumbai 2013

[notable missing elites : Abel Kirui, double champion (injury), Wilson Kipsang, Patrick Makau, Geoffrey Mutai, Dennis Kimetto and Emmanuel Mutai]
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Statistics :

Reigning marathon World champions :
M - 2:07:38 Abel Kirui (KEN) [successfully defended title and beating 2nd placed Vincent Kipruto (KEN) 2:10:06 by the largest ever margin in Worlds]
W - 2:28:43 Edna Kiplagat (KEN)


Championships Records :
M - 2:06:54 Abel Kirui (KEN) Berlin 2009
W - 2:20:57 Paula Radcliffe (GBR) Helsinki 2005  

World Leading :
M - 2:04:45 - Leleisa Desisa Benti (ETH) Dubai 25 January 
W -  2:04:45 - Leleisa Desisa Benti (ETH) Dubai 25 January 

World Records:
M - 2:03:08 - Patrick Makau (KEN) 2011 Berlin
W - 2:15:25 - Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2003 London

Ref. IAAF World Championships 


The Women's Start-list