Marathoner Chebet decries slim Budapest chance

This is even after Chebet finished second at the Leiden Marathon in the Netherlands on Sunday. She clocked a time of two hours, 32 minutes and 52 seconds but she was not impressed.

“I am not happy with the time,” she reacted in a chat, “I wanted to run faster.” Chebet had been the pre-race favourite, owing to her personal best (PB) time of 2:26:22 from fourth place at the 2022 Madrid Marathon in Spain.

Chebet arrived in the Dutch city in the province of South Holland knowing she needed to match her billing or even better her PB.

This, because she was ranked fourth on the list of Ugandan women qualified for Budapest under the time of 2:28:00.

Stella Chesang who came third in a national record time of 2:20:23 at the Hamburg Marathon last month, Rebecca Cheptegei in fourth at the Abu Dhabi Marathon in UAE back in November and Mercyline Chelangat at the Enschede Marathon in the Netherlands on April 16 were all faster than her.

And, Chebet’s targets didn’t work out. “Hard course, it is hilly,” she said of the Leiden course. Such has been her story. 

Chebet had been meant to compete in a stronger field at the Paris Marathon in France on April 1 but the 30-year-old missed that plot.

“I could have done better (time) in Paris but I fell sick with malaria that time and I missed to qualify for the World Championship.”

Chebet competed at the Doha Worlds but she struggled with humidity and fell out of the night marathon in Corniche four years ago. 

She has since bounced back with four top-four finishes in six marathons but her selection to Budapest is at the mercy of Uganda Athletics Federation.

Uganda has three quota slots for that women’s 42km race and it is expected that Stella Chesang, who made her 42km debut in Hamburg, will switch back and compete over the 10000m final in Budapest.

That move will give Chebet to stare at her third marathon at a major championship. “I think they (UAF) will consider it,” she hopes.

This is the first time in history that Uganda will attempt to fill all its slots for this race at any major championship.

COPENHAGEN MARATHON

WOMEN’S 42KM RESULT

1 Rodah Chepkorir (KEN)                 2:23:14

2 Valentina Mateiko (KEN)               2:25:05

3 Philippa Bowden (GBR)                 2:29:16

7 Juliet Chekwel (UGA)                     2:33:17

LEIDEN MARATHON

WOMEN’S 42KM RESULT

1 Mildred Chepkemei (KEN)             2:32:47

2 Linet Chebet (UGA)                        2:32:52

3 Gladys Chemutai (KEN)                 2:36:32

LEIDEN 10K

MEN’S RESULT

1 Abel Sikowo (UGA)                        28:50

2 Khalid Choukoud (NLD)                29:48

3 Johanes Kifte (ERI)                        30:09

CHEBET AT A GLANCE

Date: Nov 4, 1992

Major Event: Marathon

Personal Best: 2:26:22

MARATHON CAREER PROGRESSION

Apr 28, 2019: Hamburg Marathon, 8th (2:32:52)

Sept 27, 2019: Doha Worlds Champs, DNF

Oct 17, 2021: Lisbon Marathon, 9th (2:37:57)

Dec 12, 2021: Guadalajara Marathon, 1st (2:29:44)

Apr 24, 2022: Madrid Marathon, 4th (2:26:22)

Jul 30, 2022: XXII Commonwealth Games, 10th (2:38:32)

Nov 6, 2022: Guadalajara Marathon, 1st (2:30:50)

May 14, 2023: Leiden Marathon, 2nd (2:32:52)

2023 BUDAPEST WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

WOMEN’S MARATHON - TEAM UGANDA QUALIFICATION

1 Stella Chesang; Hamburg Marathon (3rd, 2:20:23 on Apr 23, 2023)  

2 Rebecca Cheptegei; Abu Dhabi Marathon (4th, 2:22:47 on Dec 17, 2022)

3 Mercyline Chelangat; Enschede Marathon (2nd, 2:24:12 on Apr 16, 2023)

4 Linet Chebet; Madrid Marathon (4th, 2:26:22 on Apr 24, 2022)

Entry Standard: 2:28:00, Qualifying window: Dec 1, 2021 - May 30, 2023