February 16, 2025

Vivian Cheruiyot makes marathon return in Paris

Vivian Cheruiyot  makes marathon return in Paris
Vivian Cheruiyot (left) and Helen Obiri (right) on the podium at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The multiple world champion will be running her first race in the classic distance for the first time since 2019 when she raced in Valencia.

Four-time Olympian Vivian Cheruiyot will make a comeback to marathon running on 7 April when she lines up for this year’s Paris Marathon.

The multiple world champion will be running her first race in the classic distance for the first time since 2019 when she raced in Valencia.

The 2018 London Marathon winner and runner-up in the 2018 New York Marathon may have been out of the game for close to five years but she remains a favourite. 

Cheruiyot has had a quiet career in the last five years or so, making a return to competitive racing after 2 and a half years away with a fifth-place finish at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon in October 2023.

She has since competed in two more events, the Kilimanjaro half marathon held in February, clocking 1:14:11 for silver, and the national cross country championships held on 2 March finishing 16th.

Her toughest challenge will come majorly from Ethiopia's formidable lineup that includes Buzunesh Getachew, winner in Frankfurt last October in a 2:19:27, Rahma Tusa (2:19:33), Etagena Woldu (2:20:03), Hailu Haven (2:20:19) and Gelete Burka (2:20:45), winner of the 2019 Schneider Electric Marathon in Paris.

Meanwhile, in the men's race is headlined by 21-year-old Gisealew Ayana, who secured victory last year with a remarkable time of 2:07:15 and is targeting a double that only Britain’s Steve Brace (1989 and 1990) and, more recently, Kenya’s Paul Lonyangata (2017 and 2018) have achieved.

Ayana faces tough competition from a field of contenders, including seven runners with impressive times under 2:05.

Among the others contenders is veteran Kenyan Elisha Rotich, who returns to the marathon scene after a two-year absence.

Rotich, is the winner of the 2021 Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris and holder of the event record with a time of 2:04:21. He is joined by fellow Kenyans Hilary Kipsambu, Brimin Kipkorir, and Titus Kipruto, all boasting formidable PB's.