Introducing a strong world class elite field competing in Riga

The Rimi Riga Marathon, the Baltic’s most magnificent mass sports event, on May 18 and 19, will not only bring together over 30,000 running enthusiasts from nearly 100 countries worldwide but also top elite runners from Latvia and around the globe.

The most intense competition is expected in the half marathon at the Rimi Riga Marathon, where participants will attempt to surpass the time of 59:10 set by Sebastian Sawe, the winner of the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga last October. In the men’s elite competition, several accomplished Kenyan runners will compete this year, including last year’s World Athletics Road Running Championships bronze medalist Samwel Nyamai Mailu, Solomon Kipchoge, who ran under one hour – 59:37 in 2023, and Titus Kimutai Kipkosgei who triumphed in the Milan Marathon in April this year and holds a half marathon personal best of 59:44 set back in 2022.

Among the international elite women in the half marathon, there are also several representatives from Kenya and Ethiopia. Among them, Judy Jelagat Kemboi, a Kenyan runner who set an impressive personal best in the half marathon on May 5 this year – 65:45, clinching victory in the Geneva Half Marathon. She will face competition from her compatriots – Valary Jemeli (personal best of 66:14 set in 2019), who triumphed in the Doha Marathon this February, and Gladys Jemaiyo, who set her best time of 68:18 in 2022. On the course, we’ll also have the opportunity to see Ethiopian Gebru Azmera Hagos, whose personal record in the half marathon from 2017 stands at 70:40.

To break the records of the half marathon course, which belong to the Kenyan Sebastian Sawe (59:10) and the acclaimed Kenyan runner and the reigning Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir (67:25) since the World Athletics Road Running Championships 2023 in Riga, organizers encourage Riga residents and visitors to actively support the leaders on the streets of Riga on the morning of May 19.

Determined to become the Latvian marathon champion this year is Dmitrijs Serjogins, the national record holder in the half marathon and the holder of the highest marathon personal best among Latvians. Also lining up at the starting line will be the podium finishers of the Latvian Marathon championship 2023 – the reigning champion Aleksandrs Raščevskis, vice-champion Renārs Roze, and bronze medalist Kristaps Vējš-Āboliņš.

In the marathon course, several strong foreign runners have also registered, including the Kenyan Rodgers Maiyo, who boasts an impressive personal record in the half marathon – 61:56 (2015), and multiple-time Georgian champion and holder of the national record Davit Kharzishvili (2:11:46, 2023), both of whom will be aiming to be the first to cross the finish line in Riga.

In the women’s competition, for the Latvian championship medals will compete last year’s medalists – Amanda Krūmiņa, who won the gold medal, Anna Kļučņika, who secured the silver, and one of the holders of the all-time highest marathon results and the 2023 bronze medalist, Anita Siliņa (PB 2:39:57, 2014).

Worth remembering is that the Rimi Riga Marathon record holder for men is the Ethiopian Andualem Belay Shiferaw, who won in 2019 with a time of 2:08:51. However, in the women’s marathon Ethiopian Birke Debele Beyene’s time remains unbeaten from 2019 – 2:26:22. Meanwhile, the fastest Latvian runner results in the Rimi Riga Marathon are the Latvian record set by Valērijs Žolnerovičs in 2017 with a time of 2:14:24, and the 2:40:23 result set by Ariana Hilborn in 2015.

In the 10km we anticipate an exciting duel between the last year’s champion and triathlete Artūrs Liepa and Estonia’s road mile national record holder Olavi Allas, both of whom personal bests are equally matched. Competing for victory against both will be Lauris Lapsa, who clinched the third place in 10km in the Rimi Riga Marathon last year. In the women’s competition, the outstanding favorite for the win is the Swedish runner Karolina Johnson, who has already set an impressive personal best of 32:45 for the 10km this year.

Considering that the 5km course, like the half marathon, remains unchanged from the World Road Running Championships in Riga, and both Latvian records for the 5km distance were set on this course last year, exciting races are almost guaranteed. Both the men’s and the women’s Latvian record holders will be on the starting line – the Latvian Female Athlete of the Year Agate Caune (PB 15:23) and Uģis Jocis (PB 14:14). Alongside Uģis Jocis, the Swedish runner David Nilsson, boasting an impressive personal best of 13:43, as well as last year’s second-place finisher Kristers Kudlis and multiple-time Latvian middle-distance champion Edgars Šumskis, will compete for the victory.

In the women’s competition, also registered is Alise Petrova, the 2023 Rimi Riga Marathon 5km course vice champion.

The Rimi Riga Marathon weekend will be kicked off on May 18 with the DPD Mile, which is also the Latvian championship in the road mile. Competition in this distance promises to be significant for both men and women, as many leading Latvian runners are equally matched in strength. The main contenders in the race for victory in the DPD mile for men are the new Latvian record holder in the road mile, Ņikita Bogdanovs, the previous record holder Uģis Jocis, several medalists from previous years including Jānis Razgalis, Kristers Kudlis, Edgars Šumskis, Lauris Lapsa, as well as Roberts Glazers. Also, a strong lineup of runners, led by the Latvian record holder in the road mile, Austra Ošiņa, will take to the women’s elite start line this year. Exciting competition will be ensured by the Tokyo Olympics participant Līga Velvere, as well as Sibilla Vanadziņa who represented Latvia in the road mile at the World Road Running Championships in Riga last year.

The majority of the prize fund for the Rimi Riga Marathon 2024, amounting to 27,400 EURO, will be allocated to the six fastest runners in the half marathon, including prizes for outstanding times and records. The leading marathon runners are allocated 10,000 EUR, along with additional bonuses for course or Latvian records. The prize fund for the DPD Mile, 5km, and 10km podium finishers is 2000 EUR, supplemented by bonuses for breaking Latvian records.

On May 18, the Rimi Riga Marathon, as usual, will start with the DPD Mile at 10:00, where the Latvian championship medals in the road mile will be awarded. On Sunday, May 19, the marathon and half marathon participants will be the first to hit the course (at 8:00 AM), while the 10km and 5km distance participants will start a bit later, at 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM.