A strong international field, including the 2024 Olympic champion, will compete in the World Athletics Gold Label Marathon in Qatar.
The start of a new year brings new marathon opportunities for the world’s best distance runners, with the Doha Marathon powered by Ooredoo taking center stage on 16 January.
Now in its third consecutive year as a World Athletics Gold Label event, the race continues to grow in stature. Starting and finishing at Hotel Park, the flat, fast course follows Doha’s picturesque Corniche, offering both favorable racing conditions and a stunning backdrop.
Leading the elite men’s field is reigning Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia. Tola produced a remarkable performance at the Paris 2024 Games, winning gold in an Olympic record time of 2:06:26 to become the first Ethiopian in 24 years to claim the Olympic marathon title. His win came after a late call-up to the team after another athlete pulled out.
That Olympic win added to an already distinguished career. Tola won bronze over 10,000 meters at the 2016 Rio Olympics and silver in the marathon at the 2017 World Championships in London. He went on to claim the world marathon title at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, setting a championship best of 2:05:36. He recently broke the course record by winning the 2023 New York City Marathon in 2:04:58 and has a personal best of 2:03:39 from the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon.
“My journey has taught me to always be ready for the next challenge, and coming to Qatar as an Olympic champion is a powerful motivation,” said Tola. “It’s an honor to join an event that inspires the next generation of runners, and I look forward to experiencing the incredible energy of the community in Doha.”
The elite men’s race also features Kenya’s Sammy Kitwara and Nicholas Kirwa, who clocked personal bests of 2:04:28 and 2:05:01 respectively.
At 38, Kitwara remains a consistent presence in the marathon. He won the Marrakesh and Shenzhen marathons in 2024 and has a wealth of experience, finishing second in the Chicago Marathon in both 2014 and 2015, as well as finishing sixth in the London Marathon in 2015.
Kirwa returns to Doha aiming to build on his fifth place finish in last year’s race. The 2024 edition was won by fellow Kenyan Ezra Kipketer Tanu, who is not among this year’s starters.
The elite women’s race is led by Ethiopia’s Tigist Girma, who arrives in Doha with the fastest personal best in the field. Girma set his marathon best of 2:18:52 in Valencia 2022, marking him as a leading contender on paper.
After that performance, Girma was absent from the marathon circuit for a long time before returning in early 2025 to finish third in the Dubai Marathon.
Ethiopia could dominate the podium with several athletes in strong contention. Sentaihu Levetegne has clocked 2:22:36 since 2022, although he hasn’t finished the marathon since 2023. Another Ethiopian competitor is Tigist Gezahagn, who has a best time of 2:22:47 and will also try to stand out.
Standing on the path to a clean sweep for Ethiopia is Kenyan Amana Mursi Kipyatic, who has become a familiar presence in the Doha Marathon. Kipjatic finished second in 2024 before finishing eighth in last year’s race and running a personal best of 2:23:45. His experience in the Doha course could be valuable.
The marathon starts on Friday January 16th at 6am (AST) / 3am (GMT).
