Cape Town Marathon boasts strong field in pursuit of elite status

Elite athletes prepare to descend on the Mother City for the 2023 Cape Town Marathon

The Cape Town Marathon is set to welcome a strong field of elite athletes as it seeks to achieve IAAF Elite Label status. The race, which will take place on 16 October 2023, has attracted a number of top runners from around the world, including defending champions Stephen Mokoka and Gerda Steyn.

Strong field of elite athletes to compete in the Cape Town Marathon

The men's field is led by Mokoka, who won the race in 2022 with a time of 2:08:32. The South African will be looking to defend his title and improve on his time. Other top contenders include Ethiopian duo Derese Geleta and Birhanu Legese, who have both run personal bests of under 2:05:00. Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor, a two-time Olympic medalist, is also in the field and will be looking to add the Cape Town Marathon title to his impressive resume.

The women's field is equally strong, with defending champion Steyn set to face a challenge from a number of top runners. The South African will be looking to improve on her time of 2:27:48, which she set in 2022. Ethiopia's Ashete Bekere, who has a personal best of 2:20:14, is the top seed in the women's field. Other contenders include Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich, who won the London Marathon in 2022, and Ethiopia's Hiwot Gebrekidan, who has a personal best of 2:21:11.

Cape Town Marathon seeks to achieve IAAF Elite Label status

The Cape Town Marathon is currently ranked as an IAAF Silver Label race. The race organizers are hoping to achieve IAAF Elite Label status, which is awarded to races that meet certain criteria, including having a strong field of elite athletes and a high level of organization. Achieving IAAF Elite Label status would be a major boost for the Cape Town Marathon and would help to attract even more top runners to the race.

Race organizers confident of achieving IAAF Elite Label status

The Cape Town Marathon organizers are confident that they can achieve IAAF Elite Label status. The race has a long history of success, dating back to 1978. The race has also been praised for its organization and its commitment to providing a fair and safe race for all runners.

The 2023 Cape Town Marathon is shaping up to be a memorable event. With a strong field of elite athletes and the race organizers' commitment to achieving IAAF Elite Label status, the race is set to be one of the most competitive and exciting marathons of the year.