THE TOP RUNNERS OF ACEA RUN ROME THE MARATHON, THERE ARE NEKA CRIPPA AND STEFANO LA ROSA FOR ITALY

The start list of the élite athletes has been announced, 12 men and 8 women. Tefera from Etiopia is back, winner and record holder of 2022. In the women section there is complete African dominance. Four ‘azzurri’ for national glory, there is Giorgio Calcaterra, the “King of Rome”

ROMA – It will be a much more emotional edition the one by Acea Run Rome The Marathon that will start Sunday 19th March 2023 from 8.00 am with the first of 3 starting waves. The next two will be at 8.04 am and 8.10 am. As scheduled, the Acea Run4Rome relay will follow at 8.15 am and the Stracittadina SN4IFUN Run at 8.30.

A big style start thanks to the Frecce Tricolori flight that will follow to the notes of the National Anthem and of Nessun Dorma by the tenor Carlo Assogna, a tradition that has been carried on for several editions and that complements the traditional parade of fearless legionaries of Gruppo Storico Romano. Competitions for everyone with Acea Run4 Rome, the relay that accompanies the charity program and the SN4IFUN Run, Stracitaddina, that will be accompanied this year by the Stracanina to live a family experience and to enjoy a Sunday of sport and health on the streets of the most beautiful city of the world.

MEN TOP RUNNERS – almost 15 thousands runners will enter the field. Among them there will be a group of great athletes with the dream of conquering Rome and gaining a spot in the hall of fame of Acea Run Rome The Marathon.

Thirteen are the men who can aim to a cover worth result, Africa prepared with ten athletes, four Ethiopian, three Kenyan and a Moroccan, for the Azzurri who will have to defend the national pride.

In the starting list with a personal record that was set in Marrakech marathon in 2020, where he reached the eighth place with 2h08’47’’, Alemu Gemechu from Ethiopia. At a distance of slightly more than one minute from his compatriot Berhanu Heye 2h09’53’’ that made him win the last edition of La Rochelle Marathon.

Other 4 athletes between 2h10’00’’ and sub 2h12’00’’, first of all Nicodemus Kimutai from Kenia who set hit best time at 2h10’00’’ in Prague in 2019, scoring the 8th place. Following in this little group of chasers there is Wilfred Kirwa Kigen from Kenia, thanks to the personal record of 2h10’26’’, by which he scored the 6th place od Ljubljana marathon in 2014. Stefano La Rosa (Carabinieri) will try to keep up with him; he can count on a personal record of 2h11’08’’ that was set in Seville in 2018, which was recently approached again in Seville in 2022, when the chronometer stopped at 2h11’24’’. Few seconds separate him from the winner of the Dublin marathon 2022, Taoufik Allam from Morocco, who adds the title of 10000 m national champion 2022 and a 2h11’30’’ record.

The third little group guided by Sisay Fekadu Berhanu from Ethiopia with a time of 2h12’03’’, followed by Rogers Keror, 6th place in the Monaco marathon 2022 where he set his record at 2h12’34’’. The ‘azzurri’ Alessandro Giacobazzi (Military Aeronautics) ready to lower his record of 2h15’25’’ with which he reached the highest step of the podium of the Turin marathon in 2017 and Nekaget Crippa (Army) in perfect shape as he recently proved at the Napoli City Half Marathon where he was first among the Azzurri.

It will sort of a second debut for Nekagenet Crippa since he participated, without the right and true preparation, in the only Verbania marathon in 2016 when he concluded his effort in 2h21’17’’. An extra chapter must be dedicated to the

King of Rome, the beloved and stainless Giorgio Calcaterra (Calcaterra Sport): it will be sort of an honorary degree for the ultramarathoner, more than 20 years after the debut on the queen distance right in his beloved Rome where in the last edition he reached the 24th position among all and fourth among the Italians with a time of 2h38’00’’. During his career he has run over 330 marathons, he won three times the World’s Championship of 100 km ultramarathon and he is famous for his 12 consecutive wins in Passatore’s 100 km, the world’s most famous ultramarathon.

WOMEN TOP RUNNERS – Africa’s complete dominance deplys eight women, six under 2h30’00’’, one debuting, six Ethiopians and two Kenyans. On paper Zinash Debebe Getachew own the victory thanks to her best time of 2h27’25’’ recorded in Guangzhou in 2018. Less than a minute se capable of 2h 28’27’’ in Enschede in 2022; she is also approached by Fozya Amid Jemal from Ethiopia, who scored the fifth place in Lisbon in 2022 with the time of 2h28’30’’. From Ethiopia is also the winner of the Beirut marathon in 2022, Muluhojam Ambi, with a personal time of 2h28’59’’ followed by her compatriot Jemila Shure, sixth in Lisbon in 2021 with the time of 2h29’11’’.

There will also be Chefo Shuke Denbeli who can count on a time of 2h29’51’’ recorded in Dublin in 2019, when he arrived to the finishing line in the third place, and Betty Chepkwony, eight in Istanbul in 2021 in 2h30’28’’. Etsegenet Ezhiw will be debuting.