Tsegaye Kebede and Rita Jeptoo among six athletes in contention as series continues in Berlin and concludes in New York

Three male and three female athletes are in the running to be crowned World Marathon Majors (WMM) champions and claim the US$500,000 prizes as the 2013-14 series continues at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday and Chicago Marathon on October 12 before concluding at the New York City Marathon on November 2.

Current men’s rankings leader and defending champion Tsegaye Kebede and Dennis Kimetto, who currently sits third on the rankings, are set to go head-to-head at Sunday’s BMW Berlin marathon. Ethiopia’s 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Kebede currently has 55 points and 2013 Tokyo and Chicago marathon winner Kimetto of Kenya 50, but a win worth 25 points for either athlete would take their total to 75, with Kebede having already scored in a maximum four 2013-14 events, claiming a lowest finish of fourth for five points at the 2013 World Championships.

If either win, Kenyan world record-holder Wilson Kipsang – who ran his world record 2:03:23 in the German capital last year – would need to cross the line first in the final series race in New York to claim WMM victory with 76 points.

The Berlin Marathon is the course on which the past five men’s world records for 26.2 miles have been set – Paul Tergat with 2:04:55 in 2003, Haile Gebrselassie with 2:04:26 and 2:03:59 in 2007 and 2008 respectively, Patrick Makau with 2:03:38 in 2011 and Kipsang in 2013.

In the women’s race for series victory, Boston Marathon winner Rita Jeptoo of Kenya could wrap up success if she successfully defends her Bank of America Chicago Marathon title. Crossing the line first there would take her points total to 100 and she would become the first athlete in the competition’s history to score the maximum points available. Even a runner-up finish on the flat Chicago course would make her points total almost unbeatable with her average winning time currently faster than that of second-placed athlete in the rankings – two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat.

However, if Jeptoo fails to claim a top five finish, the title race would open up to include her namesake and compatriot Priscah Jeptoo – the Olympic silver medallist – who won the 2013 series and is set to go up against fellow Kenyan Kiplagat in New York.

There is a US$1 million total prize purse up for grabs, the sum to be divided equally between the top male and top female finisher in the two-year series.

For more see worldmarathonmajors.com

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