Masai leads Kenyan charge at Sunday's Hong Kong Marathon

Linet Masai at a previous race/ HANDOUT 

The 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Linet Masai will spearhead Kenya’s charge at Sunday’s Hong Kong Marathon, eager to kick-start her 2026 campaign on a high note.

Masai lines up for the Asian showdown fresh from a mixed bag of performances during her 2025 season.

She opened her campaign with a morale-boosting podium finish at the Zurich Marathon in Barcelona, clocking 2:21:01.

That race was won by Sharom Chelimo, who stormed to victory in 2:19:33, with Ethiopian Yebrgual Melese securing second in 2:20:47.

Masai later tested her speed over shorter distances, featuring in a 10km road race in Langueux, France, where she clocked 33:27 to finish 12th.

Gladys Chepkirui claimed the title in 31:13, edging Uganda’s Rispa Cherop (31:15) and Morocco’s Kaoutar Farkoussi (31:26).

Masai’s season, however, fizzled out on a disappointing note when she finished seventh at the Hamburg Half Marathon, clocking 1:14:04.

Since transitioning to the full marathon, Masai has endured a challenging spell, struggling to translate her formidable track pedigree into sustained success over 42km.

Her marathon record includes 11th place at the 2018 London Marathon in 2:26:06, fourth at Enschede in 2024 (2:29:59), sixth in Paris in 2023 (2:24:49) and seventh at the 2024 Frankfurt Marathon in 2:23:52.

Despite those struggles on the road, Masai’s track resume remains glittering.

In 2008, she etched her name into the history books by setting a World U-20 record during her bronze medal run at the Beijing Olympics, stopping the clock at 30:26.50.

She trailed Ethiopian legend Tirunesh Dibaba, who claimed gold in 29:54.66, and American Shalane Flanagan, who secured silver in 30:22.22.

The following year, Masai scaled the summit of world athletics by clinching the 10,000m world title in Berlin, crossing the line in 30:51.24.

She later added another global medal to her collection with bronze at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, clocking 30:53.59.

Masai is also a former World Cross Country junior champion, having claimed gold at the 2007 edition staged in Mombasa.

Standing between her and marathon glory in Hong Kong is Bahraini Shitaye Eshete, the 2010 Asian Games 10,000m bronze medallist, who also comes into the race with a mixed set of recent results.

Eshete opened her year with a runner-up finish at the Mumbai Marathon (2:25:29) before finishing fourth at the Hamburg Marathon (2:20:32) and later closed her campaign with sixth place at the World Championships, clocking 2:28:41.

In the men’s race, reigning Jakarta Half Marathon champion Victor Kipchirchir will fly the Kenyan flag, but he faces a stern test from Ethiopia’s Mekuant Ayenew, the reigning Seville Marathon champion.