Lilian Kasait at a previous race/ HANDOUT The 2019 African 5,000m champion is set to take the bold leap into the classic 42km distance this Sunday when she makes her marathon debut in Daegu.
For Kasait, it is a step into uncharted territory, but hardly a blind one. The distance ace has been steadily sharpening her endurance credentials over the half marathon, laying down markers that suggest she is primed for the 42km examination.
Kasait first tested the 21km waters in Valencia in 2024, announcing her arrival with a podium finish in 1:03:32.
In that race, she trailed compatriot Agnes Ng'etich (1:03:04) and Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay (1:03:21).
It was during the 2025 season, however, that Kasait truly stretched her aerobic engine over 21km, lining up in three half marathons, demonstrating both tactical nous and finishing speed.
Her first stop was Prague, where she stormed to her maiden half marathon victory, clocking 1:05:27. She unleashed a decisive kick to outpace compatriot Veronica Loleo (1:06:40) and Ethiopia’s Sentayehu Lewetegn (1:08:41).
Kasait extended her winning streak to Delhi, once again mastering the field in 1:07:20 to hold off Ethiopians Melal Siyoum (1:07:21) and Mulat Tekle (1:07:29).
However, she closed her campaign on a subdued note at the Condor Antrim half marathon, finishing fifth in 1:07:36. Ethiopia’s Mizat Alem (1:05:38) claimed top honours ahead of Kenya’s Loice Chemnung (1:06:06) and Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew (1:06:33).
Beyond the half marathon, Kasait boasts a rich resume in the 10km road race, highlighted by third-place finishes in Hong Kong (31:12) and Valencia (29:32), as well as victory in Bengaluru (30:56).
The Daegu race organisers believe this year’s edition will be one of the biggest in the event’s history, buoyed by record participation numbers.
“Korea's largest marathon will bring together approximately 150 elite runners from 15 countries and 41,104 amateur participants from 34 nations to race through downtown Daegu,” the organisers said in a statement.
Further boosting the event’s profile is the increase in prize money to Sh25.8 million ($200,000) from Sh20.7 million ($160,000).
“The event has drawn heightened attention this year with various changes aimed at elevating it to world-class status, including an increase in the winner's prize money from $160,000 to $200,000.”
Awaiting Kasait is a formidable test led by defending champion Meseret Belete.
At last year’s showdown, the Ethiopian powered to victory in 2:24:08, finishing ahead of Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet (2:25:43) and compatriot Tigist Girma (2:26:45).
Adding further depth to the start list is the 2025 Berlin Marathon runner-up Dera Dida.
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