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Tulu, Kawauchi and Koitile Headline Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Men's Race

by Brett Larner

With 30 days to go until South Africa's Sanlam Cape Town Marathon the organizers have announced the men's elite field for a race the hope will elevate Cape Town from IAAF silver label status to become the first gold label race in Africa.  Defending champion and course record holder Willy Kibor Koitile (Kenya) returns to face 2013 Dusseldorf Marathon winner Dereje Debele Tulu (Ethiopia), 2014 Hofu Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi (Japan) appearing with support from JRN, 2013 Prague Marathon winner Nicholas Kipngeno Kemboi (Qatar), 2013 Castellón Marathon winner Andualem Belay Shiferaw (Ethiopia) and more.  Also in the field is South African great Hendrick Ramaala competing in the masters' division.  With course changes this year to take out some of the hills Koitile's 2:10:45 course record should be in range of a field featuring eight men who have run faster than that within the last three years.

Making his South African debut, Kawauchi will be hoping for a return to form after a 2015 mostly lost to serial injuries stemming from a sprained ankle shortly after his Hofu win last December, where Koitile finished 3rd almost four minutes behind him.  The duo's rivalry extends to Australia's Sydney Marathon, where Kawauchi's 2:11:52 winning time was almost two minutes faster than Koitile's a year later.

JRN will be on-site to cover the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon live.

Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Elite Field
Cape Town, South Africa, 9/20/15
complete women's field T.B.A.
times listed are 2013-2015 best times

Men
Dereje Debele Tulu (Ethiopia) - 2:07:48
Yuki Kawauchi (Japan) - 2:08:14
Abraham Girma Bekele (Ethiopia) - 2:08:20
Haile Haja Gemeda (Ethiopia) - 2:08:35
Nicholas Kipngeno Kemboi (Qatar) - 2:08:51
Peter Lotogor Kamais (Kenya) - 2:09:53
Willy Kibor Koitile (Kenya) - 2:09:58
Andualem Belay Shiferaw (Ethiopia) - 2:09:59
David Kemboi Kiyeng (Kenya) - 2:11:17
Xolisa Tyali (South Africa) - 2:16:03
Gladwin Mzazi (South Africa) - 2:17:43
Leswene Mailola (South Africa) - 2:17:58
Hendrick Ramaala (South Africa) - 2:21:40

(c) 2015 Brett Larner
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