MARATHON EXPO & PACKET PICK UP

The Honolulu Marathon, now in its 52nd edition, promises an exciting lineup of elite athletes, including defending champions Cynthia Limo and Paul Lonyangata from Kenya. Limo, a silver medalist at the 2016 World Athletics Half-Marathon Championships, made a stunning marathon debut last year with a winning time of 2:33:01, navigating through challenging conditions including hills, intermittent rain, and high humidity.

This year, she will face tough competition from Judith Jeptum Korir, who is making her Honolulu Marathon debut after earning a silver medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships Marathon. Ethiopia’s Fantu Shugi Gelasa is also a contender for a podium finish, adding to the competitive spirit of the event.

On the men's side, Lonyangata, a two-time Paris Marathon champion, returns to Honolulu for his third appearance, having won last year after breaking away at the 35 km mark. He will compete against a strong field that includes Eritrean Olympians Yemane Haileselassie and Amanuel Mesel, both trained in Flagstaff, Arizona. Kiptum, another Kenyan runner, enters the race as the fastest man in the field with a personal best of 2:04:17.

The competition is fierce, and the allure of a $25,000 first prize, alongside a unique handcrafted solid gold medal provided by race sponsor SGC of Japan, adds to the stakes. The Honolulu Marathon stands out as the only marathon globally to award winners with a solid gold medal, embodying the event's dedication to excellence. Additionally, the popular Start to Park 10-K will concurrently commence with the marathon, expecting around 9,000 runners this year, a significant increase from the previous year’s 6961 finishers, showcasing the growing popularity of this event.