With two years remaining before its 50th edition, the Türkiye İş Bankası Istanbul Marathon is getting “jubilee-ready.” Organizers of one of Europe’s most traditional city marathons have assembled the fastest elite field in the event’s history for Sunday’s 48th edition. Four men on the start list have personal bests under 2:06:00, while three women have broken the 2:20:00 barrier.

The Türkiye İş Bankası Istanbul Marathon is the world’s only intercontinental marathon, taking runners from Asia to Europe. It is also Türkiye’s largest marathon and a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race.

“An exciting race awaits us in both the men’s and women’s categories. Including the shorter-distance events, the Türkiye İş Bankası Istanbul Marathon will bring together more than 45,000 participants from 143 countries. We are proud to host such a celebration of sport,” said Race Director Bilge Donuk.

Never before has the Türkiye İş Bankası Istanbul Marathon featured a woman with a personal best under 2:20:00. This year, three women meet that standard, with two having run under 2:19:00. Kenya’s Judith Korir, the silver medallist in the marathon at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, leads the start list with a personal best of 2:18:20. Ethiopians Azmera Abreha and Kasanesh Baze rank second and third on the start list, with personal bests of 2:18:33 and 2:19:39, respectively. Eritrea’s Dolshi Tesfu also brings an impressive personal best of 2:20:40.

Turkish record-holder Sultan Haydar, who surprised with a 2:21:27 performance in Valencia three years ago, returns to Istanbul. She finished third in the 2013 race.

In the men’s race, four men on the start list have personal bests under 2:06:00. That matches the number from two years ago, although this year’s group boasts faster credentials. The four are Ethiopians Sufaro Woliyi (2:04:35), Amdework Walelegn (2:04:50) and Dejene Debela (2:05:46), along with Kenya’s Philimon Kipchumba (2:05:35).

Debela knows the Istanbul course well. The Ethiopian, who recorded his personal best of 2:05:46 in Chicago in 2019, won the race two years ago and finished runner-up last year. “Compared to last year, I am in much better form,” said Debela, who has not raced so far this year. “The problem was that I got a muscle injury, and it took a long time to recover. I am in shape to run under 2:10 in Istanbul. But a major factor is the weather. If conditions are good, we should break It.”

Fellow Ethiopian Sufaro Woliyi also knows the course. He finished third at last year’s Türkiye İş Bankası Istanbul Marathon, crossing the finish line just 14 seconds behind Kenyan winner Rhonzas Kilimo. “My training went very well. I am in the best shape of my life. I hope that this time I will be number one,” said Woliyi, who lives and trains in Asella, Ethiopia.