Defending champion Wasihun faces in-form Mbishei at Marseilles Cassis 20KM

Mule Wasihum will defend his title at the Marseilles-Cassis 20km on Sunday (26), but the Ethiopian will be up against a quality field at the IAAF Silver Label Road Race.

Wasihum was something of a surprise winner last year, clocking 1:00:09 on a course which begins in Marseilles and ends in the port of Cassis, with a 327-metre incline at half way.

Since then, Wasihum has improved his half-marathon PB to 1:00:08 when winning in Paris earlier this year, beating world and Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich. More recently, he finished second over 10km in Rennes, clocking 28:14.

In the 35-year history of the race, just six men have won back-to-back titles. The field for this year’s race is even tougher than 12 months ago too.

Based on current form, Kenya’s Titus Mbishei starts as the favourite. The 2008 world junior 10,000m silver medallist has twice broken his half-marathon PB this year, first with 1:01:14 in September, then improving to 59:55 last week in Valencia.

Read more at: IAAF.org