Tsegay Weldlibanos, Calli Hauger-Thackery win rain-soaked Honolulu Marathon
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Calli Hauger-Thackery became the first women’s winner from Great Britain when she surged late and dethroned two-time defending champion Cynthia Limo of Kenya in 2:30:43. Limo finished runner-up in 2:31:33 while Eunice Chumba of Bahrain took third in 2:35:29.
Both winners will receive $25,000, plus a gold medal that race officials said is valued at $27,000.
Calli Hauger-Thackery of Great Britain won the women's title at the JAL Honolulu Marathon in 2:30:43. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Haileselassie made a push around the 20-mile mark and took about a 30-second lead but the 27-year-old was caught and passed by the more experienced Weldlibanos, days away from his 30th birthday, in the final mile. They were two of five African runners in the race — plus American pace runner John Raneri — from the Flagstaff, Ariz., based training academy run by James McKirdy. McKirdy threw an arm around Weldlibanos just as the Eritrean put hands on knees upon crossing through the tape.
It was his second marathon win after the 2024 California International Marathon near Sacramento.
"Tsegay’s got a lot of experience; this isn’t his first rodeo," McKirdy said. "He’s been running marathons since 2017, 2018. He missed a few years because of COVID and the environment didn’t provide the opportunity to race, and he’s been back on the roads and he came in with the fastest PR of 2:07:35. And he knows this distance very well. Yemane’s still learning, a little bit more young on the road, especially in the marathon. And he is learning; he took a risk, and it just didn’t pay off for him."
Weldlibanos did not finish in his first taste of the Honolulu Marathon in 2023 because of flu-like symptoms, but he won the Hapalua in April, finished ninth in the New York Marathon in early November and made it a Honolulu 2025 sweep in his return.
"(This) is a very nice place, and very nice organizers. For me it’s good, three times in Hawaii," Weldlibanos said. He pledged to come back.
Most of McKirdy's team are asylum seekers who work full time in Flagstaff delivering food at night after training hard for road races. Haileselassie is still waiting, but another Eritrean on the team who competed Sunday, Tesfu Tewelde, recently had his request granted.
McKirdy said the runners make up an adopted family, but it was clear that Weldlibanos missed his family. He said he speaks to his wife and children back in Eritrea about two times a week — most recently on Thursday. He has been with the Flagstaff team going on six years.
"It’s very hard," Weldlibanos said.
The Flagstaff runners push each other relentlessly, McKirdy said, and he has to rein them in — "like herding cats." Haileselassie appeared quite disappointed as he came in second, some 49 seconds behind. But several minutes later, he sat next to the new champion as they cooled down.
"I’m happy he’s my training partner and my friend. I’m happy about him," Haileselassie said.
Hauger-Thackery pushed herself to her limits to hold off the experienced Limo for her third marathon win, and first since last year. She doubled over and remained down on the pavement for a few minutes to gather herself, then got up and hugged Limo.
The Yorkshire native who trains in Flagstaff — she is fond of McKirdy's group — had a sharp stomach pain around Mile 9 but had the mental fortitude to run through it. The early rain barrage had her thinking of the gray skies in her homeland, just with more humidity.
She made her move with 3 miles remaining.
"It was so empowering running against her," Hauger-Thackery said of Limo. "I watched the race back two days ago of Cynthia winning it. She’s an incredible racer and she’s really tough."
When it came to the grueling incline back up Diamond Head before the home stretch, she knew she had to take advantage of it. "I train on hills in Flagstaff quite a lot, so I’m used to being aggressive on hills."
In the final push, she thought: "I know we’re both hurting. I’m hurting, she’s hurting. But I’ve just got to like, fake it. Just focus. Head forward and fight with her. But it was amazing to run alongside her, it was an empowering feeling."
Rain was forecast throughout the race but after an opening hour of steady downpours from the 5 a.m. start, things gradually cleared up — but high humidity remained throughout. There was almost no wind.
Susannah Scaroni of Tekoa, Wash., set a Honolulu Marathon record for a women’s wheelchair competitor in 1:48:37.
Air Force Lt. Colonel Ben Payne was the top Hawaii-based men's finisher in 2:34:32, while Macy Putman of Haleiwa was the top resident women's finisher in 3:02:45.
Payne is close to completing his 18-month assignment with PACAF at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and plans to retire from active duty back in Colorado.
"It’s kind of the dream way to finish my military service, for sure," Payne said.
"Man, it’s a real privilege to run here, kind of in my backyard," he added. "That was one of my top goals, was to be the first (Hawaii resident) and the first master. I think I accomlplished that today."
The top kamaaina finishers were Gabriel Tom of Honolulu for the men in 2:50:48 while Hilo's Caitlyn Tateishi arrived in 3:09:05 for the women.
A record total of 42,962 people were entered across the Honolulu Marathon Weekend’s three events: Saturday’s Kalakaua Merrie Mile (3,404) and Sunday’s Start to Park 10K (10,812) and the marathon (28,746).
The course traversed Downtown Honolulu through Waikiki, out to Hawaii Kai and back up and down the slopes of Diamond Head before finishing at Kapiolani Park.
Sinclaire Johnson of the U.S. won the overall Merrie Mile through Waikiki on Saturday in 4:21.87 with a 31-second handicapped head start over the men; the top men’s finisher was Josh Hoey of the U.S. in 3:55.15.
Edwin Kurgat won the Start to Park 10K in 29:32 while Annika Reiss took it for the women in 34:20.
Note: This story has been updated with details, quotes and photos.
Air Force Lt. Colonel Ben Payne was the top Hawaii resident finisher. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
The men's elite runners exited Waikiki along Kalakaua Avenue, led by pace runner John Raneri (9). (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
The men's elite runners passed the Honolulu Zoo. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
The women's elite runners as they exited Waikiki. The eventual winner Calli Hauger-Thackery (F5) trailed defending champion Cynthia Limo (F1). (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
An elite runner was silhoutted by a police light in the predawn darkness. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.
