The following is the start list for the Elite men’s field at the 2023 Grandma’s Marathon to be held on Saturday, June 17, 2023, in Duluth, Minnesota. The large elite group consists of international athletes and athletes from the United States, including last year’s champion, Dominic Ondoro of Kenya.
Ondoro, 35, is back to defend his title this year and will attempt to win his third overall. He ran a time of 2:09:34 to win the 2022 Grandma’s Marathon elite men’s race, and he will be aiming to repeat that success. Read more: Lauren Paquette to make marathon debut at 2023 Grandma’s Marathon
He also won his first title in 2014 and holds the race record with 2:09:06.Also back to contend for the title is Sammy Rotich of Kenya, who finished second last year, along with James Ngandu, the third-place finisher in the race a year ago.
Elisha Barno, who won four consecutive titles at the Grandma’s Marathon between 2015 through 2018, is also back this year to try and improve on his fourth-place finish in 2022.
Milton Rotich, the 2021 Grandma’s Marathon champion, fellow Kenyan Thomas Rono Kiplagat, and Tsegay Weldelibanos of Eritrea are also runners to watch this year. Kiplagat heads the field with a personal best of 2:06:00 and will aim to challenge the record.
Kevin Lynch is the top USA contender this year, with a personal best of 2:09:13, with Nathan Martin coming in with a PB of 2:11:05.
The last American to win the Grandma’s Marathon elite men’s race is Chris Raabe, who ran 2:15:13 for the title in 2009. Click here for more information about the event
Below is the complete 2023 Grandma’s Marathon Elite Men Start List
| Name | Age | Country | PR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Rono Kiplagat | 36 | Kenya | 2:06:00 |
| Dominic Ondoro | 35 | Kenya | 2:08:00 |
| Milton Rotich | 37 | Kenya | 2:08:55 |
| Tsegay Weldelibanos | 27 | Eritrea | 2:09:07 |
| Kevin Lynch | 29 | USA | 2:09:13 |
| Elisha Barno | 37 | Kenya | 2:09:32 |
| James Ngandu | 33 | Kenya | 2:10:17 |
| Benard Rotich | 36 | Kenya | 2:10:18 |
| Nathan Martin | 33 | USA | 2:11:05 |
| Sammy Rotich | 36 | Kenya | 2:11:49 |
| John Raneri | 31 | USA | 2:12:33 |
| Jason Lynch | 32 | USA | 2:13:05 |
| Lamech Mokono | 42 | Kenya | 2:13:28 |
| Joseph Whelan | 32 | USA | 2:13:39 |
| Matthew McClintock | 29 | USA | 2:13:59 |
| Alex Monroe | 31 | USA | 2:14:15 |
| Dylan Gearinger | 25 | USA | 2:14:54 |
| Pardon Ndhlovu | 35 | USA | 2:15:02 |
| Steven Martinez | 28 | USA | 2:15:22 |
| Mohamed Hrezi | 31 | USA | 2:15:27 |
| Benard Kiptoo Koech | 28 | Kenya | 2:15:41 |
| Daniel Docherty | 33 | USA | 2:15:55 |
| Chase Weaverling | 27 | USA | 2:16:03 |
| Kevin Salvano | 25 | USA | 2:16:39 |
| Rajpaul Pannu | 32 | USA | 2:16:40 |
| Eric Ashe | 34 | USA | 2:17:06 |
| Alexander Taylor | 43 | USA | 2:17:08 |
| Kurt Roeser | 36 | USA | 2:17:26 |
| Daniel Vassallo | 38 | USA | 2:17:28 |
| Evan Gaynor | 35 | USA | 2:17:29 |
| Matthew Dewald | 40 | USA | 2:17:42 |
| Ryan Archer | 28 | USA | 2:17:51 |
| Nicholas Hilton | 34 | USA | 2:17:52 |
| Jesse Davis | 41 | USA | 2:18:02 |
| Jeffrey Seelaus | 29 | USA | 2:18:03 |
| Nathan Dunn | 26 | USA | 2:18:05 |
| Dave Marks | 33 | USA | 2:18:12 |
| Jason Ayr | 35 | USA | 2:18:14 |
| Garret Lee | 30 | USA | 2:18:20 |
| Kevin Wood | 29 | USA | 2:18:23 |
| Logan Barrett | 30 | USA | 2:18:25 |
| Adam Wood | 24 | USA | 2:18:37 |
| Nick Golebiowski | 27 | USA | 2:18:39 |
| Jason Simpson | 38 | USA | 2:18:41 |
| Jacob Heslington | 28 | USA | 2:18:50 |
| Johnny Rutford | 32 | USA | 2:19:16 |
| Collin Buck | 25 | USA | 2:19:23 |
| Stan Linton | 29 | USA | 2:19:40 |
| Samuel Fazioli | 31 | USA | 2:19:48 |
| Marcos Bailon | 33 | USA | 2:19:51 |
| David Melly | 30 | USA | 2:19:55 |
| Alex Archer | 28 | USA | 2:20:32 |
| Jack Beakas | 24 | USA | 2:20:38 |
| Jeremy Ardanuy | 30 | USA | 2:20:42 |
| Matthew Walker | 30 | USA | 2:20:49 |
| William Baldwin | 30 | USA | 2:21:00 |
| Benjamin Xie | 29 | USA | 2:21:00 |
| Taggart VanEtten | 27 | USA | 2:21:10 |
| Ruairi Moynihan | 33 | USA | 2:21:21 |
| Luke Hickman | 30 | USA | 2:21:37 |
| Bryan Rigby | 35 | USA | 2:21:38 |
| John Dressel | 26 | USA | 2:21:45 |
| Joel Conn | 39 | USA | 2:21:48 |
| Sem Sultanov | 25 | USA | 2:21:50 |
| Dillon Breen | 30 | USA | 2:22:03 |
| Ben Pare | 31 | USA | 2:22:06 |
| Michael Ellenberger | 31 | USA | 2:22:18 |
| Scott Mindel | 36 | USA | 2:22:25 |
| Andrew Leahey | 30 | USA | 2:22:44 |
| Tai Smith | 25 | USA | 2:22:53 |
| Terry Tossman | 27 | USA | 2:23:13 |
| Tyler Sickler | 28 | USA | 2:23:18 |
| John Gutierrez | 23 | USA | 2:24:00 |
| David O’Gara | 27 | USA | 2:24:35 |
| Jordan West | 28 | USA | 2:28:26 |
| Tyson Wieland | 28 | USA | 2:28:53 |
| Sean O’Connor | 26 | USA | 2:32:56 |
| Clayton Pierce | 31 | USA | 2:33:33 |
| Kevin Zanker | 58 | USA | 2:49:11 |
| Kevin Koski | 25 | USA | Debut |
| Panuel Mkungo | 29 | Kenya | Debut |
| Nadir Yusuf | 26 | USA | Debut |
| Dennis Kipkosgei | 28 | Kenya | Debut |
| Nolan McKenna | 27 | USA | Debut |
| Cody Baele | 28 | USA | Debut |
| Nicholas Costello | 27 | USA | Debut |
| Casey Ellis | 24 | USA | Debut |
| Christian Graham | 27 | USA | Debut |
| Matthew Grossman | 24 | USA | Debut |
| Jonathan Klaiber | 26 | USA | Debut |
| Braydon Manley | 27 | USA | Debut |
| Stuart Russell | 30 | USA | Debut |
| Tesfu Weldegebreal | 25 | Eritrea | Debut |
| Nolan Zimmer | 29 | USA | Debut |
