Four-Time Falmouth Road Race Winner Stephen Sambu Looking to Return to Winner's Circle

By Adam Kopet

The New Balance Falmouth Road Race gets underway Sunday on the southern coast of Massachusetts. This will be the 47th edition of the 7-mile race.

The men's race features three of last year's top-four finishers. Ben Flanagan of Canada will not attempt to defend his title, but last year's fourth-place finisher, Stephen Sambu of Kenya, will be looking to return to the winner's circle himself. He is a four-time winner of the race, having been victorious in 2014 through 2017.

Scott Fauble and Leonard Korir, who finished second and third last year, also return. Korir finished second to Sambu in a sprint finish in the 2017 edition of the race. Following a seventh-place finish at this year's Boston Marathon, Fauble has made himself a contender to qualify for the 2020 Olympic marathon.

Challenging the three returners is Kenya's Edward Cheserek, according to David Monti of Race Results Weekly.

Update: ⁦@KINGCHEZZ⁩ has been added to #FalmouthRR elite field.

Photo by ⁦@NotAfraid2Fail⁩ pic.twitter.com/Q2WcUFvrt9

— David Monti (@d9monti) August 13, 2019

The former Oregon star has returned to the United States following a successful European tour that saw him run a personal-best 13:04.44 to win a 5,000-meter race July 20 in Belgium. This will be the longest race of his career.

Cheserek has seen success on the roads previously. He won the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving last year and earlier this year he equaled the world record at the Carlsbad 5000, running 13:29.

The women's race will also be without its 2018 champion, Caroline Chepkoech of Kenya. In her place, American stars Des Linden and Sara Hall are scheduled to race. Both women were recently announced to compete at November's New York City Marathon. Hall has additionally set herself the challenge of racing the Berlin Marathon in September.

Among the international challengers in the women's race are 2012 Falmouth champion Margaret Wangari and 2018 NCAA Division 1 10,000-meter champion Sharon Lokedi, both of Kenya.

Also in the field are Allie Kieffer, Nell Rojas and Molly Seidel.