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Copenhagen Half Marathon

Sunday September 19th, 2021
Copenhagen, Denmark
Distance: Half Marathon

The Copenhagen Half Marathon was the first road race in Scandinavia and is one of the fastest half marathons in the world. The Copenhagen Half Marathon has been awarded with the International Association of Athletics Federation's (IAAF) most distinguished recognition - the IAAF Road Race Gold Label.

Copenhagen Half Marathon was awarded the IAAF Road Race Bronze Label in January 2015 as the first race throughout the Nordic countries. In January 2016 the race obtained the IAAF Road Race Silver Label.

After only two race editions, the Copenhagen Half Marathon has received the prestigious IAAF Gold Label, thus claiming a place among the very best races in the world.

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Bob Anderson
I have heard many good things about this race. It is a fast course too. In fact the second fastest time of the year was run here.

Race Date: 09/13/2020 Distance: Half Marathon

Division	Time	Name	Age	Home
Male	58:01	Geoffrey Kamworor	26	KEN
2^nd Male	59:16	Benard Kipkorir Ngeno	28	KEN
3^rd Male	59:22	Berehanu Wendemu Tsegu	20	ETH
4^th Male	59:27	Edwin Kiprop Kiptoo	26	KEN
Female	1:05:57	Birhane Dibaba Adugna	26	ETH
2^nd Female	1:06:22	Evaline Chirchir	21	KEN
3^rd Female	1:06:36	Dorcas Jepchirchir Tuitoek	29	KEN
4^th Female	1:06:43	Megertu Alemu Kebede	22	ETH

Division	Time	Name	Age	Home
M 40-49	1:09:33	Alex Pugaard	41	DEN
M 50-59	1:13:40	Claus Poulsen	53	DEN
M 60-69	1:23:10	Jesper Mariegaard	64	DEN
M 70+	1:35:12	Leif Vincentsen	72	DEN
F 40-49	1:20:01	Lisbeth Pederson	43	NOR
F 50-59	1:26:11	Pia Joan Sorenson	54	DEN
F 60-69	1:29:20	Bente Johansen	65	DEN
F 70+	1:56:13	Marianne Pallisgaard	71	DEN

2019

Geoffrey Kamworor smashes the world record at Copenhagen Half Marathon

With a stunning solo run at Sunday´s Copenhagen Half Marathon, Geoffrey Kamworor, set a new world record clocking 58:01 minutes. By doing so, the 26-year-old Kenyan bettered the previous record set by his compatriot Abraham Kiptum in Valencia last year with 17 seconds.

"It is very emotional for me to set this record. And doing it in Copenhagen, where I won my first world title, adds something to it," the three-time World Half Marathon Champion said after the race, which he – despite a line-up of world class runners - won with a surprisingly large margin of 75 seconds ahead of another Kenyan, Benard Kipkorir Ngeno.

Having won the Kenyan trials at 10000 meters just a few weeks ago, Kamworor was indeed a clear favorite ahead of the race. However, with windy conditions in Copenhagen Sunday morning not many had expected a world record. Pacemaker Shadrack Koech led a large group through the first 5K in 13:53 min., but when he dropped out at 10K, a leading pack of five runners were now ahead of world record pace splitting in 27:34 minutes. From now on it was all about Geoffrey Kamworor, who at 15K suddenly was 25 seconds ahead of the rest.

"It really wasn´t my plan to pull away after 10K, but it was the right time to do it. And the wind turned out not to be a problem," Kamworor said after the world record, which was the first one to be set on Danish soil since 1972.

The first six finishers dipped under the one hour. Sondre Nordstad Moen had as well hoped to do it, but would have to settle with 60:20. Taking a 9thplace the Norwegian became the first European male runner to finish in the top-10 in the history of the race.

Ethiopian victory in the women´s race
The women´s race saw another clear victory with Birhane Dibaba Adugna – winner of the Tokyo Marathon 2018 - crossing the finish line in 65:57 minutes, a massive improvement of the Ethiopian´s personal best. Three Kenyans followed her pace for the first 15K, but at finish the best of these, Evaline Chrichir, was 25 seconds behind with Dorcas Jepchirchir Tuitoek coming in third in 66:36.

CPH Half 2019 was only the fifth edition of the race. With 25.000 participants the race was sold out for the first time, and with today´s world record - and not to forget last year´s European record by Sifan Hassan, the race has established itself as one of the biggest and most importants half marathons in the world.