Sunday September 15th, 2019
Copenhagen, Denmark
Distance: Half Marathon
CPH Half wants the world's strongest elite field for 2018 Race
The world's strongest female field, a super-fast Norwegian and an elite field of males who yet again will chase the World Record. That is just some of the elite field wishes for the Copenhagen Half Marathon 2018
The organisers of the Copenhagen Half Marathon have a clear dream when it comes to the 2018 edition. The world's strongest female elite field has to be found on the starting line.
"We have proved that our course is fast and that a world record is definitely within reach in the Danish capital and in 2018 we chase both the female and male world record. That is why we will see some of the world's best runners in Copenhagen in 2018 and we have an ambition to gather the world's strongest female elite field," says Henrik Paulsen, Sports Director in Sparta Athletics and Running.
The Sports Director has a good reason for optimism since statistics from all of the half marathons worldwide in 2017 shows that the Copenhagen Half Marathon had the top three fastest times and this could attract the best runners in the world to the Danish capital.
The female equivalent to Usain Bolt
At the top of the wish list is Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei, who can best be described as the equivalent to Usain Bolt in the sense that she broke world record after world record this year.
"It would be amazing to get her on the starting line and it is definitely something that we are working on. She has been outstanding in 2017 and there can be no doubt that she would have a fast race in Copenhagen and perhaps get the world record," says Henrik Paulsen, who also has his hopes set for getting the three female runners, who got under 67 minutes, back for the 2018 edition.
"The males ran with all of the attention in 2017 because they were so close to the world record, but the females also had a really strong performance. The first three females entered the top 10 for fastest half marathons in 2017 worldwide, so if they are back in the capital in 2018 with Joyceline Jepkosgei, the female elite field will be close to being the strongest in the world, says "Henrik Paulsen.
Super-fast Norwegian
During the last couple of years, the male world record has been chased at the Copenhagen Marathon and in 2017 Abraham Cheroben, with his wining time of 58.40, barely missed it with 17 seconds.
"There can be no doubt that is it possible to achieve the world record in Copenhagen but whether is will happen in 2018 is difficult to say but the elitefield have the qualities to do it. Needless to say, we aim to have the strongest field as possible and hopefully this year's winner will be back in 2018 since he proved in 2017 that he was the fastest on the distance." says Henrik Paulsen.
There will without a doubt also be numerous African runners on the startingline, who all have the potential to chase a new world record but a Norwegian is also high on the wish list.
"Norwegian Sondre Nordstad Moen has in 2017 done a 59.48 on the half marathon and an impressive 2.05.47 marathon whic is a new European Record. That makes him the fastest European in 2017 and third fastest overall on the half marathon distance. We would very much like to have him on the starting line at the Copenhagen Half Marathon, and it is not unlikely that he can be found on the just there in Copenhagen on September 16th," says Henrik Paulsen.
Registration for the Copenhagen Half Marathon 2018 is open.
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As the first road race in Scandinavia and 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.
| Division | Time | Name | Age | Home |
| Male | 59:06 | Daniel Kipchumba | 34 | KEN |
| 2nd Male | 59:09 | Abrahm Kiptum | 29 | KEN |
| 3rd Male | 59:14 | Jemal Yimer Mekonnen | 23 | ETH |
| 4th Male | 59:17 | Yomif Kejelcha | 21 | ETH |
| Female | 01:05:15 | Sifan Hassan | 25 | NED |
| 2nd Female | 01:05:46 | Ababel Yeshaneh Brihane | 27 | ETH |
| 3rd Female | 01:06:15 | Joan Chelimo Melly | 28 | KEN |
| 4th Female | 01:06:21 | Zeineba Yimer | 20 | ETH |
| Division | Time | Name | Age | Home |
| M 40-49 | 01:06:26 | Andreas Straßner | 39 | GER |
| M 50-59 | 01:15:33 | Juha Salomies | 54 | SWE |
| M 60-69 | 01:12:10 | Bert Ten Hoff | 61 | NED |
| M 70+ | 01:38:09 | Karlo Bernt Nielsen | 70 | DEN |
| F 40-49 | 01:20:31 | Rikke Due-Andersen | 46 | DEN |
| F 50-59 | 01:28:33 | Helle Overgaard | 56 | DEN |
| F 60-69 | 01:34:53 | Vibeke Hansen | 61 | DEN |
| F 70+ | 01:56:13 | Marianne Pallisgaard | 73 | DEN |
(2017) When it comes to half marathon, Copenhagen is the place to run fast. That was indeed underlined at Sunday's Copenhagen Half Marathon with the first three men dipping under 59 minutes
The last time to see a sub-59-time was in Valencia in October 2014 by Abraham Cheroben, and, again, Cheroben was the man to accomplish it. Now running for Bahrain, the former Kenyan could cross the finish line in an outstanding time of 58:40 minutes. Only the likes of Zersenay Tadese (58:23) and Samuel Wanjiru (58:33) has ever run faster in the history of half marathon. With the newcomer Jorum Okombo and Alex Oloitiptip - both from Kenya - clocking 58:48 and 58:51 respectively, CPH Half 2017 became only the second race in history with three men under 59 minutes.
Despite the impressive results, it really didn't come as a surprise. The previous two versions of CPH Half already had showed fast winning times with 59:15 in 2015 and 59:07 last year, but on both occasions a strong headwind influenced on the race. Sunday there was hardly any wind in the Danish Capital. A temperature of 15 degrees, sunny conditions and crowds of people in the streets supporting all the 21.000 participant, showed to be the perfect recipe for personal records en masse.
The pacemaker led the leading group through the first 5K in 13:48 - three seconds slower than scheduled. Before the 10K-mark, the pacemaker had dropped out leaving a group of ten men on their own. The pace slowed slightly with 27:50 at 10K. Then last year's winner, James Nwangi Wangari, could no longer keep up with the others, and at 15K (split: 41:53)the group now was reduced to five runners, among them the debutant Leonard Barsoton, silver medalist from the World Cross Championships in March. Soon after, however, he and his countryman Albert Kangogo could no longer keep up with the other three, leaving them alone to battle for the 1st prize of 10.000$.
Behind Cheroben, Jorum Okombo was today's biggest surprise - and a name to look out for in future races. Born in 1997, the Kenyan had his debut in Holland earlier this year when taking a 2nd spot at the Venloop Half Marathon. Now with just 20 years of age, he has moved up to a joint 6th place on the all time list. With seven men under one hour - the same number as last year - the Copenhagen Half Marathon is the first race in history to accomplish that feat twice.
Five women below the previous race record
The female runners could also write history. As with the men, the women passed the 10 km mark in a large group, where the split 31:43 minutes indicated a new race record. On the last part of the course Eunice Chumba (Bahrain) created a lead and crossed the finish line in 66:11 minutes - a time that places her as a joint 9th in the all time list. The time was as well an improvement of Ingrid Kristiansen's Scandinavian all-comers-record set in Norway 30 years ago.
In Copenhagen last year, Eunice Chumba missed the victory by only four seconds. Now triumphing in Copenhagen for the first time, the 24-year-old runner was, of course, very happy.
"It's such a great course, and the atmosphere was superb. So I will definetely come back next year," she said.
With two other women crossing the finish line below the 67 minutes, the CPH Half 2017 set a new standard for the women's elite race.
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.