Running News Daily

Sawe and Kipkemboi claim Copenhagen Half Marathon crowns

Sabastian Sawe outkicked Jacob Kiplimo to win the men’s race in a world lead, while Margaret Kipkemboi solo ran her way to victory in the women’s race at the Copenhagen Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Sunday (15).

Uganda’s world record-holder Kiplimo, Kenya’s world champion Sawe and his Kenyan compatriot Isaia Lasoi were all in contention in the closing stages, but Sawe had the strongest finish. He managed to get a gap on Kiplimo with the finish line in sight and won in a PB of 58:05, four seconds ahead of Kiplimo. Lasoi was one second further back in a PB of 58:10.

Kenya’s world half marathon silver medallist Kipkemboi was joined by her compatriots Judy Kemboi, Catherine Reline Amanang'ole and Sheila Chelangat plus Ethiopia’s Ftaw Zeray through 10km but she left her rivals behind during the second half of the race to win by more than half a minute in 1:05:11. Kemboi was second in a PB of 1:05:43 and Amanang'ole, the world half marathon bronze medallist behind Kipkemboi, was third in a PB of 1:06:09.The men’s race also featured Norway's Olympic and world 5000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, making his half marathon debut just two days after winning the Diamond League 1500m title in Brussels.

He formed part of a large lead men’s group that passed 5km in 13:53, but that pack quickly whittled down to six – pacemaker Berihu Aregawi, the 5000m champion in Brussels two days ago, leading ahead of Kiplimo, Sawe, Lasoi, Amos Kurgat, Kennedy Kimutai and Ingebrigtsen.

But Ingebrigtsen couldn’t maintain that pace and he pulled up at 10km, reached in 27:27 – a national record for the Norwegian on the roads. His rivals strode ahead and although he stopped a couple more times, Ingebrigtsen did continue to the finish and clocked 1:03:13.

After letting Sawe take the lead for a spell, Kiplimo was back in front at 15km, passed in 41:17. From there it was a battle between the trio of Kiplimo, Sawe and Lasoi. They were together through 20km in 55:13, before Sawe took control in the closing stages and went on to win in a time that improves his own world lead and is just four seconds off the race record, which was a world record when it was set by Geoffrey Kamworor in 2019.

Having won his world half marathon title in Riga last year, Sawe will have the opportunity to return to Copenhagen in 2026, when the city hosts the World Athletics Road Running Championships.

Another athlete who could be there is his compatriot Kipkemboi, who secured silver in Riga. This time in Copenhagen she ran as part of a group that reached 5km in 15:22 and she had Kemboi, Amanang'ole, Chelangat and Zeray for company through 10km in 30:52. The race was down to Kipkemboi and Kemboi by 15km, which they reached in 46:14, 15 seconds ahead of Amanang'ole. 

Kipkemboi then made her break and ran the final section of the race alone, getting to the 20km mark in 1:01:42 and extending her advantage to win in 1:05:11.