Running News Daily

Kenyan Bernard Koech wins Paris Half Marathon

Kenya’s Bernard Koech took the top honors at the Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris (Paris Half) held on Sunday (03) in Paris, France.

Koech was followed in second place by France’s Mehdi Frere in 1:01.15 with his compatriot Jorum Okombo closing the podium three finishes in 1:02.12.

Emmanuel Roudolff and Donovan Christien both from France finished in fourth and fifth in respective time of 1:02.11 and 1:02.28.

LEADING RESULTS

21KM MEN

Bernard Koech              (KEN) 1:00.45

Mehdi Frere                  (MOR) 1:01.15

Jorum Okombo             (KEN) 1:02.02

Emmanuel Roudolff     (FRA)  1:02.11

Donovan Christien        (FRA) 1:02.28

French runner completes two-hour half marathon in stilts

Over the last few weeks, we’ve witnessed some runners pull off incredible things while wearing unusual footwear–though what this French runner did at Sunday’s Paris Half Marathon takes the cake. Philippe Graciette of Pau, France, completed the half marathon in exactly two hours while running on five-foot wooden stilts.

The 54-year-old gym teacher completed the half-marathon in 2:00:40, averaging a pace of five minutes and 43 seconds per kilometre while standing an extra four feet off the ground.

Graciette was dressed in a Where’s Waldo? costume and had a sign attached to his back reading “Where’s Charlie? For dummies.” Usually looking for Waldo is difficult, but the stilts make him stand out.

What’s even more remarkable is that Graciette finished in 27,928th place out of more than 45,000 runners. We aren’t sure what World Athletics competition rules are around wooden stilts—either way, his result is impressive.

There does not appear to be a Guinness world record for the fastest half marathon on stilts, but Graciette could likely have achieved it, if he cared to document the event and submit it. If he chooses to move up to the marathon on stilts (he has run at least a couple in regular running shoes), we think he has a shot at the stilts marathon record of 6:37:38 from the 2018 London Marathon (held by Michelle Frost of the U.K.).

HARMONIE MUTUELLE SEMI DE PARIS: BONIFACE KIBIWOTT AND NIGSTI HAFTU WIN THE 30TH EDITION

The first runners started the 30th edition of the Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris from the Pont de Sully (Île Saint Louis) at 8 o'clock this morning. The first major event of the 2022 running season brought athletes together for a shared experience and a 21.1 km challenge. Kenyan Boniface Kibiwott claimed the men's race, while Ethiopian Nigsti Haftu emerged victorious from the women's one.

The 30thHarmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris kicked off the 2022 running season.

Boniface Kibiwott (KEN) took the men's race in 1:00:52.

Nigsti Haftu (ETH) won the women's race in 1:07:37.

Damien Appere and Mangeiarasi Murugan were crowned French disabled sports champions.

Margaux Sieracki (sixth) and Benjamin Choquert (seventh) flew the flag for France in the top 10.

A mixed urban and natural course with a spectacular finish on Place de la Bastille.

WINNERS OF THE DAY

The men ran a tactical race as the favourites stuck together in the first part of the race. 8 kilometres into the course, Kenyan Boniface Kibiwott upped the pace before going solo in the final 5 kilometres and crossing the finish line in first place with a time of 1:00:52. Vincent Yegon, second in 1:01:18, and Benard Kimelli, third in 1:01:23, locked up the podium for Kenya. Benjamin Choquert, seventh with 1:03:38, was the top-ranked French runner. 

In contrast, the women's race came down to a sprint. Ethiopian Nigsti Haftu took the spoils in 1:07:37, beating Kenyan Joyce Tele, in the same time. Another Kenyan, Brillian Kipkoech, posted a time of 1:09:18 to claim the bottom step of the podium.

Frenchwoman Margaux Sieracki came in sixth in 1:11:01 in her half marathon debut.

Thanks to Harmonie Mutuelle, the last runners were feted just like the winners of the race, with a special celebration, for the first time in the history of the Semi de Paris.

Paris Half Marathon Canceled Due to coronavirus

The 28th edition of the Paris Half-Marathon, which was to take place this Sunday, March 1, 2020 in the streets of the French capital with a route between the Gare d'Austerlitz and the François Mitterrand Library, is canceled. 

Due to the epidemic of Coronavirus which rages in the world, the gatherings of more than 5,000 people, including the semi-marthon of Paris, are canceled!

Considered one of the most popular events on the French sports calendar, the Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris  was due to return this Sunday, March 1,  2020 with a new and  28th edition  ! First announced maintained , the race is finally canceled the day before the event because of the epidemic of Coronavirus which rages in the world. All multinational gathering of more than 5000 people being considered dangerous.

This year, the  21.1 km Paris half-marathon  was expected to make many runners sweat around major historic sites in eastern Paris: Bastille, Rue de Rivoli, Hôtel de Ville, Quays of the Seine, Bois de Vincennes and its Castle, Pont de Tolbiac. Note that the start of the race will be on the quays of Austerlitz . Expected arrival on the Quays François Mauriac (in front of the François Mitterrand Library ).