Running News Daily

Yangzhou 2022 Half Marathon Championships canceled due to COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced another premium event to be canceled in China.

This time, the World Athletics Half Marathon, which was scheduled to be held in Yangzhou in November, has been called off.

The event was originally due to take place on March 27 but was re-scheduled for November 13.

A decision was made after the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) and the local Organizing Committee mutually agreed that the Championships cannot be held this year after a lengthy discussion.

At the same time, the 2027 World Athletics Road Running Championships was granted to Yangzhou, which is set to be held in March 2027.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe conveyed his thanks to CAA and everyone who was involved in preparations for the World Half Marathon Championships.

"Unfortunately, the championships can’t be held this year, through no fault of the LOC, but our endurance athletes will have the opportunity to compete in Riga next year," Coe said.

"The Council’s decision to award another event to Yangzhou in 2027 indicates its faith in the organizing committee and willingness to return and stage a World Athletics Series road running event there at the first available opportunity."

The first Road Running Championships is scheduled to be held in the Latvian capital of Riga from September 30 to October 1 2023.

Plans to incorporate the Half Marathon Championships as part of the Road Running Championships in the future has been made with the world 5 kilometers championships set to be introduced as well.

China has strict COVID-19 policies with restrictions on international arrivals  and lockdowns.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games was held in February in a "closed-loop management" system with regular tests being carried out.

Recently, the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, initially scheduled to be held from September 10 to September 25, was postponed because of the pandemic.

(07/05/2022) Views: 727 ⚡AMP
by Vimal Sankar

World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Yangzhou postponed until November 13 2022

World Athletics and the local organising committee (LOC) for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Yangzhou 2022 have agreed to postpone the championships, which were scheduled to be held in Yangzhou, China, on March 27, 2022.

The event will now take place on Sunday November 13, 2022.

The postponement is due to the biosecurity measures and travel restrictions currently in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in China.

These conditions may change between now and March, but in order to provide certainty to athletes, coaches and Member Federations, the World Athletics Council agreed to reschedule the championships to allow more time for existing travel and quarantine restrictions to be eased. 

World Athletics and the LOC in Yangzhou are committed to the responsible planning and delivery of the half marathon championships, which includes ensuring that athletes from all international federations are able to participate and enjoy an experience that is befitting a World Athletics Series event.

More information about the championships will be released as it becomes available.

(11/04/2021) Views: 922 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Sebastian Coe says that World Half 2020 nearly did not happen due to coronavirus-related restrictions

Recent Gdynia event almost fell foul of coronavirus-related restrictions, weather problems and a fire in one of the technical buildings

World Athletics president Seb Coe has applauded the return of competition during the latter months of 2020 but reveals the World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia in October was almost cancelled due to the coronavirus, bad weather and a fire in the timing area.

“It was one of the tougher championships that we’ve had to deliver,” said Coe, who was speaking after the latest World Athletics Council meeting. “Had it been held a couple of days or even 24 hours later it probably wouldn’t have taken place because Gydnia moved into the red zone Covid-wise in Poland.”

He added: “Two days before that the city was hit by monstrous storms and winds. And on the night before the championships we had a fire in the Seiko timings and results hut that very nearly rendered us without any timing or results equipment at all.

“It was at point I was waiting for a plague of locusts to arrive,” he joked. “But the athletes who punched through in the end and at that extraordinary event we had a world record, area records and 22 national records.”

Ultimately, Coe said, the event was a “synthesis of fantastic resilient relationships”.

Coe added: “It has been the athletes who have driven the latter part of our season and kept us front and centre. Since our last Council meeting we’ve delivered a world championships, six Diamond League meetings, seven Continental Tour Gold meetings, four Continental Tour Silver and twelve Continental Tour Bronze meetings.”

Given this Coe said there had been enough action in the second half of the year to merit holding the annual World Athletics Awards – and they will be streamed live on Saturday December 5.

Elsewhere dates for the 2022 World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst (February 19) and World Indoor Championships in Belgrade (March 18-19) were confirmed.

It was also confirmed that World Athletics has asked for a mixed team cross-country relay and the women’s 50km race walk to be included in the 2024 Olympics.

(12/03/2020) Views: 863 ⚡AMP
by Jason Henderson

Athlete Refugee team member Nait-Hammou on his half marathon championships debut

Athlete Refugee Team member Otmane Nait-Hammou is making a habit of rubbing elbows with some of the world's finest runners at World Championships.

In Doha last year, he lined up next to reigning world and Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto in the opening round of the 3000m steeplechase. On the Gdynia start line, he stood should-to-shoulder with Joshua Cheptegei, the world record holder in the 5000 and 10,000m.

"If it's destiny or luck I don't know,” he says, laughing when reminded of the company he’s managed to keep at the start lines of his last two World Championship appearances. "It's an honour for me and I feel really proud.”

He’s also taking great pride in what he managed to achieve in Gdynia representing the Athlete Refugee Team.

On Saturday, Nait-Hammou wasn’t the same athlete he was a year ago in the Qatari capital. There, starry-eyed and overwhelmed, he tumbled to the track on the first lap of his race and was the last to finish, more than 70 seconds after Kipruto. In Gdynia, he finished 67th in the field of 122, clocking 1:03:28 in his competitive debut over the distance, beating some of the world’s finest half-marathoners in the process.

The difference? Taking to the line as a fledgling professional athlete, both in practicality and in attitude.

An opportunity to train like a professional

Nait-Hammou began running in his native Morocco in 2012, a passion he continued to feed even when life threw challenges in his path. He went to France in 2015 to pursue his studies, but, unable to return to Morocco, he made the difficult decision to apply for asylum. That road took him to Sweden in 2016 where he watched, on a television in a refugee centre, a team of refugee athletes competing at the Rio Olympics.

Those moving images fuelled his imagination and his motivation. Three years later he himself would compete twice on the international stage, first at the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, then again in Doha, modest outings that nonetheless helped him step up to the next level.

“A lot of things changed over the past year,” Nait-Hammou says. “I have a lot of solidarity and support that has changed my life." That includes sponsorship arrangements with On, his apparel sponsor, with the energy gel Maurten, from his French club ES Sartrouville and ongoing development support from World Athletics and Olympic Solidarity.

Together, he says, "these things have given me more confidence and motivation and excitement to train very hard, to push very hard in training. It's a huge difference from when you come to participate and when you come to perform.”

His increasingly professional arrangement allowed him to attend a training camp for the first time, a month-long stint at altitude in Font-Remeu, France, in July and August where he logged 150 to 160 kilometres per week for four straight weeks. It was a type of training he’d never attempted before. “The first week was tough. I was really tired. But then the second week was better, and the third even better.”

It also brought results. On 29 August, he improved his steeplechase best to 8:51.07 at a French regional meeting in Decines Charpieu, his first race in seven months. Two weeks later he finished seventh at the French championships. In between he won a regional 10km in 30:50.

All that set him up well for Gdynia.

“I felt confident at the start line, because I had the opportunity to train and prepare like a professional. That made a big change in my life and my approach. I can see in training that I am getting better. I'm not the same person I was in Doha.”

“I never ran under 30 minutes. Never. I'm still in shock. I still haven't realised what I’ve done. I broke my 10k PB inside a half marathon. In my first half marathon. And in a world championship. It's crazy.”

"I'm starting to think about doing some really strong training this winter for a good marathon early next year," he says, and then focus on the steeplechase during the track season. "I want to go to the marathon for a new adventure. I am excited and motivated for that.

“I'm not thinking the same after Gdynia,” he continues. “I hope I gave the inspiration to other refugees to do better than me in the next World Championships.

“I didn’t come this time to participate. I came to perform. We get the support from World Athletics, from my sponsors, to come to the World Championships, so I wanted to show that we can perform like other athletes. That refugees can be like normal people.

"I beat some Swedish athletes, I beat some Spanish runners. I beat some of the best athletes from other countries, who are all very good athletes. I feel really proud of that and that I was able to represent 69 million people from around the world, to show that we can do it.”

(10/20/2020) Views: 1,247 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Kiplimo makes history for Uganda at World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020

For the first time in the 28-year history of this event, a Ugandan athlete stood proud atop the podium, but it wasn’t the one most expected. In the men’s race at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 on Saturday (17), it was Jacob Kiplimo and not Joshua Cheptegei who reigned supreme, the 19-year-old coming of age with his first global title at senior level.

With a devastating surge over the last of the four laps, no one could live with Kiplimo and he hit the line a delighted champion in a championship record of 58:49, with Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie second in 58:54 and Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn third in 59:08.

Next in was Cheptegei, who had lost contact with the leaders with a little less than five kilometres to run, the king of the track demoted to fourth place on the roads but rewarded with a swift time of 59:21 on his debut at the distance.

“I couldn’t give more than that,” said Cheptegei, who set a world 10,000m record in Valencia just 10 days ago. “I have been training more for 5000m and 10,000m so I was not well prepared for it, but I’m very happy – running a sub-60 is really special for me. My body was really going very well but I discovered I still had some fatigue in the legs.”

In a race of outstanding quality, the first 10 runners broke 60 minutes, the first time that ever happened at the event and just the second time it has ever happened. This, despite a relatively pedestrian start that saw the leading contenders cruise through the opening lap waiting for one another to make a decisive move.

No Ugandan had ever won an individual medal in 23 previous editions of the event – their one team medal a men’s bronze in 2004 – but the nation has been a rising force in distance running these past few years so today’s result came as no surprise. Kiplimo, after all, had clocked a world-leading 7:26.64 for 3000m in Rome last month and 12:48.63 for 5000m so his credentials were unquestioned, and he had followed Cheptegei home at last year’s World Cross Country Championships.

His only half marathon before today was the 1:01:53 he ran in Kampala last year but from the outset today, he looked most at home at the distance.

In contrast to the women’s race, the men’s race set off at a conservative tempo, the leading contenders happy to coast through the opening 5km in 14:20 as Switzerland’s Julien Wanders towed them along out front.

A leading pack of 23 went through 10km in 28:23, and the gears slowly began to shift in the third lap, with Kandie and Ethiopia’s Guye Adola applying some pressure. Kandie stepped the pace up even more as he clicked through 15km in 42:17 and clocked the first sub-14-minute 5km split of the race with 13:54.

It whittled the leading pack to 11 with a lap to go, with Cheptegei passing the bell a few seconds behind Kandie in eighth place. Kandie was soon joined by Kiplimo as they ran uphill and as he saw the gaps open behind to Cheptegei, Kiplimo kept the pressure on, building a 15-metre lead over his teammate.

Kandie, too, began to fall off pace behind the smooth-striding Kiplimo, but with less than 3km to run he clawed his way back to Kiplimo’s shoulder. The pace now was red-hot, Kiplimo surging to 20km in 55:55, a 13:37 5km split giving him a four-second lead over Kandie as he ran downhill towards the coast for the final time.

Kandie refused to lie down, chasing Kiplimo for all he was worth as they neared the finish in a bid to keep the men’s crown in Kenya for the fourth successive championships, following Geoffrey Kamworor’s three straight wins between 2014 and 2018. But he simply couldn’t close down the advantage and he had to make do with silver.

“I feel great, it was my first time at the World Half Marathon Championships and I won!” said Kiplimo. “It is hard to explain, because I am full of emotion. Unbelievable. The weather was really good, as were the conditions and course. I'm so grateful for everyone who has supported me.”

Kandie led Kenya to gold in the team event, with Leonard Barsoton’s 59:34 and Benard Kimeli’s 59:42 giving them a cumulative time of 2:58:10. Ethiopia took team silver with 2:58:25, and Uganda bronze with 2:58:39. All three teams finished inside the previous championship record.

(10/17/2020) Views: 1,379 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Sebastian Coe said on Friday he embraced new track technology that features pacemaking lights, a system used to great effect in two stunning world records last week

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said on Friday he embraced new track technology that features pacemaking lights, a system used to great effect in two stunning world records last week.Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei (men's 10,000m) and Ethiopia's Letesenbet Gidey (women's 5,000m) blew two longstanding records apart in Valencia.

Both athletics had a team of metronomic pacemakers around them who utilised Wavelight technology -- a trackside visual time guidance system which lights up to indicate the world record pace."You have to innovate, there's no question about that," Coe said in Gdynia, Poland, ahead of Saturday's world half-marathon races. 

While acknowledging there was a balance to be struck, Coe argued that technological advances were paramount in attracting new audiences.

"You need to create a connection and the key connection is understanding.

"Pace lights I have no problem with. Our one-day meetings are about entertainment and I think Wavelight that allow people on television, to understand a little bit more about the incredible talent, the incredible talent, the incredible speeds our competitors are running at actually lends to the type of understanding I want."

Coe also argued that pacemakers had been around for decades, notably citing Roger Bannister's first sub-four-minute mile as a "pace-made event".

(10/16/2020) Views: 1,056 ⚡AMP

Two current world record-holders Peres Jepchirchir and Ababel Yeshaneh line up against one another this weekend

For the first time in the history of the championships, the women’s race at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 will have two current world record-holders for the distance as Peres Jepchirchir and Ababel Yeshaneh line up against one another on Saturday (17).

From 2013 onwards there have been separate world records in women’s roads events — one for women-only races, and one for mixed races. And this year both half marathon records have been broken with Ethiopia’s Yeshaneh clocking 1:04:31 at the Ras Al-Khaimah Half Marathon in February and Kenya’s Jepchirchir running 1:05:34 in a women-only race at the Prague 21.1K in September.

Jepchirchir’s performance is the more recent of the two, so there is little doubt over the 27-year-old’s form heading into Gdynia. She is also a past winner of the title, having won gold in Cardiff in 2016, and she went on to set a short-lived world record of 1:05:06 in Ras Al Khaimah in 2017.

She gave birth to daughter Natalia at the end of 2017 and so missed most of 2018, but she returned to form last year with victories at the Lisbon Half Marathon (1:06:54) and Saitama Marathon (2:23:50).

Yeshaneh, however, is a formidable opponent and she’ll be lifted by the memories of their one previous clash, at the 2016 Delhi Half Marathon, where she finished three places and 36 seconds ahead of Jepchirchir.

Yeshaneh finished ninth in the 10,000m at the 2013 World Championships and 14th in the 5000m at the 2016 Olympic Games before devoting most of her time to road running. She has finished in the top two in 10 of her past 12 half marathons and has impressed over the full marathon distance, placing second in Chicago last year in a PB of 2:20:51.

Her final outing before heading to Poland was Ethiopia’s 15km trial race, in which she finished fourth. Knowing that she only needed to finish in the top six, though, she could well have been doing just enough to secure her spot on the team, wanting to stay fresh for Gdynia.

Saturday’s race isn’t just about the two world record-holders, though. Netsanet Kebede Gudeta and Joyciline Jepkosgei, the gold and silver medallists from 2018 – and, incidentally, the previous world record-holders of the two women’s half marathon marks—will also line up in Gdynia.

Gudeta won in Valencia two years ago in a women-only world record of 1:06:11, comfortably beating pre-race favourite Jepkosgei, who in 2017 had set two outright world records for the distance.

Since then, however, both women have had mixed fortunes. Gudeta hasn’t won a half marathon since 2018, but she equalled the Ethiopian record of 1:05:45 in 2019. She also failed to finish the 10,000m at the World Championships in Doha, but Saturday’s race could be an opportunity for redemption for the 29-year-old.

And while Jepkosgei — the fastest woman in history over 5km, 10km, 15km and 20km—hasn’t quite yet returned to her record-breaking form from 2017, the 26-year-old Kenyan impressed at last year’s New York City Marathon to win on her debut at the distance in 2:22:38, just a few seconds shy of the long-standing course record. Jepchirchir and Jepkosgei are joined on the Kenyan team by Rosemary Wanjiru, Dorcas Kimeli and Brillian Kipkoech.

 

(10/16/2020) Views: 1,242 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda says he’s under no pressure to deliver at Saturday’s World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia

Distance running’s triple world record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda says he’s under no pressure to deliver at Saturday’s World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland.

Cheptegei said he is not really bothered by the weather and competition in Gdynia, having already achieved what he had planned for from track despite the Covid-19 challenges.

“For me what is important is that I finished my track season well. A debut in the half marathon won’t put much pressure on me,” said Cheptegei, who is proud of having set two world records within seven weeks this year in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres.

The weather in Gdynia will range from between six to 11 degrees on the competition day.

The Ugandan lowered the previous mark of 26:17.53 set by Kenenisa Bekele on August 26, 2005 in Brussels to cement his standing as the new track sensation.

The 24-year-old 10,000m world champion had on August 14 in Monaco wiped out Bekele’s 16-year-old world record over the 5,000m after breaking the five-kilometre world record on the streets of Monaco in February.

In his first track race since the advent of coronavirus early this year, Cheptegei clocked 12:35.35 to beat Bekele’s previous record by two seconds.

Heading into Valencia last week, Cheptegei only had the 18th quickest time over 10,000m with a best in Doha of 26:48.36, over half a minute outside the record.

The Ugandan team to Poland this weekend also has 2018 World Under-20 Championships 10,000m silver medallist Jacob Kiplimo, who also played second fiddle to Cheptegei in last year’s World Cross Country Championships in Uganda’s 1-2 finish.

Kiplimo’s only other half marathon experience is his victory at Kampala Half Marathon in 1:01:53 in November last year.

Others in the Uganda team are Moses Kibet (1:00:59), Victor Kiplagat (1:00:16), Abel Chebet (1:01:41) and Stephen Kissa (1:00:00).

(10/15/2020) Views: 1,246 ⚡AMP
by Ayumba Ayodi

Romania’s 2008 Olympic champion Constantina Dita has been named an ambassador for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020

Dita competed at eight editions of the World Half Marathon Championships and earned seven medals in the process, making her one of the most successful athletes in the history of the event. Her double victory in Edmonton in 2005, taking individual and team gold medals, remains one of the highlights of her career.

“I was surprised (to win by a significant margin),” she said of her 2005 triumph. “I was running a normal pace but maybe the opposition found it very cold. For me, it was good weather. I love to run in the rain.

“It was such a happy feeling to win my first gold medal at a major championship. For me, it was amazing and it was close to what it would have felt like to win a gold medal at the track and field World Championships.

“To win my gold medal was a great achievement,” she added. “It gave me much encouragement to run better in other races.”

Dita did exactly that, and three years later she won the marathon gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Along with her major championship medals, Dita was also successful at big city marathons. She won the 2004 Chicago Marathon and finished second in 2005. She also made it on to the podium at three editions of the London Marathon.

Today Dita divides her time between her native Romania and the USA, and is still involved in the sport as founder and president of the annual Bucharest International 10km.

She still runs and last year she completed the Berlin (3:07) and New York City (3:30) marathons. She hopes to one day complete the full set of six Marathon Majors by running the Boston Marathon.

(10/15/2020) Views: 1,007 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Athletics Canada team withdraws from the World Half-Marathon Championships

On Wednesday morning, Athletics Canada made the decision to withdraw its team from the upcoming World Half-Marathon Championships set to take place this weekend in Gdynia, Poland.

With 24 hours until their flight, athletes were notified that the team would no longer be participating. On the women’s side, Rachel Cliff was the lone Canadian representative and on the men’s side Canada was sending Trevor Hofbauer, Justin Kent, Ben Preisner, Thomas Toth and Phil Parrot-Migas. 

This event was postponed in March due to COVID-19, but is now set to go on Saturday. Several other countries, including the U.S. and Japan, pulled out of the championship in September, citing safety reasons. 

“This was a very difficult decision, but we think it is in the best interests of the athletes and the team staff,” Simon Nathan, Athletics Canada’s high-performance director, said in a press release. “We know that this is disappointing news, but we have made this decision with our team’s health and safety at heart.”

While Athletics Canada officials were confident that WA was doing everything possible to protect participants, they felt there were too many risks that nobody could be expected to control.

“When we considered the risks associated with flying and transfers within airports, with the athletes being in publicly-accessed common areas like hotel lobbies and common dining areas, and the unknown of individuals’ compliance to safe protocols, we felt it was prudent not to expose our team to those risks,” said Dr. Paddy McCluskey, Athletics Canada’s Chief Medical Officer.

(10/14/2020) Views: 1,061 ⚡AMP
by Madeleine Kelly

Sifan Hassan will not be racing at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia

European 10,000m record-breaker has decided to end her season early

Sifan Hassan will not be racing at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, instead deciding to end her season, which has included world and European record-breaking performances, earlier than originally planned.

The 27-year-old smashed Dire Tune’s world one-hour record by covering 18,930m on the track at the Van Damme Memorial meeting in Brussels last month before she ran 29:36.67 in the rain to break Paula Radcliffe’s European 10,000m record in Hengelo on Saturday.

The world 1500m and 10,000m champion had next been set to line up as part of the Netherlands team at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Poland on Saturday (October 17), where she would have been among the favorites, but she has decided with her coach Tim Rowberry to end her season.

After a short break, she will begin preparing for Olympic year.

“It has been a tough year, the uncertainty of competitions going ahead was always part of my training regime,” said Hassan. “To focus and push yourself every day in training is difficult, especially when you don’t know if it will be possible to deliver performances in a competition environment.

“The season was short, but the lead up to it was long. Therefore I decided to give myself some rest and focus for next year. I want to make sure I will be in top shape physically and mentally next year at the Olympic Games.

“I am very proud of my performances this season, the world hour record and the European record this weekend. Those results give me good faith that I am able to reach my highest potential, also in uncertain times. Therefore I look forward to next year with a lot of confidence.”

(10/14/2020) Views: 1,068 ⚡AMP
by Athletics Weekly

Head coach Patrick Makau is confident that Kenya will dominate World Half Marathon Championships

Head coach Patrick Makau is confident that his team for the World Half Marathon Championships due Saturday in Gdynia, Poland will win both the team and individual titles.

Makau, who won silver medals at the 2007 Udine and 2008 Rio de Janeiro editions, said he is aware of stiff competition and the adverse weather that awaits them in Poland.

Makau said defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor might be missing in action but reckons that the selected team led by Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) and Prague Half Marathon champion Kibiwott Kandie and 2017 World Cross Country Championships silver medallist Leonard Barsoton is equal to the task.

Makau, a former world marathon record holder, indicated that the women’s team is the finest ever with on form 2016 world half champion Peres Jepchirchir back in the team and Joycilline Jepkosgei out to make amends after settling for silver in Valencia 2018.

“This is a strong team and I can tell you the athletes are focused on the task ahead. They are determined to deliver,” said Makau.

Kamworor sealed his third consecutive title when he won in Valencia in 2018 in 1:00:02 as compatriots Barsaton, Barselius Kipyego and Jorum Okombo finished 12th, 15th and 18th. Alex Oloitiptip failed to finish the race.

Jepkosgei and Pauline Kaveke failed the test, settling for silver and bronze in Valencia as Netsanet Gudeta claimed victory not only in championship record but also in women’s only world record time of 1:06:11.

Kenya would also lose the team titles to Ethiopia.

“Kandie posted a world lead in half marathon with victory in 58:38 in Prague, Czech in September. This goes without saying that he will be the man to watch. We shall really bank on Barsaton’s experience,” Makau said adding that Bernard Kipkorir (59:07), Bernard Kimeli (59:07) and Morris Munene (59:22) also look strong by virtue of having good times.

Makau noted that even though the women’s team will be under pressure to deliver with the defending champion coming from Ethiopia, having Jepchirchir, who is fresh from setting a new women’s only world record in Prague with a time of 1:05:34, is a major boost.

“Peres is back and looks stronger after maternity leave and is eager to reclaim her title. One can easily see the hunger in Joyciline that she is ready to upgrade her silver to something better this time around,” said Makau. “They are ready to neutralise the weather and any challenge posed.”

(10/13/2020) Views: 1,383 ⚡AMP
by Ayumba Ayodi

Former Africa Cross Country Champion Leonard Barsoton, banks on team work to take down the Ugandans

Japan-based Leonard Barsoton has said that Kenya will rely on team work to down the challenge of Uganda and Ethiopia at the World Half Marathon Championships this Saturday in Gdynia, Poland.

Kenyan athletes will be heading to the world road race intent on retaining the men’s title currently held  by Geoffrey Kamworor  following his triumph in Valencia, Spain in 2018.

Kamworor won in 1:00:02 ahead of Bahrain’s Abraham Cheroben, who timed 1:00:22 while Eritrea’s Aron Kifle was third in 1:00:31.

This year Kamworor will not be competing but a strong team has been selected by Athletics Kenya and vowed to keep the crown home.

Kibiwott Kandie, fresh from winning Prague Half Marathon, will lead his compatriots Morris Munene, Japan-based Leonard Barsoton, Bernard Kipkorir and Bernard Kimeli in the Gdynia assault.

Nation Sport caught up with the 2014 Africa Cross Country champion Barsoton in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County where he had gone for the mandatory  Covid-19 tests a requirement before their travel.

With the defending champion Kamworor missing in the start list, Barsoton said Kenya’s work was cut out for them particularly considering the threat set by double world record holder in 5,000m and 10,000m Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda.

“We shall run as a team. The challenge is that we have been training differently and everyone has his own techniques of reacting but we hope for the best,” he said.

The in-form Cheptegei will lead a Ugandan team that also has Moses Kibet, Jacob Kiplimo, Abel Chebet and Stephen Kissa.Barsoton, whose career has been on the rise since he relocated to Japan in 2012, two years after completing high school, is relishing the challenge.

He has competed in the last three editions of the World Half Marathon Championship and will no doubt be a key plank in Team Kenya’s strategy to keep the men’s crown.

In Valencia, Barsoton finished 12th in a time of 1:01:14, a result he was not happy with but on the positive, learned about his shortcoming. He said he had a problem when he entered the race which he traced to his training and has worked to ensure he was ready for the Poland race.

My training has gone on well and we are ready to travel and meet other competitors after a long wait due to the coronavirus.

“It’s not easy when you are training alone because we are used to group training which pushes you to the limit. I believe since April I have done enough and I will be ready to fight for a podium finish on Saturday,” he said.

(10/12/2020) Views: 1,243 ⚡AMP
by Bernard Rotich

Callum Hawkins, Charlotte Purdue and Stephanie Davis withdraw from World half Marathon Championships

Ahead of next week’s World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, British Athletics can confirm that Callum Hawkins (coach: Robert Hawkins; club: Kilbarchan), Charlotte Purdue (Nic Bideau; Aldershot, Farnham & District) and Stephanie Davis (Phillip Kissi; Clapham Chasers) have all been forced to withdraw from the British team.

Hawkins, the European half marathon leader, was due to make his first appearance at the Championships since the 2016 World Half in Cardiff, where he claimed an individual 15th position, and earlier in the week, clocked 14:05 over 5k in the Fast 5K at Aston-in-Makerfield.

He will be replaced in the team by fellow Scotsman Adam Craig (Steve Vernon; Inverclyde), who will make his British debut on the roads next week. In his maiden half marathon in Antrim last month, the 25-year-old clocked 63:24 to move 13th on the British half marathon list for 2020.

Fellow European half marathon leader Purdue, who led the British team in Valencia’s World Half in 2018, has been forced to withdraw through injury. She clocked a season’s best of 68:23 in Marugame, Japan, back in February and was in line for a third consecutive appearance at the Championship.

Davis, who was due to make her debut at the Championships after a personal best 71:15 at the Big Half in London back in February, has also been forced to withdraw through injury. Neither athlete will be replaced in the team at this late stage.

The British team selected for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships on October 17:

Men:

Mohamud Aadan (Paul Oppe; Thames Valley), Adam Craig (Steve Vernon; Inverclyde), Tom Evans (Andrew Hobdell; Belgrave), Kristian Jones (Dundee Hawkhill), Jake Smith (James Thie; Cardiff). 

Women:

Becky Briggs (Mick Woods; City of Hull), Clara Evans (Chris Jones; Cardiff), Samantha Harrison (Vince Wilson; Notts).

(10/09/2020) Views: 1,208 ⚡AMP

Run with Paula Radcliffe in the fast 10k virtually

The World Athletics Half Marathon Championships are just a couple of weeks away, and race organizers in Gdynia, Poland, have provided one last challenge ahead of the free virtual mass participation race.

The Fast 10k with Paula Radcliffe is the final test of fitness for participants who plan to run the half-marathon, and they can do it (virtually) alongside one of the best marathoners in history, after whom the challenge is named. 

Radcliffe is an Olympian, a British and European record-holder many times over and the former women’s marathon world record-holder. Her marathon best was only recently beaten by Brigid Kosgei, who lowered Radcliffe’s longstanding record of 2:15:25 at the Chicago Marathon in 2019. In a promotional video for the Gdynia event and her virtual challenge, Radcliffe says the “World Half Marathon Championships have a very special place in my heart.

It was my first world title. I won three World Half Marathon Championships and all of them were extremely special to me.” She won the world half-marathon titles in 2000, 2001 and 2003, the same year she set her marathon world record. 

This is the last of the virtual “warmup events” that have been organized for competitors by the Gdynia 2020 team. There was also a one-mile run with World Athletics head Seb Coe and a 5K with British Olympian Eilish McColgan, among other events. It’s easy to participate. Simply head to the event website, download the Gdynia 2020 tracking app and head off on your 10K challenge in preparation for your virtual half-marathon. 

The mass participation race was cancelled and changed to a virtual format for 2020 due to COVID-19, but the elite race is still set to go ahead. The race has a number of big names ready to run, and it should be an exciting one to watch.

Newly-minted 5,000m world record-holder Joshua Cheptegei will be debuting at the distance in Gdynia, and he will be lining up alongside a strong Canadian team that’s made up of Trevor Hofbauer, Justin Kent, Phil Parrot-Migas, Benjamin Preisner and Thomas Toth. The lone woman heading to Poland to represent Canada is former national half and full marathon record-holder Rachel Cliff. 

For anyone interested in participating in either the The Fast 10k with Paula Radcliffe challenge or the virtual half-marathon, it’s not too late to sign up.

(10/02/2020) Views: 1,237 ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath

Sifan Hassan is among the top names entered for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020

Based on the figures at the entry deadline, 157 men and 127 women from 62 teams have been entered for the championships.

Even with the expected slight drop in numbers ahead of the publication of the official start lists, the figures compare favorably to previous editions, most of which ranged between 150 and 250 athletes.

World 1500m and 10,000m champion Sifan Hassan, who also holds the world record for the mile, is one of several standout entries for the women’s race.

The Dutch runner will take on Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh and Kenya’s 2016 world half marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, who respectively hold the outright and women-only world records for the half marathon.

Ethiopia's Netsanet Gudeta, who won in Valencia two years ago in a women-only world record time, will defend her world half marathon title.

In one of the highest-quality fields ever for a half marathon, 15 of the men entered have sub-60-minute PBs and a further 14 have PBs inside 61 minutes. The 10 fastest women entered have PBs of 1:06:30 or faster, while 21 women in total have sub-69-minute PBs. Area record-holders for Africa, Europe and Asia are also entered.

(10/01/2020) Views: 1,184 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Spain will send a team of five men and three women to the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 on October 17

Spain announces squad for World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020.

The men's squad is led by Juan Antonio Perez, who boasts a 1:00:58 career best set in Valencia last year, and includes Adel Mechaal and veteran Ayad Lamdassem, both multiple medallists at the continental level on the track and in cross country.

Elena Loyo, the reigning national half marathon champion, leads the women's team.

Spanish team for Gdynia

Men: Antonio Abadia, Jorge Blanco, Ayad Lamdassem, Adel Mechaal, Juan Antonio Perez.

Women: Marta Galimany, Elena Loyo, Laura Méndez.

(09/30/2020) Views: 1,141 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

World Half Marathon Champion Geoffrey Kamworor will not defend his title in Gdynia

World Half Marathon Champion Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) will not defend his title – held since the 2014 race in Copenhagen – at the upcoming world championships in Gdynia (POL) on 17 October.

He suffered a traffic accident back in June from which he has not yet regained full fitness.

Joshua Cheptegai and Jacob Kiplimo spearhead a Ugandan team that could capitalise on Kamworor’s absence from the Kenyan squad. Both have shown impressive form this year. For Cheptegai it would be his debut at the distance.

Japan, USA, Australia and New Zealand have cancelled their participation in the championships because of the coronavirus.

(09/29/2020) Views: 1,148 ⚡AMP
by Helmut Winter

Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor is in doubt of defending his world half marathon title for the fourth consecutive time on October 17 in Gdynia

Geoffrey Kamworor is not certain if he will compete after returning to training late, having recovered from injuries sustained from a freak accident on June 25 this year.

The world half marathon record holder was hit from behind by a speeding motorcycle, sustaining injuries on his head and above the ankle.

The 27-year-old Kamworor had to be operated on at St Luke's Hospital in Eldoret.

“I am not quite sure if I will run since I returned to training late owing to the accident,” said Kamworor, who resumed light training towards the end of July.

According to Dr Victor Bargoria, who treated Kamworor, the diagnosis was to open incomplete right tibia shaft fracture, knee bruises and scalp laceration.

“The procedure was debridement of contaminated soft tissue and loose bone fragments followed by irrigation and wound closure,” he explained after attending to the star at St Luke's Hospital.

The athlete who trains at the Global Communications camp in Kaptagat was targeting his fourth consecutive world half marathon title after 2014 Copenhagen, 2016 Cardiff and 2018 Valencia.

It’s in Copenhagen where Kamworor sealed his hat-trick with a championship record time of 59 minutes and 08 seconds, breaking Zersenay Tadese’s 2009 Birmingham’s winning time of 59:35.

Kamworor won the race in Valencia in 2018, beating Kenyan born Abraham Naibei Cheroben of Bahrain and Eritrean Aron Kifle to second and third places respectively.

 

Kamworor rolled out a world record when he claimed the Copenhagen Half Marathon in 58:01 in September last year, crushing the previous time of 58:23 set by Tadese in Lisbon in 2010. Another Kenyan Abraham Kiptum broke the record in 2018 Valencia but the time has been expunged for doping.              

Kamworor would go on to seal his double at the New York City marathon in November last year after his 2017 exploits but his dream of a hat-trick this year has been curtailed after the event was cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Kamworor and World half marathon bronze medallist Pauline Kaveke were picked early March this year to lead Team Kenya for the 24th edition of the World Half Marathon that was planned for March 29 in Gdynia but postponed to October 17 due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Athletics Kenya will now have to rethink about the team selection after Kaveke and Victor Chumo, who is also in the team, were picked to pace at the London Marathon on October 4 this year.

The men’s team also had Kibiwott Kandie, who is fresh from winning the Prague Half Marathon in a course record and fourth fastest time in history over the distance of 58:38 on September 5.

Kandie, the national cross country champion, also won the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon in February in the United Arab Emirates.

(09/24/2020) Views: 1,373 ⚡AMP
by Ayumba Ayodi

Callum Hawkins and Charlotte Purdue will lead British squad for World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020

Callum Hawkins and Charlotte Purdue will head the British squad for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 on October 17.

Hawkins, the the fourth place finisher in the marathon at last year's World Championships, clocked 1:00:01 at the Marugame Half Marathon in February, the fastest by a European this year. He'll be making his first appearance at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships since 2016 when he finished 15th.

Hawkins joins British U23 half marathon record-holder Jake Smith, who was third in 1:02:00 at the Vitality Big Half, and Mohamud Aadan, who finished 36th at the 2018 World Half Marathon Championships.

Like Hawkins, Purdue clocked her European lead of 1:08:23 in Marugame, finishing second. Purdue will be making her third World Half Marathon Championships appearance after finishing 33rd in 2016 and 21st in 2018.

Purdue is joined by Charlotte Arter, a teammate from 2018, who finished fifth at the Barcelona Half Marathon in February in a season’s best 1:10:00. She too will be making a third consecutive appearance at these championships.

Samantha Harrison and Stephanie Davis, who notched personal bests of 1:11:01 and 1:11:15 when finishing second and third place at the Big Half, join Hayley Carruthers in being handed British debuts in Poland.

Kristian Jones, who clocked a personal best of 1:03:09 at February’s Barcelona Half Marathon, and world trail bronze medallist Tom Evans, who lowered his PB to 1:03:15 in Antrim earlier this month, will also make their British debuts on the roads to round out the men's team.

"I am delighted that we are able to name such a strong team for the rescheduled World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, next month," said team leader Robert Hawkins.

"The team has been revised following athlete withdrawals from the original team named for March’s championship, but I feel we have been able to add a good blend of international experience to those that are making their first appearances on the roads for Great Britain & Northern Ireland."

British team for Gdynia

Men: Mohamud Aadan, Tom Evans, Callum Hawkins, Kristian Jones, Jake Smith

Women: Charlotte Arter, Hayley Carruthers, Stephanie Davis, Samantha Harrison, Charlotte Purdue

(09/24/2020) Views: 872 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Athletics Canada has unveiled its team of four men and one woman for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020

Pan American 10,000m bronze medalist Rachel Cliff, former national record-holder in the marathon (2:26:56), heads to Gdynia with a half marathon PB of 1:10:06, set last December in Japan. She came within a few seconds of that mark in Houston earlier this year with 1:10:13.

“After a spring and summer of race cancellations, I wasn’t sure when I would have this opportunity again,” Cliff said. “Since March, we’ve all had to make massive adaptations to our lives, and I think the World Half Marathon Championships will be a chance to get an understanding of what racing in this ‘new normal’ will look like. Competing on the world stage has never been something I’ve taken for granted, but I will appreciate it all the more this time round.”

Trevor Hofbauer, who has earned early nomination for Canada’s Olympic team in the marathon, has an official half marathon PB of 1:04:30, but recently ran a 1:03:02 time trial. Ben Presiner has the fastest official PB of the field with 1:02:57, set earlier this year. Justin Kent and Thomas Toth are Canada’s other team members.

“This is obviously not your typical World Championships race,” said Athletics Canada head coach Glenroy Gilbert. “Everyone has had to adapt in a season without a lot of competitions. Our runners have put in a lot of miles to get to this race and it will be a good test of their physical and mental preparations. I’m looking forward to seeing how they manage the race and I expect to see some good results.”

Canadian team for Gdynia

Men: Trevor Hofbauer, Justin Kent, Benjamin Preisner, Thomas Toth

Women: Rachel Cliff

(09/23/2020) Views: 1,185 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Belgian distance runner Koen Naert sets sights on Gdynia for return to competitive action

Luckily, Koen Naert has the habit of writing things down.

As he sat – socially distanced, naturally – outside the meeting hotel for the Brussels Wanda Diamond League meeting in September, he smiled ruefully as he reflected on just how valuable this quirk is to him.

Fingers crossed, and further Covid-19 complications permitting, Belgium’s 31-year-old European marathon champion will have the opportunity to take part in his first race in almost a year when he participates at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 on 17 October.

“Luckily I am always writing everything down so if something goes good I write it down, for you will never know if you forget, so I am glad I wrote everything down,” he said. “So I have to read everything again because after 11 months it’s started fading away! So I am happy I can find it…

“These championships will be very important. I think it will be difficult for me to be in 100% optimal condition, because I need some other races to race a fast half marathon, so I need some 10km races to really hit the wall, and then I really can dig deep in a half marathon.

“And so I miss those other competitions, I think physically, but also mentally because, in the beginning you say ‘Oh, we will train base, because there are no competitions. A good base level is enough’.

“But if you have base level for four months, maybe you want to start to dig a little deeper, so I think the World Half Marathon Championships are perfect mid-goal for that.

“It will be good mentally for me, too, because I think that when I race in Gdynia it will be 11 months without competition, so when I was thinking about racing I really got excited and I really had to think deep like, ‘Oh, how did I do it again?’”

Naert, whose unexpected victory at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin was followed by a personal best of 2:07:39 at the following year’s Rotterdam Marathon, admits that preparations for the championships, which were shifted from their original date of 29 March because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, have been “very difficult”.

Originally, he explained, he had targeted the Valencia Half Marathon, set on a course conducive to fast times. But when that was cancelled he went back to the Belgian Athletics Federation – which helps fund his support team along with his kit sponsor, Asics – and asked them: “Is it too late to run in Gdynia?”

It wasn’t. So Naert now has a focus, albeit one for which he has prepared in a way he would never have envisaged a year ago. Earlier in 2020, Naert had spoken of running 200 kilometres a week, but that target was soon modified.

“Not in Covid-19 times,” he said. “I think I was actually doing 140, 150km a week, because I knew there weren’t any competitions in the near future. If you are in April or May, I can’t remember when the European Championships got cancelled, but if you know they will be cancelled for August, and you are three months away from that, you don’t have to peak in that period.

“So I decided with my coach, Raymond Van Paemel, that I would work on other points and take another shot next year for the Olympics. I didn’t take a rest or anything, but I took it a little bit easier so that the body had more time to recover because since 2017 all the marathons and races I did were great, but my body was glad it had a few months to reload actually.

“It wouldn’t be ideal for 2020, but I think that 2020 is already lost for us on the road. So we gambled and we are aiming for a fantastic 2021.”

(09/22/2020) Views: 1,157 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo lead Ugandan team for World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020

World 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei and world 3000m leader Jacob Kiplimo are among the athletes selected to represent Uganda at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 on 17 October.

Cheptegei, the world cross-country champion, broke the world 5000m record at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco last month with 12:35.36 and is targeting a tilt on the 10,000m mark on 7 October before heading to Poland.

Kiplimo, meanwhile, won the 5000m at the World Athletics Continental Tour meeting in Ostrava with a PB of 12:48.63 and then went on to triumph over 3000m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rome in a world-leading 7:26.64, breaking the Ugandan record and becoming the fastest teenager in history for the distance.

Given their exploits on the track in recent months, Cheptegei and Kiplimo will be among the medal favourites when they take to the startline in Gdynia – despite the fact that both men will be making their half marathon debut.

They are joined on the team by 2009 world U20 cross-country bronze medallist Moses Kibet, Stephen Kissa and Abel Chebet.

Juliet Chekwel, who holds the Ugandan records for 10,000m (31:37.99), half marathon (1:09:45) and the marathon (2:23:13), leads the women’s team.

Doreen Chemutai, Doreen Chesang, Rachael Zena Chebet make up the rest of the Ugandan women’s roster.

Ugandan team for Gdynia

Men: Abel Chebet, Joshua Cheptegei, Moses Kibet, Jacob Kiplimo, Stephen Kissa

Women: Juliet Chekwel, Doreen Chemutai, Doreen Chesang, Rachael Zena Chebet

(09/21/2020) Views: 1,341 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

The World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 mass race cancelled

The Local Organizing Committee of the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 has today announced that Covid-19-related health and safety restrictions have forced the cancellation of the mass participation race that was to accompany the elite championships on October 17.

A record number of more than 27,000 amateur runners had registered to compete on the streets of Gdynia. Instead they will be offered the opportunity to join a virtual competition with the goal of participating in the world’s largest individual half marathon.

The #AllYouNeedIsRunning project has already been endorsed by running and athletics greats including Eilish McColgan, Stefano Baldini, Marek Plawgo, Robert Korzeniowski and the President of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe.

Since the beginning of March, when the event was postponed from 29 March to 17 October, intensive discussions and efforts have been made to find a solution that would enable the Local Organizing Committee to hold the event in its original format, featuring both the championships race and the record-breaking mass race.

A comprehensive document outlining modifications to the event setup and extra safety procedures was created and presented to the Polish government and relevant healthcare and sanitary bodies.

Unfortunately, holding a mass race for thousands of runners proved to be impossible in the current circumstances.

World Athletics and the LOC continue to prepare for the elite championships and will make a final decision on their future as soon as possible.

“Surely, that’s not how we imagined the outcome of three years of preparations to this event,” said Michal Drelich, head of the LOC. “I would like to thank the entire team and our partners from World Athletics and the host city of Gdynia for their incredible effort to develop alternative event formats, race courses and new procedures that were supposed to make both the elite run and the mass race happen in the safest possible way, with massively enhanced social distance and minimized touchpoints between athletes, staff and volunteers.

“However, under the current restrictions regarding mass participation events and seeing no perspective for these to be released soon, we are forced to cancel the mass race. We have postponed this decision as long as possible but now it is time to accept the reality. Our efforts are now focused on the virtual mass race and doing whatever it takes to stage the elite competition.”

Registered mass race runners are invited to join the virtual competition with their starting kits – including bib number, official Asics t-shirt, official event backpack and the unique finisher medal – planned to be shipped to them successively in the coming weeks.

The virtual race is also open for new running enthusiasts from all over the world. You only have to create your account on the newly launched platform at www.AllYouNeedIsRunning.com.

Joining the race is free of charge but you can purchase a medal, t-shirt or other merchandise items as an option. Additionally, a loyalty program and three months of complimentary subscription to TIDAL and Runkeeper Premium are offered to registered runners.

Drelich said that despite the difficult and frustrating situation, organizers want to show that #AllYouNeedIsRunning.

“We are runners ourselves,” Drelich said. “We miss spectacular events which not only give us motivation but also allow us to meet friends and deliver all those positive emotions. In the recent months, it was often going out for running session that made us refresh our brains and focus on our goals. We truly hope that 17 October, despite all the adversity, will be a great exhibition of love for running. Wherever you are on that day, let’s run together.

(08/31/2020) Views: 1,081 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia will Launch Virtual Mass Race

World Athletics and the Local Organizing Committee of the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 have launched a new initiative - a virtual mass race on October 17, the same day when the world's elite runners will compete for the championship.

The aim is to encourage runners all around the world to run a half marathon wherever they are on October 17. "It is important to clarify this does not mean that the 'real' mass race we have planned in Gdynia will not take place.

The virtual competition is an addition to our event. We just want to enable the global running community to be with us on October 17 and join the biggest half marathon in history," Michal Drelich, Head of the LOC said in a release.Intense efforts have been made to ensure the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 - including the mass race - can be held in 2020. The final decision will be taken by the end of August.

However, amateur runners who have previously registered for the mass race in Gdynia can already opt to switch to virtual competition, keeping all the benefits from the real mass race, including an Asics t-shirt, an official backpack and a uniquely designed finisher medal.

The idea behind the virtual run is far more universal, involving the global running community. As the event's official motto says: All you need is running.World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has invited runners around the world to participate in this virtual event."As a runner, I've been delighted to see so many more people take up or return to running to maintain their fitness in the challenging circumstances we have all faced due to the pandemic this year," Coe said.

"Having a goal is always good motivation to keep fit and I hope that runners around the globe will join in and take the challenge of running a half marathon wherever they may be on October 17," Coe said. 

(07/24/2020) Views: 1,165 ⚡AMP

Geoffrey Kamworor’s dream of sealing a fourth World Half Marathon crown is still alive despite coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted sports activities globally

Coronavirus pandemic might have delayed Kamworor’s plans of achieving his goal after the championship was postponed from March 29 to October 17 in Gdynia, Poland but the 27-year-old is leaving nothing to chance.

Although the intensity of his training has reduced following government regulations aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus, Kamworor is using all the tricks in the book to keep himself fit in readiness for any eventuality.

“As it looks, this year will have few activities, especially the long distance races,” said Kamworor, who runs for 20 kilometres daily in Eldoret in addition to working out on the treadmill.

“I have been reduced to that and there is nothing someone can do especially when the world is battling to stay safe from coronavirus,” the current World Half Marathon record holder said.

He reckons the current situation has instilled in athletes a strong sense of discipline, forcing them to change their training regimes.

(04/17/2020) Views: 1,317 ⚡AMP
by Ayumba Ayodi

Keira D’Amato has been selected to represent the USA in the World Half Marathon Championship in Oct. 2020 in Poland

It was a surprising accomplishment, as Keira had been training for the past year for the US Olympic Marathon trials in Atlanta for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

“The race was everything I hoped the Olympic dream would be and as terrible as the marathon can feel,” said D’Amato.

The 35-year-old finished 15th out of 511 women with a time of 2:34.34 (which is 5:42 minutes per mile)!

“To think that 4 years ago, watching the Olympic trials I was pregnant with my daughter Quinn and on the couch 50-plus pounds overweight watching them on TV, thinking I would never be there and just fast forward 4 years later, and somehow I was there in the mix of things and finished 15th, I’ve come a long way,” said D’Amato.

This was the first time Atlanta’s Olympic Cauldron torch has been lit since 1996.

“It was a surreal experience to run through where they hosted the '96 Olympics. Through the course, you run by the Olympic rings and you go by the Centennial Olympic Park," said D’Amato. "Watching the Olympics in '96 as a child, I saw the torch the lit, the torch that day, it hasn’t been lit since the '96 Olympics and it was really cool.”

Unfortunately, Keira’s running time and placement wasn’t fast enough, but she still held her head high and proud as she crossed the finish line.

“When I saw the finish line, everything just hit me like a ton of bricks and I saw the finish line and I started pumping my arms and I was flying down the straightaway and I’m sure people watching realized 'she’s not winning, right, she’s 15th, she’s not making the team, someone should probably tell her,'" said D’Amato. "But I was so proud of the work I had done and that I finished and that I can hold my head up high knowing that I left it all on the course that day.”

Several weeks before the big race in Atlanta, Keira competed in the Houston half marathon to prepare herself for what was in store in Atlanta.

She finished the race 8th with the time of 69:59 and little did she know that race in Houston would change her life.

“I got an email and I didn’t really read it correctly, so I thought they were saying would you been interested, and so I wrote back saying 'Heck, yeah I’m interested, let me know how,' and they wrote back saying, 'maybe you didn’t understand, congratulations: you’ve been selected for the USA team,'” said D’Amato. “Running a half marathon for the US definitely hits my goal for just representing the U.S."

Keira is currently training day and night with the team’s coach and hopes to bring home the Gold.

"Nothing has set in yet, still feels like this wild ride that I’m watching from the sideline or the stadium like I can’t believe this is me,” said D’Amato.

(03/10/2020) Views: 1,533 ⚡AMP
by Terrance Dixon

World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 has been postponed

It is with regret that we have agreed with the Mayor of Gdynia and the organisers of the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 (29 March) to postpone this event until October this year, due to the ongoing uncertainty created by the spread of new Coronavirus internationally.

The current international situation would have seriously compromised the event at this time as many countries are now restricting international travel, invoking quarantines and advising citizens and event organisers to avoid mass gatherings.

First and foremost we had to consider the health and well-being of our athletes, officials and spectators in making this decision.

The advice from our medical team, who are in contact with the World Health Organisation, is that the spread of the Coronavirus is at a concerning level in many countries and all major gatherings should be reviewed.

This week we have worked with the Local Organising Committee to identify an appropriate alternative date for both the host city and for the elite competitors and we have agreed on 17 October this year.

Due to the exceptional efforts of our Polish organising committee, and the enthusiasm of the local community, this event was to include a mass race of more than 25,000 participants on 29 March, and we hope that the great majority of these recreational runners will still be able to participate alongside our elite competitors on the new date. 

(03/06/2020) Views: 1,182 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Stephanie Davis and Sarah Inglis are part of a ten-strong Great Britain and Northern Ireland team that will travel to Poland for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships

The event will see Davis, who runs for Clapham Chasers, make her GB debut and her selection is just reward for the impressive run of form she has been on.

Since running her first marathon in September 2018, Davis has propelled herself into Olympic contention having run under the qualifying time when she clocked 2 hours 27 minutes 40 seconds in the Valencia Marathon, propelling herself to ninth on the British all-time list.

The 29-year-old then followed that run up with a half-marathon personal best last weekend in the Big Half in London, clocking 71 minutes 15 seconds to finish third in the British team trials for the World Championships.

Inglis, of Lothian Running Club, will add this GB vest to the couple she won on the track last summer.

The 28-year-old, who is based in Canada, moved to thirteenth on the British all-time list when she clocked 70 minutes 24 seconds at the Houston half-marathon in January.

They are part of the British team led by former European Championship medalist, Chris Thompson, and Lily Partridge.

Ahead of the championship, team leader Chris Jones said: “The full squad of 10 for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia showcases some of Great Britain’s most in-form athletes over the distance, exemplified by the performances at the trials and the form we have seen already this season.

“The team we have selected shows a good range of previous British international experience and features new names to the international scene and I hope this strength will be reflected in the overall outcome.

“The championships will serve as an excellent opportunity for athletes to continue their upward trajectory on the roads and I hope that we can achieve a strong team position overall.”

(03/04/2020) Views: 1,365 ⚡AMP
by Susan Egelstaf

Chris Thompson and Lily Partridge lead the British team for World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020

Thompson was a shade outside his personal best as he took the British title at Sunday’s Vitality Big Half in 1:01:07, finishing second to Kenenisa Bekele having disputed the lead for the first five miles, and the 38-year-old Briton earns his first British vest on the road, 22 years after making his track debut at the World U20 Championships.

Fresh from lowering the British Under-23 record for the half marathon to 1:02:00 in London, Jake Smith will also represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland on the roads for the first time, having made his British track debut at last year’s European Under-23 Championships in Gävle, Sweden.

Having finished as the third and fourth British athletes home at the trial, both Ross Millington and Mohamud Aadan declined selection for the championship.

With the selection policy stating that automatic selection can be offered to the next eligible athlete if declined by auto-qualifiers, 2017 British Marathon gold medalist Josh Griffiths earns his first British vest in almost three years courtesy of his eighth-place showing at the trials.

Doha team member Ben Connor, who has already clocked 1:01:34 for the distance in 2020, will look to improve on his individual 64th place finish at the 2018 edition of the championships in Valencia, while Matt Leach, who has twice run for Britain in the European 10,000m Cup, completes the senior men’s team.

On the women’s side, Partridge earns her first British vest since the 2018 European Championships in Berlin and will look to better her 1:10:31 personal best clocking, set in 2015, when she takes to the start line in Poland. Sarah Inglis, who moved to 13th on the all-time British list with a strong run in Houston in January, also gains selection.

British debuts are handed to Samantha Harrison and Stephanie Davis, who clocked respective personal bests of 1:11:01 and 1:11:15 for second and third-place finishes at the Big Half, with fourth place finisher, Hayley Carruthers, also earning her first British vest.

(03/03/2020) Views: 1,526 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor and Kibiwott Kandie will lead Team Kenya for the 24th edition of the World Half Marathon being held March 29 in Gdynia

Athletics Kenya have named Kamworor, who is going for his fourth consecutive title, in the men’s team of five that includes Kibiwott Kandie, who is fresh from winning the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon last month in the United Arab Emirates.

Before heading to United Arab Emirates where he won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on February 21, Kandie had handed Kenya Defence Forces its first National Cross Country title in 17 years, stunning Kamworor on February 15 at the Ngong race course.

Kamworor, the reigning World Half Marathon record holder, sealed his hat-trick when won the race in Valencia, Spain in 2018, beating Kenyan born Abraham Naibei Cheroben of Bahrain and Eritrean Aron Kifle to second and third places respectively.

Kamworor set his personal best of 58:01 when he set a new World Half Marathon record in Copenhagen on September 15, 2019.

Kandie also set his personal best of 58:58 when winning at RAK on February 21.

(03/02/2020) Views: 1,543 ⚡AMP
by Ayumba Ayodi

Bermuda´s runner, Sean Trott will test himself against world’s best at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland

Sean Trott will compete in a maximum field of 20,000 runners from 61 countries at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, on March 29.

Trott will be Bermuda’s only representative at the event, which is limited to 20,000 participants.

“This is big opportunity; definitely a race that I have heard about for a while,” Trott said.

“It’s one of those races I’d hoped to go to before my career was over. When I was presented with the opportunity, I jumped on it.

“Apparently, they are hosting two races side by side, the actual championship race and a mass participation race where anybody can enter. Each country was able to put forward, I believe, a maximum of three athletes who could represent them in the championship race.

“I’ll try not to be too star-struck when I see some of those runners who I have looked up to over the years standing next to me.”

Bermuda had hoped to have more runners compete at the event. Donna Raynor, the Bermuda National Athletics Association president, said: “We sent out invites to a few athletes who were unavailable to compete, but Sean was available and very excited to represent Bermuda in this event. This is the first time we have sent someone to this event and we are pleased that we can provide Sean with this opportunity.”

Nathan Armstrong had two first-place finishes in the three events in which he competed in the group 1 NJ State Sectionals at Bennett Indoor Athletic Complete last weekend.

Armstrong won the 1,600 meters in a time of 4min 29.02sec and first in the 3,200 meters in 9:52.12. He was also fourth in the 800, clocking a time of 2:04.97.

Meanwhile, Tiara DeRosa won the shot with a throw of 14.61 at the SWAC Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, representing the Mississippi Valley State University.

DeRosa was also sixth in the weight throw, breaking her own Bermuda record of 14.89, which she set 12 months ago, with a throw of 16.56.

(02/26/2020) Views: 1,537 ⚡AMP
by Lawrence Trott

A team of 10 athletes has been selected to represent Uganda for the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia

The selected team was chosen after posting impressive results in the Source of the Nile Half Marathon Competitions held in Jinja this morning. The run attracted 138 athletes from 22 athletics clubs all over the country.

There was stiff competition among the male participants out of which the Abel Chebet finished in the first position followed by Moses Kibet, Robert Chesang, Soyekwo Kibet and Kwamei Vitalis. The women's team comprised of Doreen Chesang from Uganda Wildlife Authority, Doreen Chemutai, Rachel Chebet, and Docus Ajok from Prisons Athletics club and Arua's Viola Chemos.

Abel Chebet, the winner of the Source of the Nile pack hopes that with additional training, the can clinch a medal from Poland.

The publicity secretary of Uganda Athletics Federation Namayo Mawerere says that the annual Source of the Nile Marathon which had become a national platform for talent search was in 2015 discontinued due to lack of sponsors. However, it has resumed this year and successfully selected athletes suitable for international marathons.

Mawerere argues that regional athletics championships are vital as they inspire more youth to join the sport.

Top 5 Men, 1. Chebet Abel/Police - 1:02.33, 2. Kibet Moses/KCCA - 1:03.36, 3. Chemonges Robert/Police - 1:03.42, 4. Soyekwo Kibet/KCCA - 1:04.14, 5. Kwemoi Vitalis/KCCA - 1:04.21.

Top 5 Women, 1. Chesang Doreen/UWA - 1:13.25, 2. Chemutai Doreen/Prisons - 1:13.36, 3. Chebet Rachael Zena/Prisons - 1:14.57, 4. Ajok Dorcus/Prisons - 1:15.29, 5. Chemos Viola Muneria/Arua - 1:18.43.

 

(02/25/2020) Views: 1,508 ⚡AMP

Taku Fujimoto and Kaena Takeyama will lead Japanese team at the World Half Marathon Championships

The JAAF has announced the Japanese team for next month's World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland. Six of the ten men and women are fresh off PBs at the Marugame Half and National Corporate Half earlier this month, with three of the other four having set new bests since December.Set to be elevated from runner-up to winner of December's Fukuoka International Marathon after the bust of Moroccan El Mahjoub Dazza, Taku Fujimoto (Toyota) leads the men's team with an all-time Japanese #2 1:00:06 in Marugame.

Three other men on the team including amateur Takahiro Nakamura (Kyocera Kagoshima) broke 1:01 at the National Corporate Half two weeks ago. The only man on the the team not to have cleared 1:01 yet is 2020 Olympic marathon trials winner Shogo Nakamura (Fujitsu), who ran a PB 1:01:40 at January's Takanezawa Half.National Corporate Half winner Kaena Takeyama (Daihatsu) is the top-ranked woman with a 1:09:12,  followed by Sara Miyake (Tenmaya), 3rd at December's Sanyo Ladies Half in a 1:09:23 debut.

Takeyama's teammate Mizuki Matsuda won January's Osaka International Women's Marathon in 2:21:47 and Miyake's teammate Honami Maeda just set a 30 km national record at Sunday's Ome Road Race, so you know where they're coming from. Rui Aoyama (Univ. Ent.) was just over 1:10 in Sanyo behind Miyake, with Ayumi Hagiwara (Toyota Jidoshokki) the only athlete on either team with a PB over two months old. 

Toshika Tamura (Hitachi) is a surprising addition, having run only 1:11:13 for 11th at the National Corporate Half.

(02/19/2020) Views: 1,568 ⚡AMP
by Brett Larner

Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei is set to make his half-marathon debut at the upcoming world championships

Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda ran a world-record shattering 5K on Sunday in Monaco–a 12:51, the fastest 5K time run on the roads or track in the past year. He did this just a few months after a monster 2019 season, where he became both the cross-country and 10,000m world champion.

Next up for Chepetegi is a half-marathon debut at the upcoming world championships in Gdynia, Poland.

It’s not typical to run a distance debut at a world championship, but when you’re a former 10K and current 5K world record holder, you’re not a typical runner. Cheptegei told World Athletics that he would like to make history at the March 29 race and become the first person to win consecutive world titles in cross-country, the 10,000m and the half-marathon.

The runner also told World Athletics that his usual mileage is between 120 and 140K per week when he’s training for track events, but since he’s stepping up to the half, he’s increased it to roughly 160K. The most important session of the week is a 30 to 35K long run, over rolling hills, at 1,800 meters of elevation.

The world half-marathon championships always draw a strong contingent, but especially this year.  The new world ranking system gives points to runners based on their placing at national and international championships.

The half-marathon championship is an event where a strong finish could nearly guarantee a spot on the Olympic start line. Also, runners who typically float in between track and road events no longer have to chose as the World Indoor Championships, also scheduled for March, were postponed due to coronavirus.

Federations will finish announcing their world championship teams in the coming two weeks, but spectators can expect to see strong fields including South African national record-holder Stephen Mokoka (59:51).

(02/18/2020) Views: 1,643 ⚡AMP
by Madeleine Kelly

Injured Jepkosgei says she will return stronger after her recovery

Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei says she will return stronger after her recovery from a foot injury she sustained prior to the World Half Marathon in Valencia, Spain. Speaking to Xinhua from Eldoret on Thursday, Jepkosgei, who despite her injury concerns, held on to win silver at the World Half Marathon last week, believes that once she is back in form she will challenge the world record in the 10km and the half marathon. "Success comes and goes, and to me, everything remains about my faith, training and recovery. What I have planned for 2018 is to challenge some course and world records in selected races that my management will pick. For the full marathon, I will have to bide my time and wait for 2019," she said. (03/29/2018) Views: 1,781 ⚡AMP

Geoffrey ripped apart the field with his impressive 13:01 wind aided 5k at the 15k mark

Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor romped away over the final six kilometres to secure his third successive world title over the distance at the World Half Marathon today in Valencia, Spain. A sluggish early pace as the wind started to pick up contributed to Kamworor not breaking the hour and having to be content with a finishing time of 1:00:02 but what will be remembered is the way that the Kenyan threw in a 13:01 split between 15 and 20km to rip apart a very classy field. The first 5km were passed in a relatively leisurely 14:31 with Japan’s Kenta Murayama and Spain’s Ayad Lamdassem being the most prominent faces at the front of a huge pack of almost 70 runners...Down the finishing straight, Geoffrey beaming smile stretched broadly across his face and he started blowing kisses to the crowd. The one-hour mark just eluded Kamworor but no one was going to begrudge him his chance to celebrate what had been a tactically perfect race. Cheroben took the silver medal in 1:00:22, Bahrain’s first individual medal in the history of the championships, as Kifel passed Yimer with 500 metres to go to take the bronze in a personal best of 1:00:31...Canada's Cameron Levins scores a PB with 1:02:15, one second ahead of ageless 42yr old wonder Bernard Lagat! (03/24/2018) Views: 1,923 ⚡AMP

World Record for Women-Only Half Marathon was Smashed today

The women-only half marathon world record was improved to 1:06:11 at the IAAF/Trinidad Alfonso World Half Marathon Championships Valencia 2018 but not by race favorite Joyciline Jepkosgei, who owns the mixed-race standard of 1:04:51, but by slightly surprising Ethiopia’s Netsanet Gudeta. Gudeta – with the name Kebede on her bib in reference to her extended family name but who appears in vast majority of race results and is better known by solely her father’s name – made a decisive move at the 14th kilometer mark. There she shake off both Jepkosgei and her little-known Kenyan compatriot Pauline Kamulu and was never challenged again. She reduced Lornah Kiplagat’s world and championship record, which had stood since the 2007 edition, by 14 seconds – as well as slicing 1:15 off her own personal best set in Delhi last November. (03/24/2018) Views: 1,803 ⚡AMP

Geoffrey Kamworor wins third straight World Half title

The weather at the IAAF 2018 World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia, Spain today was challenging. It was 63 degrees at the start with winds as strong as 26mph. But that did not stop Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor for winning his third straight title in 60:02. With the wind in their faces a group of about 30 passed the 10k mark 29:28. But things started changing and the wind helped pushed Geoffrey to an amazing 27:16 split from 10k to 20k. In fact according to Paula Radcliffe who was following the race for the IAAF, “he just ran 13:01 5k split! Could that be right?l”. It appears it was right. 24 men ran under 62 minutes and considering a slow start, this is outstanding...Netsanet Gudeta Kebede from Ethiopia set a new women only WR earlier (they started 25 minutes before the men) posting 1:06:11. (03/24/2018) Views: 2,148 ⚡AMP

This could be the Best IAAF World Half Marathon Championships Ever!

Nearly 300 elite runners have descended upon the central Mediterranean coast of Spain for the IAAF/Trinidad Alfonso World Half Marathon Championships Valencia 2018, which get underway at 17:05 CET on Saturday 24 March (9:05AM PST in California for the women and 9:30AM PST from the men). A record 288 Runners--160 men and 122 women-- from 82 countries have entered. There will also be thousands of “regular” runners participating as well. There are many athletes in the field who can run at world record pace. Photo is of the finish area. (03/23/2018) Views: 1,969 ⚡AMP

Jordan Hasay Has Dropped Out of IAAF World Half Marathon Championships

America's Jordan Hasay has pulled out of the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships this weekend. David Monti (Race Results Weekly) posted on Twitter this morning, "She pulled out this week due to a tight plantar," said Pace Sports Management. "More precautionary with Boston Marathon not far away." Additionally it looks like Kenya's Fancy Chemutia will not be running. When running at these kind of paces, it makes no sense to run just to finish. And in Jordan's case, this will give her a little time to be in top form for Boston. (03/22/2018) Views: 2,069 ⚡AMP
by

Jemal Yimer ran 59 Flat in his first Half, Next Up is the World Half this weekend

It usually takes young Ethiopian runners time to warmup and agree to interviews, especially when their most recent performance makes them a favorite for an upcoming major championships. Jemal Yimer is one of the key athletes to watch in the fight for the men’s title at the IAAF/Trinidad Alfonso World Half Marathon Championships Valencia 2018 following his scorching 59:00 debut for the distance at the RAK Half in the UAE last month. The 21-year-old finished second there in the fastest debut half marathon performance ever. “Jemal does not like to talk much about his performances, nor show off or boast about his achievements,” his agent Malcolm Anderson says. “He is grounded, patient, and listens to the various people who support his athletics.” (03/22/2018) Views: 1,958 ⚡AMP

Kamworor going for his third straight World Half Marathon title

The 2018 World Half Marathon Championships offers a chance to see Geoffrey Kamworor go for his third straight title, a Kenyan contingent that features five men who have run faster than one hour, and an American team with a legitimate shot at a historic podium finish. In short, Saturday's race has a little bit of everything. The course in Valencia, Spain, is fast—and the weather is supposed to be conducive to fast times, adding an extra element of interest to one of the calendar's only global championships. (03/21/2018) Views: 1,717 ⚡AMP

Kenya's Fancy Chemutai wants the World Half Marathon Championships Title

Kenya's Fancy Chemutai says she wants to take the IAAF World Half Marathon title in Valencia after her effortless victory at the RAK Half Marathon in the UAE. The 23-year-old on Monday said that since her victory in the United Arab Emirates last month, the world's focus has oscillated between her and compatriot and world record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei, reports Xinhua news agency. "I have been thrust to the centre of the battle and other athletes will be looking out to stop me or Jepkosgei. But I have to put my focus on running my own race," she said. Chemutai also confirmed that the ankle injury scare she suffered on her way to victory in UAE has healed and she is ready for the World Half Marathon Championships, which will be held in Valencia, Spain on Saturday (March 24). (03/20/2018) Views: 1,972 ⚡AMP

Latest News From Kenya on Team Racing at World Half Marathon Championships

With the Africa cross country title safely tucked in the bag, Kenya look towards the IAAF World Half Marathon in Velencia on Saturday, with two-time World Half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor and World half marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei leading the assault. Last week, Bedan Karoki announced his withdrawal from the team due to a hamstring injury and was replaced by Alex Oloitiptip. Other members in the men’s team include 2017 Family Bank Half Marathon winner Jorum Okombo, who has a PR of 58:48 in the distance and World Cross Country silver medallist Leonard Barsaton. Barselius Kipyego, winner of the 2017 Ustinad Labem Half Marathon, is also in the mix. Fancy Chemutai, who finished second behind Jepkosgei in Valencia, Istanbul Half Marathon champion Ruth Chepng’etich and Pauline Kaveke make the women’s team. (03/19/2018) Views: 1,701 ⚡AMP

Kenyan Geofrey Kamworor will be the man to beat at World Half Championships

Kenyan star Geoffrey Kamworor will be running the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia March 24. The long-legged Kenyan has, arguably, proved the most versatile distance runner of his generation. Besides his twin success at the biennial World Half Marathon Championships he has also scooped back-to-back World Cross Country titles, claimed 2015 world silver on the track over 10,000m and proved a formidable competitor over 42.2km as evidenced by his victory in November’s New York City Marathon... “I have run 58 minutes for the half-marathon, I always believe in myself. I am focused and want to win,” he says. Boasting an impressive half-marathon record of eight wins and three second places from 12 international races over the distance, Geofrey will be the man to beat in Valencia later this month. (03/13/2018) Views: 1,735 ⚡AMP

Ireland's team is set to run the World Half Marathon Championships

Paul Pollock and Kevin Seaward are among five Northern Ireland athletes named for the Ireland team for this month's World Half Marathon Championships. They will be joined by Stephen Scullion in the men's race in Valencia with Fionnuala Ross and Laura Graham both in the women's event. "This is perfect timing with regards to the Commonwealth Games," said Pollock. The Holywood man finished a superb 14th at the World Half in Cardiff in 2016. "When I looked ahead before last Christmas, the World Half was definitely a goal," added the 31-year-old medical doctor. "I know some of Northern Ireland's athletes will go out to Australia the week before then but I was really pleased Athletics NI recognised that it would be really beneficial for Kevin and me to go to Valencia." (03/08/2018) Views: 1,903 ⚡AMP

Sea Coe says the IAAF takes the fight against doping very seriously

"Give athletics some kudo, my sport is not in tatters," IAAF President, Seb Coe response to the DCMS committee report on combating doping. "I sat in front of the select committee for well over three hours when I was asked to appear, going through the processes by which we, the IAAF, follow such procedures. We’ve made a set of wide-sweeping reforms to revamp the governance of the sport, made 200 changes to its constitution and set up the aforementioned integrity unit. Plus, there is the ongoing suspension of the Russian Member Federation. So, frankly I didn’t see athletics in tatters at the World Championships in London last summer nor did I at the World Indoors in Birmingham the past week." The IAAF World Half Marathon Championships takes place March 24 and they are enforcing the anti-doping program. This year’s event will be the 23rd edition of the championships and the second time it has been held in Spain. (03/06/2018) Views: 1,950 ⚡AMP

Singapore Fastest Half Marathoner, Soh Rui Yong, getting ready for the World Championships

Soh Rui Yong is no stranger in Singapore's running scene. Soh holds the Singapore National 10,000m record with 31:15 set in 2014. He ran his first marathon in 2014 at the California International Marathon finishing in 2:26:01. 14. His childhood dream was to win a SEA Games gold medal, stand on the podium and hear Majulah Singapura played. He has achieved this dream twice...Soh ran 1:08:37 half marathon in strong winds and snowy conditions in 2018 Marugame Half Marathon. This record earned him a spot at the upcoming World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia on March 24 2018. What does he like better he was asked, "Road race has the bigger community, more racing opportunities, more money, more fun. Track racing needs to learn from road racing to market and run their events better. Especially in Singapore." (03/01/2018) Views: 1,679 ⚡AMP

Something you might not know about Marathon WR Holder Paula Radciffe

DID YOU KNOW? Paula Radcliffe may be defined by her incredible accomplishments in the marathon but there is little doubting the significance the half marathon played, and more specifically the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, in her success over the iconic marathon distance. A little over six weeks after the bitter disappointment of finishing fourth in the 10,000m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the British distance runner opted to enter her first IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in the Mexican port city of Veracruz. Just two weeks earlier, Radcliffe had impressed on her half marathon debut running a European record of 1:07:07 at the Great North Run. Yet it was to be her display in blazing temperatures in Veracruz, where she secured her first global title. “I enjoyed the race so much and was very proud to win a global title,” says Radcliffe of her victory 18 years ago. “It reinforced in my mind the decision we had made to move towards the roads." (02/19/2018) Views: 1,822 ⚡AMP