Patrick Komon focus now on Prague Half Marathon

From left: Leonard Langat, Nicholas Kosimbei, Vincent Rono, Leonard Komon, Richard Kamworor and Leonard Barsoton celebrate after the senior men’s 10km race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships at Kololo grounds in Kampala, Uganda on March 26, 2017. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • The streets of Prague will be graced by the greatest collection of elite athletes ever to run a half-marathon in the Czech Republic for the 19th edition of the 21-kilometre race.
  • The women’s field particularly compelling, led by the reigning IAAF World Half-Marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir, who is also the newly minted world record holder (1:05:06).

After captaining Kenya to overall victory at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Patrick Komon now shifts his focus to the road for Saturday’s Prague Half Marathon.

The streets of Prague will be graced by the greatest collection of elite athletes ever to run a half-marathon in the Czech Republic for the 19th edition of the 21-kilometre race with the women’s field particularly compelling, led by the reigning IAAF World Half-Marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir, who is also the newly minted world record holder (1:05:06). She will be challenged by compatriot Violah Jepchumba, who won the race last year.

Another Kenyan, Joyciline Jepkosgei, who recently set a personal best of 1:06:08 at the RAK Half-Marathon last month, should also challenge for the title.

The men's field is strong enough for chasing sub one hour. Four Kenyans - Barselius Kipyego, Komon, Geoffrey Yegon and Vincent Yator - have all run sub-60:00 during their careers. 

Komon, the world record holder for both 10km and 15km on the roads, is the fastest with a 59:15 career best. Kipyego has run 59:15, Yegon 59:44, and Yator 59:55.

The men’s field also has two Olympic medallists, Galen Rupp of the United States and Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia.  Rupp - who earned the silver medal in the 10,000m in London in 2012, and the bronze medal in the marathon in Rio in 2016 - will be using this race as a tune up for his Boston Marathon debut in April. 2014 European Marathon champion Daniele Meucci of Italy (1:01:06) is the top European entrant.