Eliud Kipchoge, Peris Jepchirchir set for Delhi Half Marathon

Kenya’s World Half Marathon champion Peris Jepchirchir has joined Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge in pursuit of the Delhi Half Marathon glory on November 20, this year in India.

Jepchirchir, who is fresh from winning the Family Half Marathon in Eldoret, is among the rich field that will be on display especially from Kenya in the women’s race.

Jepchirchir, who ran a  personal best of 1:06:39 minutes despite finishing third at the 2016 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February this year before winning the World Half Marathon title a month later in Cardiff, is up against World Half Marathon bronze medallist and compatriot Mary Wacera (1:06:29).

Jepchirchir, the third fastest woman in the field, will also look to extend her winning streak to four consecutive half marathons after her recent victory in Valencia that followed her Family Bank triumph in October.

Also in contention in the women’s race is World marathon silver medalllst Helah Kiprop (1:07:39) from Kenya, who is seeking redemption after a poor show at the Rio Olympic Games where she didn’t finish, and Gladys Chesir (1:06:57).

The Kenyans will not only be chasing the course record of 1:06.54 set by their compatriot Mary Keitany in 2009, but also uphold their dominance in the race they have won in the last three editions.

Jepchirchir and Wacera are not the fastest women on the start line in Delhi. Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa is the fastest, having clocked 1:06:14 and 1:06:29 respectively in races earlier this year.

Defending champion Cynthia Limo and the 2013 and 2014 champion Florence Kiplagat, who is the World Half Marathon record holder, will not be taking part.

Kipchoge, who has personal best of 59:25 from 2012 in Lille, France, is the fastest in the men’s field, where he hopes to combine well with the only other Kenyan in the elite field, Augustine Choge.

It will be Kipchoge’s first high profiled race since winning the Rio Olympic marathon gold in August.

Choge, the 2016 World Indoor 3,000m bronze medallist will be competing in his second race over the distance after a victorious debut with a personal best of 1:03:25 at  Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon in September.

“The training has been good and I am well prepared after the Philadelphia experience,” said Choge, the 2006 Commonwealth games 5,000m champion.