Champion Karoki headlines RAK battle
World Half Marathon silver medallist Bedan Karoki on his way to victory during the Discovery Kenya Cross County 10km senior men’s race at Eldoret Sports Club on January 29, 2017. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |
What you need to know:
- Kenya’s Bedan Karoki will use his title defence during the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on February 9 in Dubai as preparations for the World Half Marathon due March 24 in Valencia, Spain.
- Karoki, who won last year’s race in a personal best 59 minutes and 10 seconds, will battle fellow team-mate for the World Half, Jorum Lumbasi Okombo, whose personal best of 58:48 from victory in Copenhagen last year, makes him the fastest in the field,.
Kenya’s Bedan Karoki will use his title defence during the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on February 9 in Dubai as preparations for the World Half Marathon due March 24 in Valencia, Spain.
Karoki, who won last year’s race in a personal best 59 minutes and 10 seconds, will battle fellow team-mate for the World Half, Jorum Lumbasi Okombo, whose personal best of 58:48 from victory in Copenhagen last year, makes him the fastest in the field,.
Karoki, who won silver in the 2016 World Half Marathon in Cardiff and Okombo will team up with defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor, Leonard Barsaton and Barselius Kipyego in Valencia.
The versatile Augustine Choge, who clocked 59:26 to finish third last year in what was only his third half marathon, continues to seek experience before venturing to the full marathon.
Solomon Yego, who ran 58:44 on the downhill Rome-Ostia course in 2016, finished fourth in Ras al-Khaimah last year in 59:50, his fastest time on a record-eligible course. He too will return to the RAK race.
Others in the field include Ethiopia’s Guye Adola, who last year clocked the fastest debut marathon in history, with 2:03:46.
“I am ready for the race and I hope all goes well. It’s a strong field but I am used to it,” said Karoki, who is back in the country from his base in Japan.
Karoki will compete for the first time locally this year, when he defends his Discovery Cross Country title on Sunday in Eldoret.
Others to watch include, 2014 RAK Half Marathon winner and two-time Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa, the Ethiopian having won his past four half marathons.
The 21-year-old Ethiopian Jemal Yimer, who finished fifth in the 10,000m at the IAAF World Championships last year, will be making his half-marathon debut.
ELITE MEN'S FIELD
Jorum Lumbasi Okombo (KEN) 58:48
Guye Adola (ETH) 59:06
James Wangari (KEN) 59:07
Bedan Karoki (KEN) 59:10
Fikadu Haftu (ETH) 59:22
Josphat Tanui (KEN) 59:22
Albert Kangogo (KEN) 59:25
Augustine Choge (KEN) 59:26
Edwin Kiptoo (KEN) 59:26
Vincent Rono (KEN) 59:27
Leonard Barsoton (KEN) 59:28
Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 59:30
Alex Kibet (KEN) 59:32
Geoffrey Yegon (KEN) 59:44
Solomon Yego (KEN) 59:50
Shadrack Kimining (KEN) 1:00:07
Ali Kaya (TUR) 1:00:16
Timothy Toroitich (UGA) 1:03:14
Jemal Yimer (ETH) debut
