Kenyans eye success in Copenhagen Half Marathon
Kenya's Joan Melly crosses the finish line to win with 01:08:45 the women's Half Marathon in Berlin on April 2, 2017. PHOTO | GREGOR FISCHER |
What you need to know:
- Kenya’s Jorum Okombo and Alex Korio, who finished second and third respectively in Copenhagen last year, will also be back as they eye the top prize.
- Also in the start list is two-time Lagos Marathon champion Abraham Kiptum (59:36), former London Marathon champion Daniel Wanjiru (59:20) among other Kenyan athletes.
- There will be stiff competition from Prague Marathon champion Galen Rupp from USA, who has his personal best of 59:47.
As Kenyan athletes will be battling out in Berlin Marathon on Sunday, other world beaters will be lining up for the Copenhagen Half Marathon in Denmark on the same day.
The road race, which is a IAAF Gold Label race, has attracted the finest half marathon distance runners in the world as they look forward to running their personal bests.
Iten-based Joan Chelimo, who is the fourth-fastest half marathon runner and was second in last year's edition, will be eyeing the top prize after vigorous training for the last two months.
Chelimo, who is fresh from winning the Kisii Half Marathon, told Nation Sport that she will be expecting a competitive race.
“My training has been good and my participation in Kisii Half Marathon was just to taste waters and I was able to do some fine tuning before the race,” said Chelimo.
The athlete admitted that her competitors are good and she will be giving her best in Sunday's race.
“The line up has very good athletes including the World Half Marathon champion Netsanet Guneta, but I believe in my training and my goal is to be on the podium,” said the athlete, who is coached by Erick Kogo.
Chelimo will be competing against compatriots Edith Chelimo (65:52), Ruth Chepngetich (66:19), former World Half Marathon bronze medallist Mary Wacera Ngugi (66:29), Ethiopia's Meskerem Assefa (67:42), Ababel Yeshaneh Brihane (66:22 among others.
Sifan Hassan from Netherlands will be debuting and it will be a situation of wait and see after a brilliant performance in track.
In the men’s category, Abraham Cheroben, who represents Bahrain is in the line up, seeking to defend his title.
Kenya’s Jorum Okombo and Alex Korio, who finished second and third respectively in Copenhagen last year, will also be back as they eye the top prize.
Also in the start list is two-time Lagos Marathon champion Abraham Kiptum (59:36), former London Marathon champion Daniel Wanjiru (59:20) among other Kenyan athletes.
There will be stiff competition from Prague Marathon champion Galen Rupp from USA, who has his personal best of 59:47.
