40 world-class elite athletes to battle for honors at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

More than 40 world-class elite athletes will throng the streets of Ras Al Khaimah at the 17th edition of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon slated for tomorrow at the Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.

The deep elite field is one of the strongest ever assembled in the history of the event with Olympic, World and European Champions, Marathon Major Winners and former World Record holders all vying for a share of 326,000 total prize and bonus money.

The half marathon has attracted the likes of World Half Marathon and Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, 2022 World Marathon Champion and 2023 New York City Marathon Champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia, and Germany’s European 5,000m Champion Konstanze ‘Koko’ Klosterhalfen.

Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “The Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon taking place this weekend is set to be the most exciting yet in its 17-year history, with incredible elite athletes participating.

“The sporting event continues to attract the biggest names while keeping its community spirit and attracting more participants each year from the UAE and all around the world. From Olympic champions to enthusiastic children running alongside their parents, this event provides the right opportunity to showcase Ras Al Khaimah as an outstanding sporting destination while also being a leader in outdoor and adventure focused tourism.”

New-look course

All the elite runners have arrived on Al Marjan Island eager to get to grips with the new-look course. And with the Paris Olympics just five months away, the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon is ideal preparation for the elites who will represent their countries in the summer. For Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir, it is also a chance to reacquaint herself with a place where she broke the women’s half marathon world record in 2017.

It is little wonder that the elite women are so keen to run in Ras Al Khaimah — no other half marathon in the world has seen the women’s world record or world best broken more often than in Ras Al Khaimah. It has happened three times (2011, 2017 and 2020) since world half marathon records were first listed in 1984.