Connect with us

Athletics

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

Paula Radcliffe, Race Director Peter Connerton, Alka Winter, VP Destination Marketing & Communications, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, with elite runners Koko Klosterhalfen, Peres Jepchirchir, and Tamirat Tola at the pre-event press briefing. Image Credit: Race Organisers
Paula Radcliffe, Race Director Peter Connerton, Alka Winter, VP Destination Marketing & Communications, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, with elite runners Koko Klosterhalfen, Peres Jepchirchir, and Tamirat Tola at the pre-event press briefing. Image Credit: Race Organisers

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.

Author

  • John Vaselyne is the founder of Athletics News. Africa’s only Independent Athletics News website. He has covered World U18 and U20 Championships, World Cross Country Championships, Four Continental Tour Gold Series, Wanda Diamond League. He has passion for the Sport and has over seven years experience in this area of sport. He is also the Leading Athletics Pundit in the Country, having been hosted in ALL leading TV stations in Kenya

    View all posts
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Must See

Cover for Athletics News
18,449
Athletics News

Athletics News

We provide an in depth view of local athletics matters, on and off the track and Road, Locally, Regi

More in Athletics