Kipruto is the world record holder in the 10km road race after smashing Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei’s record.
The 2018 World Under-20 10,000m champion Rhonex Kipruto and World 10,000m bronze medallist Margaret Chelimo have been confirmed for the Lisbon Half Marathon slated for March 12.
Kipruto will be lining up with a personal best time of 57:49 over the 21km distance. He is also the world record holder in the 10km road race by virtue of smashing Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei’s record.
He will enjoy the company of 2016 World Under-20 10,000m Rodgers Kwemoi who also been confirmed for the race. Kwemoi, who is the 2018 Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medallist, will be lining up with a life time best of 58:30.
Another athlete confirmed for the men’s race is Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet. Gebrhiwet has a PB time of 58:55, a time he clocked while winning the Granollers Half Marathon on February 5. This will be his second half marathon race of the season.
In the women’s category, Chelimo is the only Kenyan confirmed so far. She has a personal best time of 1:05:26. This will be her first half-marathon race of the season after two successful cross-country races in January that saw her finish among the top five.
Ethiopian duo of Almaz Ayana and Girmawit Gebrzihair will also be in the race. Ayana, who made her marathon debut last year at the Amsterdarm Marathon has a personal best time of 1:07:10. She is a two-time world champion.
On her part, Gebrzihair has a personal best time of 1:04:14, a time she clocked to win the 2022 Ras Al Khaimah Half marathon in her debut over the distance.
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