Obiri, Genzebe Dibaba clash in Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon
World Cross Country champion Hellen Obiri celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) senior women cross country title at the Moi Air Base on January 29, 2021.
What you need to know:
- The race, which starts at 6am local time, will also be featuring Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh Birhane, who is also the defending champion after winning during the 2020 edition.
World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri is in the star-studded field for the 15th edition of Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon set to be held on Saturday in the United Arab Emirates.
The race, which starts at 6am local time, will also be featuring Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh Birhane, who is also the defending champion after winning during the 2020 edition.
Birhane won the race in a new world record time of 1:04:31 which was later broken by Kenya’s Ruth Jepng’etich who timed 1:04:02. Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw then lowered the mark after clocking 1:03:44 before her compatriot, Letesenbet Gidey ran a new world record time of 1:02:52.
Kenya's Kibiwott Kandie the 2020 race in 58:58 ahead of his compatriot Alexander Mutiso, who timed 59:16, while Ethiopia’s Mule Wasihun was third in 59:47.
Brigid Kosgei was second in the women's race in 1:04:49 while Rosemary Wanjiru settled for third place in 1:05:34.
Obiri told Nation Sport that her preparations went on well.
“I’m glad I will be competing on Saturday. I will be looking forward to put into practice what I have been preparing for. The field is rich and I will do my best,” said Obiri, who has a personal best of 64:51.
“I feel good when I see someone like Genzebe Dibaba who has joined me in the race and I have no pressure at all because I have competed with her in track and someone like Ababel will also make the race more challenging and interesting,” added Obiri, who is under the Ricky Simms management.
Obiri announced she will be quitting the track for the road races after settling for silver in the 5,000m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games last year.
Obiri won the Great North Run Half Marathon before emerging third during the Istanbul Half Marathon.
She started her season with a win during the Northern Ireland International Cross Country, Dundoland in Great Britain where she clocked 26:44 in the 8km race.
Other athletes who will be lining up for the prestigious race include Kapsait-based Judith Korir, Pauline Esikon, Daisy Cherotich, Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba among others.
The men’s category will be graced by more than 15 athletes who include Uganda’s world half marathon record holder, Jacob Kiplimo, Abel Kipchumba, Daniel Mateiko, Alexander Mutiso, Rodgers Kwemoi, Nicholas Kimeli, Titus Mbishei, Richard Kimunyan and Ethiopians Amdework Tadese and Seifu Tura.
