RAK HALF SERVES UP A FEAST, AS PERES JEPCHIRCHIR BREAKS WORLD RECORD
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10
02
2017

2017 RAK Half Marathon Ras Al Khaimah, UAE February 10, 2017 Photo: Victah Sailer@PhotoRun Victah1111@aol.com 631-291-3409 www.photorun.NET

RAK HALF SERVES UP A FEAST, AS PERES JEPCHIRCHIR BREAKS WORLD RECORD

By GRR 0

 The world record for the women's half marathon was broken this morning at the 11th edition of the RAK Half, as Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, last year's IAAF World Champion for the distance, breasted the finish tape in 65:06, taking 3 seconds off the time of compatriot Florence Kiplagat, set in Barcelona just under two years ago.

On the way to this unexpected mark – she suffered from pneumonia for two months at the end of 2016 – the 23 year old who had placed 4th here twelve months ago, broke the world record for 20km in a mixed race, with 61:40, itself lopping a cool 14 seconds off Kiplagat's previous time, also set in Barcelona.

Behind her, three-time RAK champion Mary Keitany smashed her own best, and very nearly the old world record, with a 65:13 clocking, while Joyciline Jepkosgei ensured a Kenyan clean sweep, crossing the newly positioned finish line in 66:08, a personal best by almost three minutes.

In the men's contest, IAAF World Half Marathon Championship silver medallist Bedan Karoki, so often the bridesmaid on road, track and country – he was second at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2015 – surged to victory over the last three kilometres, in a time of 59:10. Karoki richly deserved the win and the four second personal best, having contributed enormously to the fast tempo being maintained in the second half of the race, once the pacemakers had stepped aside.

In second, last year's fastest 10,000m runner Yigrem Demelash of Ethiopia, clocked 59:19, a lifetime best by 29 seconds, while the remarkable Augustine Choge, in only his third ever half marathon outing, also broached new ground with 59:26.

Tim Hutchings for the Organisers

RAK Half Marathon

 

RAK half marathon stats: By K. Ken Nakamura

Top 10 performance average for RAK half Marathon is 1:05:56. 
Only five half marathosn (besides RAK of course) has faster course record.
Top 5 performance average for Mary Keitany is 1:05:52, 30 seconds 
faster than Florence Kiplagat's average 
Keitany's 1:05:13 is the fastest second place time in history, while
Jepkosgei's 1:06:08 is the fastest third place time in history. 
1:05:06 by Peres Jepchirchir is the world half marathon record, replacing 
1:05:09 by Florence Kiplagat from Barcelona recorded in February of 2015
Second place Mary Keitany improved her personal best from 1:05:39 to 1:05:13, 
fourth fastest time in history, and she became third fastest performer in history
Jepkosgei became 10th fastest half marathon runner in history. 
Bedan Karoki's time, 59:10, is seventh fastest time in RAK Half Marathon 
Bedan Karoki is 27th fastest half marathon runner in history.

 

Men

   

Women

   

Bedan Karoki

(KEN)

59:10

Peres Jepchirchir

(KEN)

65:06

Yigrem Demelash

(ETH)

59:19

Mary Keitany

(KEN)

65:13

Augustine Choge

(KEN)

59:26

Joyciline Jepkosgei

(KEN)

66:08

Solomon Yego

(KEN)

59:50

Jemima Sumgong

(KEN)

66:43

Nguse Amlosom

(ERI)

60:04

Tirunesh Dibaba

(ETH)

66:50

Video News Release RAK Half Marathon 2017- free to air

Soundbite1: Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya
Soundbite2: Bedan Karoki of Kenya
Soundbite3: Nathan Clayton, Race Director, RAK Half Marathon

Download Video File

 

 

author: GRR