In the men’s field, The three-time Valencia Half Marathon champion and former world record holder Kandie headlines the field with a 57:32 personal best (PB)
Kibiwott Kandie and Ruth Chepng'etich lead strong fields to this year’s Barcelona Half Marathon set for 11 February with expectations for new course records high.
The men’s course record currently stands at 58:53 while the women’s mark is 1:04:37.
The former world marathon champion and two-time Chicago Marathon winner Chepngetich goes to battle for the top prize against a field led by former New York City Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei.
The duo will be joined by the Ethiopian Senbere Teferi and compatriot, Gladys Chepkurui among others. Jepkosgei prepared for Sunday’s race with a second-place finish at the Sirikwa Classic cross-country event held last weekend.
Chepng’etich carries a 1:04:02 personal best set at the 2021 Istanbul Half Marathon. It is the third-fastest performance in history. Only Ethiopians Letesenbet Gidey (1:02:42) and Yalemzerf Yehualaw (1:03:51) have run faster, which they did by going 1-2 at the 2021 Valencia Half Marathon.
In the men’s field, The three-time Valencia Half Marathon champion and former world record holder Kandie headlines the field with a 57:32 personal best (PB) that puts him in a good position to break the course record should he be in the same form he was in when running his PB at the Valencia half in 202.
His PB was, then, a half marathon world record, a time that obliterated the previous record set by Geoffrey Kamworor by almost half a minute.
He will be joined by Bahrain Half Marathon champion Philemon Kiplimo, Mathew Kimeli and Hillary Kipkoech.