FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RAK is Ready To Rumble
The arrival of the annual RAK Half Marathon each February means it's
game-face time for many of the world's top road racers, most with an eye on
a spring marathon. Race day this year, for what is inarguably the world's
fastest half marathon, is Friday 14th February and there is every reason to
believe the racing in RAK as well as the times, will once more be supreme.
The three fastest times in history for a women's half marathon on a
record-legal course, have been set in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) topped by Mary
Keitany's seemingly impregnable 65:50 world record from the 2011 event. And
aside from the two dozen sub-one hour clockings by the men in this corner
of the UAE, only inadequate drug-testing facilities on the day of the very
first event back in 2007 were in the way of Sammy Wanjiru's 58:53 being
officially recognised as a then world record.
But on the issue of drug testing and in every other respect, Race Director
Nathan Clayton's organisation each year since, has been right up to speed
and in the six editions since Wanjiru's astonishing run, the results have
been nothing short of breath-taking, with 19 individual men breaking 60
minutes on a total of 24 occasions. Last year, the first five tore round
the capital of this Emirate, the name of which means "The top of the tent",
in under the hour, itself a record in any one race, and there is good
reason to believe that this year's field might blow the roof right off the
tent, so to speak.
The men's field includes no less than 11 who have broken 60 minutes, two of
them - Bernard Koech and Stanley Biwott of Kenya, having gone comfortably
under 59 minutes. But this tells only half the story, for the quality of
the men's race is unsurpassed, boasting a refined mix of half marathon
specialists and full-blown marathon runners, making winner prediction
harder than ever before.
Much attention will be focused on the form of Kenya's reigning Chicago
Marathon Champion Dennis Kimetto, arguably the road racer of the year for
2013. Aged either 29 or 30- his age being a disputed issue - the 2012 RAK
champion won both the Tokyo and Chicago marathons last year, his 2:03.45
win in the latter achieved with consummate ease and was not far outside the
world record.
Facing Kimetto, is a range of compatriot and Ethiopian rivals sufficient to
constitute a smorgasbord for those who know their road racing. Amongst them
are Stanley Biwott, close runner-up in RAK last year with 58:56 and a man
who has won four of his last five half marathons, and Micah Kogo, the
former world record holder at road 10k. Perhaps the most intriguing name in
the line-up is Ibrahim Jeilan of Ethiopia, track World Champion at 10,000m
in 2011 ahead of Mo Farah and just one of those targeting a marathon in
London, in his case a debut.
The women's field is at least as strong, with last year's second and third
placers in RAK, the Jeptoo pairing of Priscah (66:11) and Rita (66:27)
respectively, topping the bill. London champion in 2013 and latterly noted
for her fabulous demolishing of both Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba in
the downhill Great North Run with a 65:45 clocking, it would be surprising
if Priscah did not have at least one eye on a world record attempt, even
with the defence of her London title her primary aim.
Outside of other Kenyans, their greatest rival might be 2010 runner-up Mare
Dibaba, if she's fully recovered from her early January marathon win in
Xiamen that currently tops the world rankings (2:21:36). What she is
clearly recovered from, is the stomach ailment that side-lined her for the
entirety of 2013, and like Jeptoo, Dibaba has much focus on a spring
marathon, in her case Boston. One debutante to watch is 2009 World 10,000m
Champion Linet Masai, whose longest ever race is 10 miles - though that
resulted in a world record (50:39) back in 2009.
With both reigning Boston champions in the line-ups (Lelisa Desisa and Rita
Jeptoo), as well as current London and Chicago winners present, there will
be more than one or two significant Race Directors watching the results in
RAK with keen interest. As the big names are out in force and weather
conditions have been perfect for six years out of seven, slow racing is not
an option, and results are likely that once again will raise "the top of
the tent" on February 14th.
RAK HALF MARATHON 2014 - ELITE FIELDS
Men
Bernard Koech (KEN) 58:41/59:10
Stanley Biwott (KEN) 58:56
Micah Kogo (KEN) 59:07/60:17
Bernard Kipyego (KEN) 59:10
Dennis Kimetto (KEN) 59:14
Wilson Kiprop (KEN) 59:15
Feyisa Lelisa (ETH) 59:22
Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 59:30
Jacob Kendagor (KEN) 59:36
Ayele Abshero (ETH) 59:42
Paul Lonyangata (KEN) 59:53
Nguse Amlosom (ERI) 60:46
Ibrahim Jeilan (ETH) 64:37
Women
Priscah Jeptoo (KEN) 65:45/66:11
Rita Jeptoo (KEN) 66:27
Mare Dibaba (ETH) 67:13
Flomena Cheyech (KEN) 67:39
Helah Kiprop (KEN) 67:39
Aberu Kebede (ETH) 67:39
Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 67:49
Caroline Kilel (KEN) 68:16
Feyse Tadese (ETH) 68:35
Guteni Shone (ETH) 68:59
Linet Masai (KEN) Debut
WINNERS IN RAK 2007-2013
Men
2007 Sammy Wanjiru (KEN) 58:53
2008 Patrick Makau (KEN) 59:35
2009 Patrick Makau (KEN) 58:52
2010 Geoffrey Mutai (KEN) 59:43
2011 Deriba Merga (ETH) 59:25
2012 Dennis Kimetto (KEN) 60:40
2013 Geoffrey Kipsang (KEN) 58:54
Women
2007 Berhane Adere (ETH) 70:58
2008 Salina Kosgei (KEN) 72:29
2009 Dire Tune (ETH) 67:18
2010 Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR) 67:07
2011 Mary Keitany (KEN) 65:50 WR
2012 Mary Keitany (KEN) 66:42
2013 Lucy Kabuu (KEN) 66:09
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