Loaded Fields This Weekend In Lisbon

Kenyans Edna Kiplagat and Bernard Koech are the headliners. 

The weather won’t be the only thing that threatens to storm Lisbon on Sunday at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race and one of the six major events in the recently announced Half-Marathon Grand Prix.

Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat, the reigning world champion in the marathon who had a disappointing showing at the Olympic Games in London, enters the race with a personal best of 67:41 and will be challenged by fellow Kenyans Pasalia Jepkoech, the fastest woman in the field with a best of 67:17, and Sylvia Kibet, the two-time world 5,000m silver medalist who is running her first half marathon in over three years. Tadelech Bekele is the only Ethiopian in the field and is carrying the momentum of a 69:31 personal best, set earlier this month in Verbania.

On the men’s side, Kenyan Bernard Koech, fifth at the Dubai Marathon earlier this year in 2:04:53, has a 59:10 half-marathon personal best to his credit. He’ll face Titus Masai, also of, Kenya, who has a best of 59:51. Other Kenyans in the field include Milton Rotich, runner-up in Gothenburg last year, Bernard Kitur, second at the 2012 Porto Half Marathon, Richard Mengich, winner of the Remich and Dresden Half Marathons last year, and recent Eldoret Half Marathon champion Peter Some. Ibrahim Jeylan, the world 10,000m champion from Ethiopia, will be making his half marathon debut.

World-record holder and reigning champion Zersenay Tadese of Ethiopia will not be competing in this year’s event.

For More: IAAF