Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon 2020: Brigid Kosgei

Marathon world record-holder, Brigid Kosgei, is landing in the UAE to compete in the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

Posted on

21 January 2020

| Last updated on 22 January 2020

Run With A World-Record Holder at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon 2020

Registration closes on 15th February 2020

Runners, ready your trainers - the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon 2020, officially the world's fastest half marathon, once again aims to set a lightning pace. For its 14th run on Friday, 21st February 2020 at Marjan Island, the annual marathon is welcoming a stellar lineup of some of the world's most elite runners.

Having smashed Paula Radcliffe's marathon world record by a staggering 81 seconds last year in the Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:14:04, the star of the women’s field will be Brigid Kosgei from Kenya.

After an incredible 2019 where she won every single race she competed in, from the London Marathon to the Great North Run where she set impressive times of 2:18:20 and 64:28* respectively, she will kickstart her preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Ras Al Khaimah.

Brigid Kosgei at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

Commenting on her participation in the race, Kosgei said, "I am really excited to come back to the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon after 2 years. My only experience in that race was in 2018 when I came in seventh in 66:49. I know that this year the line-up is one of the best ever for a half marathon and I really hope to run fast.”

Expected to set a quick pace over the 21.1-kilometre course, Kosgei will need to see off stiff competition from a stellar field on Marjan Island, including the winner of the recent Comrades Marathon, South African Gerda Steyn.

Steyn kicked off her running journey in the UAE with the Desert Road Runners club and distinguished herself by becoming the first woman to complete the Comrades ultramarathon in under six hours. She has marked a new personal best of 02:27:48 for the full marathon in New York in 2019 which earned qualification for Tokyo Olympics.

Gerda Steyn at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

In the men’s race, Kenyan Benard Kimeli, who clinched back to back titles at the Prague Half Marathon in 2018 and 2019, and holds a personal best of 59:07, is aiming to take the crown in Ras Al Khaimah and improve on his electric pace.

The competition will be fierce as world-beating athletes will join him at the start line, including Mosinet Geremew - one of only five men to complete a marathon in under two hours and three minutes – and the European record-holder for the half marathon, Julien Wanders of Switzerland, who set a time of 59:13 in Ras Al Khaimah last year. In total, ten of the elite athletes in the RAK Half Marathon men's race hold personal best times under 59:30, promising the mouth-watering prospect of more records falling.

Andrea Trabuio, Race Director, commented, “Having such outstanding profiles eager to run in the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon does not just reinforce the race’s high-profile reputation on the global stage, but will inspire residents to give it their all in this race as they run side-by-side with world-class athletes.”

Training sessions

With the race day approaching, training sessions have already kick-off in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah this month. Here's where the training sessions are happening in January and February:

In Dubai

Dubai Sports City Track

When: January 13 - February 10, 2020
Timing: Every Monday at 7:15 pm

Umm Suqeim Beach

When: January 15 - February 12
Timing: Every Wednesday at 6:15 am

Autodrome in Motor City, with Fitness First

When: January 22 - February 12
Timing: Every Wesnesday at 7 pm

In Ras Al Khaimah

Al Marjan Island

When: January 17 - February 14
Timing: Every Friday at 8 am

Registrations are now open

A variety of race categories are open for registration to cater to all fitness levels:

the 21.1 KM half marathon
Relay Team of four
5 KM
the family friendly 1 KM Fun Run

Additionally, a two-person relay race format will be rolled out for the first time this year, allowing teams of two to compete in a timed format.

A special corporate bulk discount is available for groups, making this event an ideal team bonding activity.

The Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon runners will be competing for a grand prize of AED 1,219,000 distributed across the front-runners of elites as well as the UAE National and age group categories.

Registration will remain open until the 15th of February whereas bookings for bus services to Ras Al Khaimah from Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi can be made during registration until the end of January through the website: www.therakhalfmarathon.com

All runners that register before the end of January also secure a free race pack delivery within the UAE.

Participants can enjoy an array of exclusive offers on the iconic Al Murjan Island across several of Ras Al Khaimah’s best hotels and attractions offering an ideal action-packed weekend in the recently named "Gulf Tourism Capital".