WORLD record holder Abraham Kiptum is set to spearhead a star-studded line-up of elite international athletes in the first-ever Bahrain Night Half-Marathon, set to take place on Friday.
The Kenyan is one of a number of high-profile long-distance athletes who have confirmed their participation in the prestigious event, which is being held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad.
Kiptum, from Kenya, set the half-marathon World record last year in Valencia, Spain, where he posted a finishing time of 58 minutes 18 seconds. He improved on the previous World record held by Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea by five seconds. He has yet to run an international half-marathon this year, yet is expected to be one of the top challengers in Bahrain.
“Glad to announce my participation in the Bahrain Night Half-Marathon,” Kiptum announced on social media. “I’ll be back to my favourite distance.”
The Bahrain Night Half-Marathon includes men’s and women’s categories. A staggering first prize of $100,000 each will be won by the winners of those races. Prize money will also be claimed by the runners placed second through 10th. There are bonuses of $30,000 for new World Records set in either race.
Another big name set to compete alongside Kiptum is Ethiopian Jemal Yimer Mekonnen, who has the fourth-best time in the history of the half-marathon of 58:33. “I can’t wait to come to a new city and compete against some of the world’s best athletes,” Mekonnen posted on social media. “I’m really looking forward to this next challenge.”
Among the women, reigning World champion in the full marathon, Rose Chelimo of Bahrain, is among the top names. Also set to compete are fellow-Bahraini Eunice Chumba, who is a bronze-medallist from last year’s World Half-Marathon Championships, and the Ethiopian pair of Netsanet Gudeta Kebede and Senbere Teferi.
Netsanet is the women’s reigning World champion in the half-marathon and also the “Women only” World record holder in the distance of one hour six minutes and 11 seconds. Senbere is a former gold-medallist in the World Cross Country Championships and also an ex-silver medallist in the 5,000m.
The Bahrain Night Half-Marathon is being organised by the Bahrain Athletics Association in cooperation with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the Association of international Marathons and Distance Races, the Bahrain Olympic Committee, the Asian Athletics Association and Tumooh Sports Management.