Kenyan Kosgei the favourite at Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

World marathon record-holder Brigid Kosgei of Kenya is the standout entrant at the 14th Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Friday.

Kosgei, who ran to a stunning 2:14:04 world record at the Chicago Marathon in October, was seventh in this race two years ago but is gunning for a much higher finish this time around.

“My goal is to improve my PB and to run fast in this strong field,” Kosgei said. The 25-year-old clocked a lifetime best 1:05:28 in Zallaq, Bahrain, last March, but was significantly faster in her lead-in to Chicago, clocking 1:04:28 on the slightly downhill course at the Great North Run in South Shields, UK.

She’s one of 11 women in the field with PBs inside 1:07, including former half marathon world record holder Peres Jepchirchir (KEN), reigning world half marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta (ETH), and 2018 Ras Al Khaimah winner Fancy Chemutai (KEN).

“This is the same race where I almost broke the world record – this time the course is faster and I want the world record,” said Chemutai, who clocked 1:04:52 in this race two years ago. That was just one second shy of Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei’s world record set in Valencia in 2017.

Other contenders include Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN), Birhane Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH), Evaline Chirchir (KEN) and Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN).

In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo