Jacob Kiplimo aiming to threaten his own world record while in-form Eilish McColgan plans to climb British all-time lists in United Arab Emirates

Fierce racing and fast times are expected at the 15th edition of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates, which takes place in the early hours of Saturday (February 19).

With conditions expected to be perfect on the flat course which is well known for its speed, the expectations are high ahead of men’s and women’s contests which will feature top-class names.

The men’s field includes 18 athletes with sub-60-minute bests to their name. They are headed by Ugandan world record-holder Jacob Kiplimo, who clocked 57:31 three months ago in Lisbon, and his relaxed, confident demeanour at the pre-event press conference suggested he will be aiming to lower that mark further.

He might have company at the front of the race, however, with Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso Munyao and Abel Kipchumba the next fastest in the field with bests of 57:59 and 58:07 respectively. Ethiopia’s leading entrant is Amedework Walelegn (58:53).

Amanal Petros is the quickest European male entry with a 60:09 best, with the German hoping to break the hour mark and possibly even threaten the European record of 59:13 held by Julien Wanders.

In the women’s race, the in-form Eilish McColgan will be looking to improve her half marathon best just a week on from her British 5km record run of 14:48.

The Scot clocked 67:48 on her debut over the distance last autumn and she will surely have mother Liz’s best mark of 67:11 in her sights. Beating that time would put her second on the British all-time list behind Paula Radcliffe’s 66:47 (though the former marathon word record-holder also clocked 65:40 on the initial Great Run course, which is ineligible for records).

Jess Piasecki also currently sits just ahead of Eilish on the UK all-time rankings with 67:20 set in Spain last month, whereas Jess Judd ran 67:52 last month in Houston too to go No.5 on the UK all-time rankings.

McColgan will be joined in a very strong field, headed by last year’s race winner Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia, whose course record from the 2021 event stands at 64:31.

Kenyan world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri (64:51) will also be a force to be reckoned with in a field which features seven women who have broken 67 minutes.

The current women’s world best – Letesenbet Gidey’s 62:52 – looks likely to remain safe, but the race will be very competitive.

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