News12 Jun 2014


Kimetto added to Olomouc Half Marathon field

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Kenya's Dennis Kimetto smashes the course record in Chicago with 2:03:45 (© Getty Images)

In addition to the previously announced entries of the marathon world record-holder Wilson Kipsang, and two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, the organisers of the Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, have added their Kenyan compatriot Dennis Kimetto to the field for the 21 June race.

Kimetto is the reigning Chicago Marathon champion and 25km world record-holder. His time of 2:03:45 at the 2013 Chicago race puts him in some exclusive company with only five men ever having run a marathon faster than 2:04 on a record-eligible course.

In the men's field, promising results are also be expected from Nicholas Bor and Wilfred Kigen, also from Kenya.

The race will also look forward to welcoming elite runners from Japan, Switzerland, Poland and Ukraine. The Czech runners are expected to be led by Jiri Homolac.

When it comes to the women, other runners to watch out for include Betelhem Moges who just won the Mattoni Ceske Budejovice Half Marathon on Sunday, along with her Ethiopian compatriots Hirut Alemayehu, and 19-year-old Mame Feyisa, with the latter having won the Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon last year; along with a late entry, Leterbrhan Gebreslasea who won the Paderborn Half Marathon earlier this year. 

The four Ethiopians, Great Britain’s Alyson Dixon, and Belarusian Aliaksandra Duliba all have recorded times faster than 1:11. 

Organisers for the IAAF