Almgren runs European record to win world half marathon title in Copenhagen

Sweden’s Andreas Almgren outkicked Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir to win the half marathon title in a European record of 58:06 at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 on Sunday (20).

They were closely matched throughout but Almgren timed his finishing surge to perfection. Moving away from Kipkorir down the final stretch past Parken, the 31-year-old got his first global gold – adding the title to his world 10,000m bronze from Tokyo last year and the European 10,000m title he won last month.

Almgren improved his own European record by 35 seconds to move to ninth on the world all-time list. He won by five seconds ahead of Kipkorir, while Uganda’s multiple Olympic and world champion Joshua Cheptegei got bronze in a PB of 58:26. Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku finished fourth in a PB of 58:35, matching his position at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee in January.

On a bright morning in the Danish capital, Almgren watched as USA’s North American record-holder Conner Mantz made an early move and he ran on the US athlete's shoulder, alongside Japan’s Tomoya Ogikubo, as the leaders covered the first three kilometres in around 8:27.

Kipkorir moved ahead as the clock read 10:45 and he was joined at the front by his teammates Gideon Rono and Daniel Ebenyo, that trio leading through 5km in 13:57, Almgren sitting back in the pack.

Kipkorir, Ebenyo and their teammate Alex Nzioka Matata were still in control as they hit the 10km mark in 27:53, the lead group strung out but still including Almgren, Worku, Cheptegei, Mantz and Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa.

The quartet of Kipkorir, Almgren, Worku and Cheptegei broke away over the next few kilometres, reaching 15km in 41:47. They then dropped Worku and hit the 20km mark in 55:20, the battle for gold really ramping up.

Almgren was happy to let Kipkorir retain the lead but he tracked his every move. They left Cheptegei behind as they headed back past the Trianglen, towards the final 600-metre stretch past Parken.

Kipkorir and Almgren ran shoulder to shoulder and then Kipkorir moved a stride ahead. But Almgren was waiting for his moment to strike and he did so with the finish line in sight. 

Kipkorir had no response and could only watch as Almgren roared over the finish line, beating him by five seconds.

Cheptegei held on for third place, holding off Worku. Rono was fifth in 58:57, helping Kenya to the team title in a combined time of 2:56:30 ahead of Ethiopia (2:59:47) and the United States (3:01:34). Djibouti's Hani Idriss Hersi was sixth in a national record of 59:09, Crippa was seventh in 59:18 and Matata completed Kenya's scoring team in eighth in 59:22 – one place ahead of Ebenyo, the silver medallist in this event in Riga three years ago.

“This gold medal means so much to me,” said Almgren. “I felt extremely strong in the last few kilometres. I did not only have one or two gears left, I had three or four – I felt like my opponents could try whatever they wanted but I was not going to let this gold medal go.” 

The World Road Running Championships formed part of Almgren’s journey towards making his marathon debut in New York in November, as he continues to move up through the distances.

“It was not that hard for me to do the transition from being a track runner to becoming a road runner,” he said. “It still feels kind of surreal, that I have gone from 400m to half marathons. Ten years ago, we joked that maybe one day I would run a 5km race. Now I am world champion in the half marathon and I am going to have my marathon debut in New York in about a month. This gold medal is a very good sign for me, that I am doing something right.”

Cheptegei was also pleased with his bronze medal – a first road medal to go with his two Olympic and three world titles on the track and his 2019 world cross-country title – despite experiencing an issue with his foot.

“During the race, I struggled a bit with my left foot, which I hurt 10 days ago, but I had good treatment and I only felt a little bit of pain during the race,” he explained. “This race was part of my preparations towards the marathon in a few weeks’ time.”

Jess Whittington for World Athletics

Leading individual results

1 Andreas Almgren (SWE) 58:06
2 Nicholas Kipkorir (KEN) 58:11
3 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 58:26
4 Tadese Worku (ETH) 58:35
5 Gideon Rono (KEN) 58:57
6 Hani Idriss Hersi (DJI) 59:09
7 Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA) 59:18
8 Alex Nzioka Matata (KEN) 59:22
9 Daniel Ebenyo (KEN) 59:42
10 Othmane El Goumri (MAR) 59:53

Full results

Team medallists

1 Kenya 2:56:30
2 Ethiopia 2:59:47
3 United States 3:01:34

Full team results