PRESS RELEASE
1 March 2017
World Record Holders and Olympic Medalists at the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon
Today the RunCzech Organisation announced a World-Class field including two World Record
Holders; Peres Jepchirchir and Leonard Patrick Komon, and two Rio Olympic Medalists; Galen Rupp
and Tamirat Tola who will compete on April 1st in the 2017 edition of the Sportisimo Prague Half
Marathon.
The women’s list features the reigning World Champion, Peres Jepchirchir fresh from her Half
marathon World Record performance (1:05:06 in RAK) in February. She will be challenged by the
Prague event record holder Violah Jepchumba (1:05:51) who ran the fastest half marathon in the
world in 2016, and RunCzech Racing’s young star, Joyciline Jepkosgei (1:06:08 in RAK this year).
The race will include two other women with PRs under 1:07; Worknesh Degefa of Ethiopia, the former
event record holder and Kenyan Gladys Chesir. Of interest also are two American challengers Jordan
Hasay who debuted in Houston this year with a 1:08:40 and Maegan Krifchin (1:09:51) along with the
fastest Czech woman, Eva Vrabcova.
The men’s field is also blessed with a World Record Holder in the person of Leonard Patrick Komon
who claims road records at 10K and 15K which he set in 2010. Komon will be trying to improve on his
third place finish in Prague from 2015.
The biggest threat may come from another Kenyan, Barselius Kipyego who ran 59:15 in Usti nad Labem
last September setting a course record on what had not previously been considered a fast course. But
they both will face strong contenders in the Rio and London OG medalists, Galen Rupp of the U.S. and
Tamirat Tola from Ethiopia. Tola took a Bronze medal in the 10,000 metres in Rio and he looks to be in
top condition this year after his win in the Dubai Marathon in January. His winning time of 2:04:11
made him the ninth fastest performer of all-time. The Rio Olympic Marathon Bronze and 10.000 OG
London Silver medalist Rupp who is pointing for a fast performance at the Boston Marathon this year is
always competitive and could challenge the American record.
The Czech men will feature Jiri Homolac who is currently training in Iten, Kenya in the hope of breaking
1:03 for the first time.
TOP 10 MEN
KIPYEGO
KOMON
YEGON
YATOR
Barselius
Leonard Patrick
Geoffrey
Vincent Kipsegechi
KEN
KEN
KEN
KEN
0:59:15
0:59:14
0:59:44
0:59:55
TOLA
KIPYATICH
TEWELDE
BETT
RUPP
MEUCCI
Tamirat
Abraham
Hiskel
Benard Kiplangat
Galen
Daniele
ETH
KEN
ERI
KEN
USA
ITA
1:00:06
1:00:03
1:00:29
1:00:36
1:01:20
1:01:06
KEN
KEN
KEN
ETH
KEN
KEN
USA
KEN
KEN
USA
1:05:51
1:05:06
1:06:08
1:06:14
1:06:57
1:08:17
1:08:40
1:09:27
1:09:33
1:09:51
TOP 10 WOMEN
JEPCHUMBA
JEPCHIRCHIR
JEPKOSGEI
DEGEFA
CHESIR
CHERUIYOT
HASAY
JELAGAT
AIYABEI
KRIFCHIN
Violah
Peres
Joyciline
Worknesh
Gladys
Lucy
Jordan
Viola
Valary
Maegan
If you are interested in further information or print quality photos, please get in touch with:
Prague International Marathon, spol. s. r.o. / Tempo Team Prague s.r.o.
Tadeáš Mahel
PR & Media
mob: +420 725 974 749, tel: 233 015 021
Františka Křížka 461/11, 170 00 Praha 7
e-mail: [email protected]
Note: The attached photos may only be used in conjunction with this press release and indicating RunCzech as
the source.
Notes for editors: http://www.runczech.com/en/for-the-media/notes-for-editors/index.shtml