News
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February 7th, 2017
All Eyes on the "World’s Fastest Half Marathon"
A showdown over 21.1 kilometres could produce one of the epic clashes in the half marathon history on 10 February. RAK Half Marathon gathers 10 men with sub-60-minute, and 8 women sub-68-minute PBs.
Mary Keitany, who set a world record of 1:05:50 in Ras Al Khaimah in 2011, will be facing champions of high calibre including Olympic marathon gold medallist Jemima Sumgong, three-time Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba, and World half marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir. Considering that eight women has PBs under 68 minutes, and that 19 of the fastest 50 times in history have been run on this course, a very fast finish is likely.
The prospect is no different on the men’s side. Solomon Yego, the only man who dipped under 59 minutes in the half marathon last year, is lining up along with another nine sub-60-minute runners.
The outstanding elite field of the RAK Half Marathon 2017 is as follows;
Men: Solomon Yego, KEN (58:44), Abraham Cheroben, BRN (58:48), Stephen Kibet, KEN (58:54), Bedan Karoki, KEN (59:14), Daniel Wanjiru, KEN (59:20), Edwin Kipyego, KEN (59:30), Stanley Biwott, KEN (59:36), Nguse Amlosom, ERI (59:39), Adugna Tekele, ETH (59:40), Yigrem Demelash, ETH (59:48).
Women: Mary Keitany, KEN (1:05:50), Peres Jepchirchir, KEN (1:06:39), Jemima Sumgong, KEN (1:06:58), Tirunesh Dibaba, ETH (1:06:56), Belaynesh Oljira, ETH (1:07:27), Netsanet Gudeta, ETH (1:07:31), Helah Kiprop, KEN (1:07:39), Veronicah Nyaruai, KEN (1:07:58).
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February 6th, 2017
Historical Partnership In Triathlon
International Triathlon Union (ITU) and Ironman forged an alliance to develop the sport of triathlon. The two giants of the sport will make collaborative efforts in standardised rules, anti-doping measures, safety and education.
ITU, the international governing body of triathlon, and Ironman, a Wanda Sports Holding company, announced that they have agreed to cooperate to further develop and grow triathlon. After a week of meetings at Ironman headquarters in Florida, USA, leaders from both organisations decided on a growth framework. Among the key priorities the ITU and Ironman have agreed to, are working towards a single set of rules for long distance triathlon to be implemented in 2018, harmonising anti-doping efforts to continue to protect clean athletes and the integrity of the sport, and alignment of efforts to foster the growth and development of the sport specifically focused on safety and education.
The collaboration is prospected to lead the ITU being recognised as the singular international federation leading the sport of triathlon, and sanctioning selected Ironman events as international events.
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February 1st, 2017
Glasgow Course Found To Be Short, Scottish Record Vanishes
The organisers of the 2016 Great Scottish Run have announced that the route was found to be 149.7m short after the re-measurement of the half marathon course. Callum Hawkins won the men’s race in a Scottish record of 1:00:24 but that time will now be invalidated.
In the race staged in Glasgow City Center on 2 October 2016, Hawkins was the first British winner of the event in 23 years, becoming the all-time Great Britain number 2 behind Mo Farah. However, the measurement to confirm the distance for the ratification of the Scottish record broken by the Paisley born athlete revealed the shortness of the course. It is understood that a small section of the prescribed route was not followed correctly in Bellahouston Park, which accounted for approximately 50 metres of the shortfall. The remainder of the shortfall was as a result of the difference between measuring on closed roads compared to a measure on unclosed roads, which was the methodology used in August as a result of notification of essential utilities works affecting the course.
The Great Run Company, organiser of the event, announced in a statement that “they are extremely disappointed that these errors have been made and they have apologised to Hawkins, who fully deserved his place in the record books after his fine run”. Betsy Saina, the winner of the women’s elite race in a time of 1:07:22 was also apologised to.
The performances achieved in the 2016 Great Scottish Run would now be declared invalid, and those performances will be listed separately in the statistics under a “short course” notice.
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January 31th, 2017
Countdown For RAK Half Marathon
Promoted as the “World’s Fastest Half Marathon”, RAK Half Marathon will be staged on 10 February. Depar Timing will be assisting the timing services once again while the race celebrates its 11th edition.
The event, held in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven Emirates that form the United Arab Emirates, is the focus of interest for elite distance runners with its fast course and its high budget. This year, the prize money sums up to 1,245,000 United Arab Emirates Dirham (about USD 350,000). The winners in both men and women receive AED 50,000 (USD 15,000), an additional bonus of AED 365,000 (USD 100,000) is offered for the world record. The course records are held by the Kenyans Patrick Makau (58:52) and Mary Keitany (1:05:50).
Timing services in RAK Half Marathon are provided by the local Premier Timing, and Depar Timing acts as the Assisting Timing Company.
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January 27th, 2017
Continents To Merge With Strokes Once Again
2016 WOWSA Award winner Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race is scheduled for 23 July this year. The quota of 1100 foreign swimmers was filled within 16 hours earlier this month. The registration system will remain open until 15 March for Turkish citizens.
Turkish Olympic Committee’s (TOC) traditional “Sports For All” organisation Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim was selected the 2016 World Open Water Offering of the Year by the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA). It will be the 29th edition of the event on Sunday, 23 July 2017.
The race receives great interest from abroad every year. When the applications opened on the TOC's official website http://bogazici.olimpiyatkomitesi.org.tr on 4th of January this year, 728 male and 372 female swimmers from 49 countries filled the limited quota of 1100 foreign swimmers in only 16 hours.
The 6.5 km Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race starts from Kanlıca on the Asian side of
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