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Race news Copenhagen Half Marathon

20 September 2021, 11am

22-year-old runs 1:05:08 slashing own personal best by almost a minute

Gemechu breaks Sifan Hassan’s race record in Copenhagen

Copenhagen Half Marathon
Sun 19 September 2021

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With all COVID-19 restrictions lifted in Denmark, the Copenhagen Half Marathon – with close to 20.000 participants – on Sunday again produced a string of top results.

In a very tight finish, Amdework Walalegn of Ethiopia managed to keep Kenya’s Kenneth Renju behind winning in 59:10 minutes with Renju dipping under one hour for the first time with a massive personal best of 59:12. Another Kenyan, Daniel Mateiko, was the big surprise keeping up with the other two runners until the last kilometre. He as well was rewarded with a huge personal best of 59:25.

In near perfect conditions in the Danish capital, sunny and 14 degrees, the Ugandan pacemaker Abel Sikowa did an excellent job leading a group of nine runners through the first 15K in 42:15 min before dropping out. Just one kilometre on, the group suddenly had diminished to a trio that would go on and take the top three spots.

Back in Copenhagen in 2018, Sifan Hassan triumphed with a European record of 65:15 minutes. That race record now is in the hands of Tsehay Gemechu who cut off seven seconds of the time crossing the line in 65:08. The 22-year-old Ethiopian – 4th at the 2019 World Championships at 5000 meters – thereby improved her personal best with almost a minute.

“I was hoping to break my personal best and run close to 65 minutes, and beating Sifan Hassan’s race record of course is something special. I am very happy. It was a bit windy, so I had to work hard. But I look forward to come back to Copenhagen next year,” Gemechu said.

Hawi Feysa secured an Ethiopian double victory taking second spot In a PB of 65:41 with Vivian Kiplagat of Kenya in third.

Result

Half marathon
Men
1 Amdework WALALEGN ETH 59:10
2 Keneth RENJU KEN 59:12
3 Daniel MATEIKO KEN 59:25
4 Abe TILAHUN ETH 59:46
5 Zerei KBROM NOR 1:00:07
Women
1 Tsehay GEMECHU ETH 1:05:08
2 Hawi FEYSA ETH 1:05:41
3 Vivian KIPLAGAT KEN 1:06:07
4 Beyenu DEGEFA ETH 1:08:15
5 Yitayish MEKONENE ETH 1:08:53

See the latest news from Copenhagen Half Marathon

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