As emotional as we are getting about the calling for peace – we hope to be equally emotional when the race kicks off. Yes, we have been missing racing, fast times and records.
Just to remind you – the men’s and the women’s event records are 8 years old now! We can still remember the sunny March Sunday of 2014 and spectacular performances of Victor Kipchirchir and Poline Njeru. They set the event records – even though the course was as hilly as Warsaw can be.
Time to put these times in the history books! Who is going to do that – and is this going to happen at all? Here is a brief list of hottest names to write the history of the Warsaw Half marathon anew:
Men:
- James Muriti Mburugu. The Kenyan showed his potential in 2021, clocking his 10K PB with 28:07 and the HM PB with 1:01:15;
- Josphat Kipchirchir. A 25-year-old Kenyan with 27:53 PB for 10K (2019);
- Emanuel Giniki Gisamoda – the Tanzanyan’s PB is better than our event record (60:37) and his 10K PB is also stunning (27:37). The man to watch? Likely so.
- Rodgers Mayio (Kenya). Another superb 10K performer – 27:55, who has not yet translated this into an HM time. Yet.
- Abel Chebet. A man from Uganda has had a very good season so far but had spectacular performances in the past too (28:35 for 10.000 meters in 2019). May not be the ultimate winner but a medal finish is very likely.
- Belay Tilahun – Ethiopia. 27:11 and 27:31 for 10,000 meters is a great starting point for a brilliant HM performance. Is this going to happen in Warsaw? Hopefully!
Women:
- Veronica Maina of Kenya. 1:09:17 in 2021. Just 11 seconds within the event record. Go, Veronica, go!
- Tiruye Mesfin. The Ethiopian is about to begin her international career so 1:10:52 may not impress yet. But… she may be the one to steal the show.
- Tigist Geshaw. Running for Bahrain, though born in Ethiopia. 1:10:33 so far, but so far she has been running on track. Two-time silver medalist of the Asian games for 1500 meters.
- Tigist Getnet and Addisalem Belay, Ethiopia. 1:11:14 and 1:11:27 respectively in 2021.
- Likina Amebaw. Sixth fastest time in the field – 1:11:30 – would secure her a win in any Polish half marathon. Will this be enough to medal in Warsaw? Who knows.
There will be two Polish girls in the field: Monika Jackiewicz and21. Monika is the current national champion in the half (1:12:50), while Ola (PB: 1:13:55) was the national champion in the marathon two years ago. They both want to run their PB’s in Warsaw. Ideally – to finish sub-1:12. Fingers crossed!
