Kenyan athlete Ruth Chepngetich and Ethiopian runner Ababel Yeshaneh are set to square off at the Bangsaen21 Half Marathon in Chonburi, Thailand, on Sunday.
Both athletes have impressive records at the half marathon distance, with Yeshaneh holding the world record at 1:04:31, broken by Chepngetich in 2021 with a time of 1:04:02.
Ruth Chepngetich vs Yeshaneh
The two have faced each other in three half marathons, with Yeshaneh winning two, including their most recent encounter in Buenos Aires.
Chepngetich boasts an impressive athletic resume, having secured the title of the 2019 Marathon World champion amid challenging hot and humid conditions.
She has clinched victory twice at the Chicago Marathon, triumphing in both 2021 and 2022. Her good run is further highlighted by her personal best in the marathon, which stands as the second-fastest in the world all-time list. She also holds the distinction of the third-fastest time ever recorded in the half marathon.
In 2018, Chepng’etich claimed victory in the women’s only road race at the 40th Istanbul Marathon, recognized as a World Athletics Label Road Race.
She completed the race in a remarkable time of 2:18:35, featuring impressive splits of 31:59 for the 10 km mark, 48:15 for the 15 km mark, 1:08:22 for the half marathon, and 1:37:42 for the 30 km mark.
This performance saw her set a race record and also established the best-ever performance on Turkish soil.
Her time ranks as the seventh-best in history, solidifying her position as the 10th athlete of all time to break the 2:19 barrier and the 30th to achieve a time under 2:20.
Chepngetich, who began the year with a victory at the Nagoya Marathon, aims to finish the year strongly after podium finishes in two half marathons.
Ruth Chepngetich competitors
Yeshaneh, on the other hand, has had a more sparing race schedule, finishing fourth at the Boston Marathon and winning in Buenos Aires.
The competition won’t be limited to the two stars, as Sheila Chepkirui, coming off a speedy marathon performance in Berlin, and Degitu Azimeraw, a strong performer in both half marathons and marathons, will also participate.
Angela Tanui, with a marathon best of 2:17:57, and Britain’s Charlotte Purdue, returning after finishing sixth last year, add further depth to the field.
With such a high-calibre lineup, the course record of 1:07:45, set by Kenya’s Hellen Obiri last year, is under threat, depending on the race day conditions.
Leading entries
Women
Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 1:04:02
Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 1:04:31
Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 1:04:36
Degitu Azimeraw (ETH) 1:06:07
Angela Tanui (KEN) 1:07:16
Charlotte Purdue (GBR) 1:08:10
