It hardly seems two years ago that Cardiff was hosting the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, but the world’s elite distance runners will be chasing the title once again in Valencia this weekend.
Geoffrey Kamworor took the sting out of Mo Farah’s famous sprint finish coming off Roath Park Lake in 2016 to race to a famous victory in 59 min, 10 sec. He was one of four athletes to break the one hour mark despite torrential rain and high winds.
Farah had to be content with the bronze medal. Kamworor is back to defend his title, but Farah is keeping his powder dry for next month’s London Marathon.
There will be a Welsh connection to the event in Valencia with Cardiff AAC runner Charlotte Arter making her British debut in the women’s team. She was the first woman home in the Cardiff Half Marathon section of the 2016 race in 73:19.
She clinched her place in the British team with a third place finish in the Big Half race in London earlier this month with a massive personal best time of 71:31. That moved her into third place on the Welsh all-time ranking list.
A record 288 athletes – 160 men and 122 women – from 82 countries have entered for the event’s 23rd edition in Valencia.