Prague Half Marathon

The Prague Half Marathon (known as the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual half marathon road running event which takes place in Spring on the city streets of Prague, Czech Republic, first held in 1999. It is managed by the same organisation that holds the Prague Marathon in May.[1] The race has a loop course, starting and ending in Jan Palach Square near the Rudolfinum, and largely follows the Vltava river.[2] The competition has enjoyed an increasing level of participation, with around 6500 participants in 2009 and almost 8500 runners taking part in the 2010 event.[3][4]

Prague Half Marathon
Runners crossing Mánes Bridge in the centre of Prague in 2010
DateLate March/Early April
LocationPrague, Czech Republic
Event typeRoad
DistanceHalf marathon
Primary sponsorSportisimo
Established1999
Course recordsMen's: 58:47 (2007)
Atsedu Tsegay
Women's: 1:04:52 (2017)
Joyciline Jepkosgei
Official sitePrague Half Marathon
Participants10,529 (2019)
Winner Zersenay Tadese and four other runners crossing the Čechův most bridge a few minutes before finishing the 2013 Prague Half Marathon
The Rudolfinum auditorium, where the race begins and ends.

The Prague Half Marathon holds World Athletics Gold Label Road Race status.[5] Joyciline Jepkosgei set the half marathon world record at the time during this race with a time of 1:04:52 in 2017.[lower-alpha 1]

History

The half marathon was first held in 1999.[6]

In 2006, a corporate team half marathon relay event was added to the day's programme of events – each company being represented by four runners each covering equal legs of 5.27 km. Around 100 teams and 50 business and institutions were present for the first race.[7]

Atsedu Tsegay holds the men's course record of 58:47 minutes (set in 2012), while Joyciline Jepkosgei's mark of 64:52 minutes (set in 2017) is the best achieved by a woman in the Prague race and a world record at the time.[lower-alpha 1] Both of these times are the fastest ever run in the Czech Republic for the half marathon.[10][11]

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants given the option of transferring their entry to 2021 or 2022.[lower-alpha 2][13][14]

Course

The Prague Half Marathon has a looped course format which has its race start and end point on Jan Palach Square near the Rudolfinum. The course follows the Vltava river southwards and then makes an east-to-west loop passing Folimanka park. It crosses to the west side of the Vltava, heading over Palacky Bridge, and after heading south along Strakonická road it doubles back to follow the river north, before crossing Legií Bridge to reach the halfway point. The course traces a large loop into the northern part of the city centre before returning to the Rudolfinum for the finish point.[15]

Winners
Joyciline Jepkosgei seconds away from breaking the world record in 2017
Kenya's Lydia Cheromei won the 2011 women's race in a course record time.

Kenyan athletes have been dominant – all but four of the men's winners come from the East African country, which has also provided over half the female race winners. Daniel Wanjiru has topped the men's podium on two occasions, and both Jana Klimešová and Rose Kosgei have taken back-to-back wins in the women's event.

Key:   Course record

Ed. Year Men's winner Time[lower-alpha 3] Women's winner Time[lower-alpha 3]
2020cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[13]
212019  Benard Kimeli (KEN) 59:05  Caroline Kipkirui (KEN) 1:05:41
202018  Benard Kimeli (KEN) 59:47  Joan Chelimo (KEN) 1:05:04
192017  Tamirat Tola (ETH) 59:36  Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 1:04:52
182016  Daniel Wanjiru (KEN) 59:20  Violah Jepchumba (KEN) 1:05:51
172015  Daniel Wanjiru (KEN) 59:51  Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 1:07:14
162014  Peter Kirui (KEN) 59:22  Joyce Chepkirui (KEN) 1:06:18
152013  Zersenay Tadese (ERI) 1:00:10  Gladys Cherono (KEN) 1:06:48
142012  Atsedu Tsegay (ETH) 58:47  Joyce Chepkirui (KEN) 1:07:03
132011  Philemon Limo (KEN) 59:30  Lydia Cheromei (KEN) 1:07:33
122010  Joel Kemboi (KEN) 1:00:09  Rose Kosgei (KEN) 1:09:57
112009  Nicholas Koech (KEN) 1:00:07  Rose Kosgei (KEN) 1:09:03
102008  Elijah Karanja (KEN) 1:02:08  Asha Gigi (ETH) 1:12:00
92007  Patrick Ivuti (KEN) 1:01:00  Liliya Shobukhova (RUS) 1:11:14
82006  Stephen Kibiwott (KEN) 1:01:15  Caroline Kwambai (KEN) 1:10:08
72005  Silas Kirui (KEN) 1:01:07  Susan Kirui (KEN) 1:12:49
62004  Joseph Kiprotich (KEN) 1:01:46  Catherine Kirui (KEN) 1:10:38
52003  Fred Kiprop (KEN) 1:02:47  Helena Javornik (SLO) 1:11:03
42002  Willy Kipkirui (KEN) 1:02:15  Gloria Marconi (ITA) 1:12:06
32001  Anthony Korir (KEN) 1:02:09  Florence Barsosio (KEN) 1:12:51
22000  Isaac Kiprono (KEN) 1:03:28  Jana Klimešová (CZE) 1:14:17
11999  Ali Mabrouk El Zaidi (LBA) 1:04:48  Jana Klimešová (CZE) 1:15:39

By country
Country Wins
 Kenya31
 Ethiopia4
 Czech Republic2
 Eritrea1
 Italy1
 Libya1
 Russia1
 Slovenia1

Notes
  1. Months later, Jepkosgei later broke her own record by one second at the Valencia Half Marathon.[8][9]
  2. It had initially been postponed before being cancelled.[12]
  3. h:m:s

References
  1. Butcher, Pat (2011-04-02). Limo and Cheromei shatter course records at Prague Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-03.
  2. https://www.runczech.com/file/edee/maps/hm_prague_2020-20200221-093325.jpg
  3. Course records fall in Prague - Prague Half Marathon report. IAAF (2009-03-28). Retrieved on 2011-04-03.
  4. Hervis Prague Half Marathon 2011. Prague International Marathon. Retrieved on 2011-04-03.
  5. https://www.worldathletics.org/competition/calendar/marathon-and-road-races
  6. https://www.runczech.com/en/useful/about-us/history/index.shtml
  7. Riedlová, Daniela (3 April 2006). "Kenyan men sweep, new women's record at Prague Half Marthon (sic)". IAAF. Archived from the original on 6 April 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  8. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-athletics-halfmarathon/jepkosgei-breaks-own-half-marathon-world-record-in-valencia-idUSKBN1CR0LN
  9. https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/valencia-half-marathon-2017-joyciline-jepkosg
  10. Butcher, Pat (2012-03-31). Tsegay’s 58:47 shatters course record in ‘very windy’ Prague Archived 2012-07-05 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-04-01.
  11. Mulkeen, Jon (2017-04-01). Jepkosgei breaks four world records at Prague Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2017-04-01.
  12. https://www.runczech.com/en/useful/for-the-media/news/the-22nd-sportisimo-prague-half-marathon-is-postponed-26642.shtml
  13. https://www.runczech.com/en/for-you/for-runners/cancellation-and-new-race-dates/information/index.shtml
  14. https://www.runczech.com/en/for-you/for-runners/cancellation-and-new-race-dates/option-of-transferring-registration/index.shtml
  15. Mapa Hervis 1/2Maraton Praha. Prague International Marathon. Retrieved on 2011-04-03.
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