Prague Half Marathon

History

The half marathon was first held in 1999.

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.

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. Both of these times are the fastest ever run in the Czech Republic for the half marathon.

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.

Prague 21.1 km

After cancelling the 2020 race, organizer RunCzech announced on that they were hosting an "invitation-only half marathon featuring 35 [elite] distance runners" in Letná Park on . Named "Prague 21.1 km", the race would consist of about 16.5 laps of an oval of length 1280 m on flat terrain in the park, with the men and women competing separately.

On the day of the race, Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir broke the women-only half marathon world record with a time of 1:05:34. The world record held for only 42 days, as Jepchirchir broke it again herself at the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, with a time of 1:05:16.

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 Legion 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.

Winners

Prague Half Marathon

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 (in bold)

Prague 21.1 km

By country

Notes

References

References

1. Butcher, Pat (2011-04-02). [http://www.iaaf.org/LRR11/news/newsid=59674.html Limo and Cheromei shatter course records at Prague Half Marathon]. [[IAAF]]. Retrieved on 2011-04-03.
2. [http://www.iaaf.org/LRR09/news/newsid=49988.html Course records fall in Prague - Prague Half Marathon report]. [[IAAF]] (2009-03-28). Retrieved on 2011-04-03.
3. [http://www.praguemarathon.com/en/2011/hervis-prague-half-marathon/hervis-prague-half-marathon/about-the-race Hervis Prague Half Marathon 2011]. Prague International Marathon. Retrieved on 2011-04-03.
4. "Events Calendar | World Athletics".
5. "History | RunCzech".
6. Riedlová, Daniela. (3 April 2006). "Kenyan men sweep, new women's record at Prague Half Marthon (''sic'')". IAAF.
7. "Jepkosgei breaks own half marathon world record in Valencia".
8. "Jepkosgei breaks world half marathon record in Valencia | REPORT | World Athletics".
9. link. (2012-07-05 . IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-04-01.)
10. Mulkeen, Jon (2017-04-01). [https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/prague-half-marathon-2017-world-record-jepkos Jepkosgei breaks four world records at Prague Half Marathon]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2017-04-01.
11. (11 March 2020). "The 22nd Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon is postponed | RunCzech".
12. "Open letter | RunCzech".
13. "Options of transferring registration | RunCzech".
14. (30 June 2020). "Pražský maraton se nepoběží ani na podzim. Organizátor závody v hlavním městě zrušil". lidovky.cz.
15. (September 2020). "Prague 21.1 km – Ready for the restart | RunCzech".
16. "2020 Media Guide".
17. "Peres Jepchirchir smashes half marathon World Record in Prague".
18. "Gudeta shatters world half marathon record in Valencia | REPORT | World Athletics".
19. (5 September 2020). "Prague 21.1 km | RunCzech".
20. "Why Peres Jepchirchir is now all-time great in marathon".
21. (6 April 2019). "Půlmaraton Praha: Dopravní omezení čekají řidiče i MHD".
22. [http://www.praguemarathon.com/en/2011/hervis-prague-half-marathon/hervis-prague-half-marathon/course-map Mapa Hervis 1/2Maraton Praha]. Prague International Marathon. Retrieved on 2011-04-03.
23. "Prague 21.1 km – Ready for the Restart witnessed a half marathon world record!".