| VOLUNTEER AND ANLEY SEE STRONG FIELDS AT RAS AL KHAIMAH HALF MARATHON |
| Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) February 14: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, the 19th Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon was won by Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor and Etii Asmarech Anli. |
| One of the fastest half-marathons in the world, taking place on the smooth, fast roads of Al Marjan Island and hosted by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), attracted record numbers of participants across the 2km, 5km, 10km and 21.1km races. |
| And while more than 10,750 runners rose to the challenge, three-time world champion Kamworor and debutant Anli grabbed the headlines as Kamworor dominated the race to win the men’s race in 58:14, nine seconds ahead of Rononden (58:2) of Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew (58:2). 58:38. |
| In the women’s half marathon, Enley stunned a talented field to win the half marathon distance in her first race in 67:22, with Ethiopia’s Melknath Udu Sharu second in 67:27 and Tanzania’s Magdelena Shauri finishing third on the podium in 67:3. |
| The 2026 champions, during the 19th Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, received their trophies from His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ras Al Khaimah Ruler Philippa Harrison, Ras Al Khaimah (Abdul Khaimah and Al Khaimah Tourism Development, and RAKOT Development Authority, Al RAKT Development Authority), Abdul Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, Al From Qasimi. Marjan: |
| With runners of all ages and abilities gathering under the Ras Al Khaimah sun, the event reaffirmed its position as a premier sporting and social occasion, bringing together the RAK community with families and visitors taking to the four race routes on Al Marjan Island. |
| For the elite men, the 19th Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon was one of the best ever seen at this distance, with five finishers running under 59:00. A group of seven crossed the 10km mark in 27:42 before four athletes battled it out at the front until 2013. RAK Half Marathon winner Kamworor broke away and made it to the finish. |
| “From 14 kilometers I knew I was going to win,” said the delighted Kenyan, whose long-term goal is to qualify for the Olympic marathon. “This speech is a great motivation for me. Now preparing for the London Marathon. It’s going to be a very strong competition, but that’s what I like.” |
| The fight for victory in the women’s race was exciting. Six women were still struggling to cover about 5km. Ethiopians Wood Melknath and Asmarech Anli took the lead after the 20km mark before Anli overtook his compatriot with a few hundred meters to go. |
| “Until the last kilometer I thought I could win,” said Enley, who was the 2023 African junior 3,000m champion. “I’m going to keep running half marathons for a while because I’m not ready to step up to the marathon yet.” |
| In addition to an elite half-marathon field, the event saw a record number of runners compete in four categories as the sport’s best distance runners lit up the streets of the emirate, once again underscoring its status as one of athletics’ premier half-marathon events. |
| The 2026 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon was also sponsored by ASICS, Channel 4 Radio Network. ITP Media Group, Bisleri Water and Vitamin Well. |
| RESULTS OF THE 19TH RAS AL KHAIMAH HALF MARATHON |
| 1 GEOFRY VOLUNTEER (KEN) 58:14 |
| 2 BIRHANU BALEW (BHR) 58:23 |
| 3 GIDEON KIPKERTICH RONO (ONLY) 58:38 |
| WOMEN |
| 1 ASMARECH ANLEY (ETH) 67:22 |
| 2 MELKNAT WUDU SHAREW (ETH) 67:27 |
| 3 MAGDALENA SHAURI (TNZ) 67:32 |
| Notes to editors |
| About Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA). |
| The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) was established in May 2011 under the Government of Ras Al Khaimah. RAKTDA aims to develop the Emirate’s tourism infrastructure and establish Ras Al Khaimah as a world-class destination for leisure and business travel, creating sustainable investment opportunities and improving the quality of life for its residents. In order to achieve its objectives, the Authority has the governmental authority to license, regulate and supervise the tourism and hospitality industry in the Emirates. |
