SUNDAY’S COELMO NAPOLI CITY HALF MARATHON WILL BE BIGGEST EVER
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2026 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission.
NAPLES (February 19) — RunCzech president Karlo Capalbo grew up in this bustling city of nearly a million people and always dreamed of organizing a major race here. On Sunday, his organization in Prague, in coordination with Napoli Running, will organize the biggest edition in history. Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon with more than 10,000 runners registered for the first time (run sold out). It’s a special moment for the energetic 68-year-old, who left in his 20s to pursue higher education in Milan.
“We started ten years ago and now we’re at 10,000,” Capalbo told Race Results Weekly in an interview today. “It’s not 50,000, but it’s a good number to escalate the situation and make it a serious and acceptable event.”
Indeed, it is more than acceptable. The race carries both a World Athletics label and has been awarded a gold label by the Italian Athletics Federation, FIDAL. Along a flat coastal road that starts and ends at Viale JF Kennedy, the race is home to two Italian half marathon records: 59:26 by Yemaneberhan Kripa in 2022 and 1:08:27 by Sofia Yaremchuk in 2024. Five times men have been outdone here once.
“Of course, the event in my hometown, which I always dreamed of doing something to improve the situation, gave me double joy, double excitement,” Capalbo added. “If you asked me. “Carlo, where will this race be in five years?” I would say this race will be the new Valencia.”
For Sunday’s edition, Capalbo’s team put together a rare encounter between two of Italy’s fastest half-marathoners: Crippa (On the Run) and Pietro Riva (Asics). Crippa, 29, and Riva, 28, are the only two Italians to break 60 minutes on the course that holds the record (Crippa did it twice). Capalbo wanted to create a mini-championship, citing the fact that both are European Championship medalists in the half-marathon distance; In 2024, Kripa won the gold medal and Riva the silver.
The European Union has one city every year nominated as the European Capital of Sport,” explained Capalbo (Naples is the official European Capital of Sport for 2026, designated by the European Capital of Sport Association). European Championship in the year when Napoli is the capital of Europe.”
Kripa has a higher profile than Riva (he was also the 2022 European 10,000m champion and holds the national records in the 3,000m, 5,000m and 10,000m), but Riva is on the rise and is excited to compete here in Napoli.
“I’m excited to run the half marathon in Napoli,” Riva told Race Results Weekly via text message. “It’s a great place and I really want to enjoy it and run as fast as I can.”
In addition to the two Italian headliners, there are two other men under 60:00 (both Kenyans): Brian Kwemoi Kirui, who has a personal best of 59:26, and Mkulia Kipkandie, who ran 59:48. In all, seven men in the elite field ran 1:01:30 or better.
On the women’s side, Capalbo hopes Kenyan Viola Cheptow’s 2020 record of 1:06:47 can be broken (the 2020 race was held just before the COVID shutdown). The top three (all Kenyans) were Regina Cheptoo (1:08:26 PB), Lucy Ntenya Ndambuki (1:08:58) and Nellie Jepto (1:09:14). 1:09:00 Burundi runner Elvani Nimbona, who recently obtained Italian citizenship, had to cancel due to another commitment with his club.
The top Italian is Sara Bottarelli (1:11:31 personal best), the reigning Italian half marathon champion who is also a mountain runner.
While he would like to see great competition, Capalbo is just as focused on delivering a quality event for every runner who participates. He is particularly proud of the reputation the race has gained as a well-run event, which he says is the key to sustained growth.
“I see we can target 12,000 next year,” Capalbo said. “Within two years, we can target 15,000. And then we stop there, and our energy is focused on improving services, making people’s experiences more beautiful.”
