| THREE-TIME WORLD CHAMPION VOLUNTEER AND FORMER WORLD RECORD HOLDER YESHANE PROVIDES ELITE FIELDS AT RAS AL KHAIMAH HALF MARATHON |
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Registration is open rakhalfmarathon.com |
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Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, 9 February 2026: The 19th Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on Saturday (February 14) will feature a strong elite field led by three-time world champion Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya and former women’s world record holder Ebabel Halhoponhah. winners in 2013 and 2020 respectively. |
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The Kenyan is one of the greatest half-marathon runners of all time, having won a hat-trick of half-marathon world championships in 2014, 2016 and 2018, winning the highly competitive world title twice and winning the New York Marathon twice (2017 and 2019). |
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The volunteer hit his breakthrough when he won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in 2013, beating his personal best by more than half a minute in 58:54. Six years later in Copenhagen, he broke the half marathon world record with a time of 58:01, making him the eighth fastest half marathoner of all time and the fastest on the Ras Al Khaimah start list.
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Like Kamvoror, Ethiopian Abel Yeshane is another world-class athlete. He ran an impressive world record of 64:31 at the 2020 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, beating a world-class field and beating the previous record by 20 seconds. |
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He started his international career as a 19-year-old back in 2011 when he was fighting for the military. He finished 9th in the 10,000m final at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, and 14th in the 2016 Olympic 5,000m final. |
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In addition to the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, he has also won the Istanbul and Buenos Aires Half Marathons, as well as podium finishes at the Boston, Chicago and New York Marathons. After breaking his world record six years ago, Yeshane returned to Ras Al-Khaimah twice more, finishing unfinished in 2022, before finishing second in 2024 with a fast time of 65:44. |
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First staged in 2007, the Ras Al Khaimah Race has proven to be one of the fastest half marathons on the international circuit and this year the event will once again feature four different races held exclusively on Al Marjan Island.
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In addition to elite superstars such as Kamworor and Yeshane in the main race, the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon will also bring together participants for the 2km, 5km and 10km events. Registration is open for all four races rakhalfmarathon.com. |
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The 2026 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon is also sponsored by ASICS, Channel 4 Radio Network. ITP Media Group, Bisleri and Vitamin Well. |
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Ending |
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Notes to editors |
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About Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA). |
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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. |
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