Lisbon Half Marathon

Lisbon Half Marathon
The mass race begins by crossing the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge
DateMarch
LocationLisbon, Portugal
Event typeRoad
DistanceHalf marathon
Primary sponsorEDP
Established1991
Course recordsMen's: 57:31 (2021)
Jacob Kiplimo
Women's: 1:04:21 (2025)
Tsigie Gebreselama
Official siteLisbon Half Marathon
Participants7793 finishers (2022)
5,424 finishers (2021)
15,692 (2019)

EDP Lisbon Half Marathon is an annual international half marathon competition which is contested every March in Lisbon, Portugal. It carries IAAF Gold Label Road Race status.[1] The men's course record of 57:31 was set by Jacob Kiplimo in 2021, which was the world record for the half marathon distance until 2024.[2] Kenyan runners have been very successful in the competition, accounting for over half of the total winners, with Tegla Loroupe taking the honours in the women's race on six separate occasions.[3] The Lisbon Half Marathon is not to be confused with Luso Portugal Half Marathon, another prominent half marathon race which is also held in Lisbon in October.

History

The course passes the Jerónimos Monastery (left) and the Belém Tower

First held in 1991, the race has consistently delivered fast winning times. However, many of these times have been unratifiable for record purposes due to factors including: the course being too short (1991–93), excessive tailwinds, as well as there being an excessive drop in altitude, which boosted athletes' performances (1996, 1998, 2000–01, 2004, and 2006).[3][4]

The course was judged as non-permissible for records until 2008, in which year the organisers changed the elite course to allow for records. The new course begins at sea level on the north side of the river Tagus, a change which made the course entirely flat. The course for the mass participation race, which has attracted almost 30,000 runners in previous years, remained unchanged and begins by crossing the Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge before linking up with the new elite course.[5][6]

The current elite course of the half marathon begins in a small town on the north bank of the Tagus, no longer crossing the bridge,[7] and the course is wide and flat from there on. Heading eastwards towards the city centre, the course passes the docks and traces a route alongside much of the city's historical architecture, including the Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery.[6]

From 2008 onwards, the organisers set aside a €50,000 prize pot for any athlete breaking the world record over the half marathon distance. This led to the participation of a number of prominent athletes, with marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie winning the 2008 edition, while Charles Kamathi and Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot followed behind.[8] Another strong field was assembled in 2010 and Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea broke both the 20 kilometres and half marathon world records in his winning run.[2]

The competition also hosts a mini marathon race, which has featured many prominent Portuguese citizens, including the former President of Portugal Jorge Sampaio, and José Socrates, the Portuguese Prime Minister.[4] Energias de Portugal has sponsored the competition for a number of years.[8][4]

The 2020 edition of the race was first postponed to 2020.09.06, and then to 2021.05.09, due to the coronavirus pandemic.[9][10]

Winners

Key:   Course record   Short or assisted course

Year Men's winner Nationality Time
(h:m:s) 		Women's winner Nationality Time
(h:m:s)
2025 Abdi Waiss Djibouti 59:44 Tsigie Gebreselama Ethiopia 1:04:21
2024 Dinkalem Ayele Ethiopia 1:00:36 Brigid Kosgei Kenya 1:05:51
2023 Nibret Melak Ethiopia 59:06 Almaz Ayana Ethiopia 1:05:30
2022 Kenneth Renju Kenya 1:00:13 Brigid Kosgei Kenya 1:06:46
2021 Jacob Kiplimo Uganda 57:31 Daisy Cherotich Kenya 1:06:15
2020 postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal[10]
2019 Mosinet Geremew Ethiopia 59:37 Vivian Cheruiyot Kenya 1:06:34
2018 Eric Kiptanui Kenya 1:00:05 Etagegn Woldu Ethiopia 1:11:27
2017 Jake Robertson New Zealand 1:00:01 Mare Dibaba Ethiopia 1:09:43
2016 Sammy Kitwara Kenya 59:47 Ruti Aga Ethiopia 1:09:16
2015 Mo Farah United Kingdom 59:32 Rose Chelimo Kenya 1:08:22
2014 Bedan Karoki Kenya 59:58 Worknesh Degefa Ethiopia 1:08:46
2013 Bernard Koech Kenya 59:54 Edna Kiplagat Kenya 1:08:48
2012 Zersenay Tadese Eritrea 59:34 Shalane Flanagan United States 1:08:52
2011 Zersenay Tadese Eritrea 58:30 Aberu Kebede Ethiopia 1:08:28
2010 Zersenay Tadese Eritrea 58:23 Peninah Arusei Kenya 1:08:38
2009 Martin Lel Kenya 59:56 Kara Goucher United States 1:08:30
2008 Haile Gebrselassie Ethiopia 59:15 Salina Kosgei Kenya 1:09:57
2007 Robert Kipchumba Kenya 1:00:31 Rita Jeptoo Kenya 1:07:05
2006 Martin Lel Kenya 59:30 Salina Kosgei Kenya 1:07:52
2005 Paul Tergat Kenya 59:10 Susan Chepkemei Kenya 1:08:49
2004 Rodgers Rop Kenya 59:49 Joyce Chepchumba Kenya 1:08:11
2003 Martin Lel Kenya 1:00:10 Derartu Tulu Ethiopia 1:09:20
2002 Haile Gebrselassie Ethiopia 59:41 Susan Chepkemei Kenya 1:08:23
2001 Hendrick Ramaala South Africa 1:00:26 Susan Chepkemei Kenya 1:05:44
2000 Paul Tergat Kenya 59:06 Tegla Loroupe Kenya 1:07:23
1999 Japhet Kosgei Kenya 1:00:01 Tegla Loroupe Kenya 1:07:52
1998 António Pinto Portugal 59:43 Catherina McKiernan Ireland 1:07:50
1997 Mohammed Mourhit Belgium 1:01:17 Tegla Loroupe Kenya 1:09:01
1996 Clement Kiprotich Kenya 1:01:15 Tegla Loroupe Kenya 1:07:12
1995 Simon Lopuyet Kenya 1:00:26 Tegla Loroupe Kenya 1:08:21
1994 Andrés Espinosa Mexico 1:01:34 Tegla Loroupe Kenya 1:09:27
1993 Sammy Lelei Kenya 59:24 Nadezhda Ilyina Russia 1:09:47
1992 Tendai Chimusasa Zimbabwe 1:01:17 Heléna Barócsi Hungary 1:10:01
1991 Paul Evans England 1:01:44 Rosa Mota Portugal 1:09:52

Statistics

Winners by country

Country Men's race Women's race Total
Kenya 16 18 34
Ethiopia 5 10 15
Eritrea 3 0 3
Portugal 1 1 2
United States 0 2 2
Belgium 1 0 1
England 1 0 1
Hungary 0 1 1
Ireland 0 1 1
Mexico 1 0 1
Russia 0 1 1
South Africa 1 0 1
Zimbabwe 1 0 1
United Kingdom 1 0 1
New Zealand 1 0 1
Uganda 1 0 1
Djibouti 1 0 1

Multiple winners

Athlete Country Wins Years
Tegla Loroupe Kenya 6 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000
Susan Chepkemei Kenya 3 2001, 2002, 2005
Martin Lel Kenya 3 2003, 2006, 2009
Paul Tergat Kenya 2 2000, 2005
Zersenay Tadese Eritrea 3 2010, 2011, 2012
Haile Gebrselassie Ethiopia 2 2002, 2008
Salina Kosgei Kenya 2 2006, 2008
Tsehay Gemechu Ethiopia 2 2021, 2022

See also

References

  1. ^ Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2009-03-22). Lel and Goucher win in Lisbon Archived 2012-04-26 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-22.
  2. ^ a b World Athletics (2021-11-21). [https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-label-road-races/news/jacob-kiplimo-world-half-marathon-record-lisbon Kiplimo breaks world half marathon record in Lisbon. World Athletics. Retrieved on 2021-11-22.
  3. ^ a b Krol, Maarten (2009-03-29). Lisbon International Half Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2010-03-22.
  4. ^ a b c Moreira, Cristina & Costa, Paulo (2005-03-13). Tergat runs 59:10 in Lisbon Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-22.
  5. ^ Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2008-03-14). New course, new bonus and amazing fields for EDP Lisbon Half Marathon - PREVIEW. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-22.
  6. ^ a b Dixon, Andy (2009-05-06). Lisbon Half-Marathon. Runner's World. Retrieved on 2010-03-22.
  7. ^ Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2009-03-20). Wanjiru, Lel and Cheruiyot top strong fields at Lisbon Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-22.
  8. ^ a b Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2008-03-16). In largely solo run, Gebrselassie takes Lisbon Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-03-22.
  9. ^ https://files.cdsi.pt/maratona/comunicado_coronavirus_2020.pdf
  10. ^ a b "COVID-19: Meia Maratona e Maratona de Lisboa adiadas para 2021".
  11. ^ "Race Results 2009". Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
List of winners
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.