RAK Half Marathon champion Bedan Karoki will be seeking to defend his title during the 2018 edition of the event set for February 9. Karoki faces up to 15 men with sub-60 minute bests—two more than last year—and his task is well cut out, whether he goes faster than his 59:10 mark from twelve months ago or not. No less than 29 men have now broken the hour on the sweeping loops of the RAK circuit, including the four under 60 minutes last year, each of whom set their personal best in the process, and three of them are back. Facing Karoki again, the astonishing Augustine Choge, able to boast the greatest range of world class times in history and who clocked 59:26 in third place in only his third half marathon, continues to seek experience before venturing to the full marathon, while Solomon Yego, fourth last year, dipped under the hour for the first time on a record-eligible course. The women’s field will be released later in the month where world record holder Peres Jepchirchir is expected to headline the list.

Source: The Star January 22, 2018 21:26 UTC