CPH Half ranks among the world’s fastest half marathons. The elite strategy of the organizers attracts numerous future top athletes.
Abraham Kiptum came in second at CPH Half a month later he set a new World Record.
Organizers of the Copenhagen Half Marathon have a clear strategy in spotting future stars and bringing them to start. A strategy that has placed the CPH Half in top among the fastest half marathons in the world.
“The fact is that we are not financially equipped to attract the biggest names such as Mo Farah. Instead, it is often the slightly younger runners, not yet at their full capacity, lining up for start, and that actually often yields faster times. They take a chance right from the start and run to set a fast time, as this can further their career’, says Henrik Paulsen, Sports Director at Sparta Atletik & Motion.
The man who broke the world record
A good example of this strategy is Abraham Kiptum. A name that may not mean a lot to most people, precisely as it didn’t when he lined up for start on September 16th at the Copenhagen Half Marathon.
At this point he was far from the biggest names and pre-favourites. Surprisingly, he finished second with a time of 59:09, which was a new personal best. He then continued to set an amazing new world record with a time of 58:18 just one month later at the Valencia half marathon.
“This proves that we are securing the right runners for the CPH Half. Our dream is for a new world record to be set in Copenhagen, and had the wind not played a trick on us this year, we definitely had runners capable of setting a new world record, as Kiptum proved a month later in Valencia. So, this will remain our strategy when we compile the 2019 elite field’, says Henrik Paulsen
The Copenhagen Half Marathon will take place on September 15th 2019 and registration is now open.
