It has been said before, yet the line-up for this year’s Copenhagen Half Marathon is probably the best ever. With world record holder Jacob Kiplimo making his maiden appearance in the Danish capital, all eyes will be set at the ticking clock.

The 23-year-old Ugandan established the current world record mark in Lisbon in 2021 running an incredible 57:31 minutes. Since then, he hasn’t been beaten in any of his further three starts at half marathon winning in Ras Al Khaimah, Newcastle and New York. In Belgrade in March, he successfully defended his World Cross Country title. In other words, Kiplimo will be the man to beat in the race, which already in January saw a record with all 27.000 bibs sold out in a mere 39 days.

As the reigning world champion, Sabastian Sawe is as well among the favorites. The 29-year-old Kenyan, who hasn’t run any race on track for more than two years, can boast an impressive statistic on road having won six out of eight half marathons in his carrier, the latest in Prague in April with a – at that time – world leading mark of 58:24.

So, the world record holder, the world champion and who else? Last year’s winner of the CPH Half, of course! Edward Cheserek was the unexpected winner in 2023, but only two months after that triumph he came in eighth at his marathon debut in New York. Since then, he hasn’t appeared in any major race. Until the 15^th of September, that is.

Strong Kenyan woman – and a Norwegian European Champion
In the women’s race Kenya’s Margaret Kipkemboi, who took silver at last year’s World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia emerges as a favorite to take the title. Kipkemboi recently showed terrific shape when taking fifth and fourth spot at the Olympics at respectively 5000 and 10000 meters.

From a European perspective, attention here is at Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal. The Norwegian might have turned 34 this summer but still looks to be better than ever before. At the European Championships in Rome in June, she secured the title at half marathon with a winning margin of almost a minute. And in Copenhagen last year, she interfered in the East African dominance finishing sixth in a personal best of 1:07,34.

As has been the case for several years now, the CPH Half will also include the National Danish Championships.

Copenhagen Half Marathon 2024 – Athletes’ bio

Men

Jacob Kiplimo – Uganda (born 2000)
World Record holder at Half Marathon – 57.31 (Lisbon 21 Nov 2021)
World Half Marathon Champion 2020
World Cross Country Champion 2023 & 2024 (Silver in Aarhus DEN 2019)
Bronze 10000m – Olympic Games Tokyo 2021
Bronze 10000m – World Championships 2022

Edward Cheserek – Kenya (born 1994)
#1 CPH Half 2023 (PB 59:11)
#2 New York Half 2022

Sabastian Sawe – Kenya (born 1995)
World Half Marathon Champion 2023
#1 Berlin Half 2023
Has run eight half marathons in his carrier, winning six of them (and never in a time slower than 59:23)
9^th in the All-Time Half Marathon list (58:02 – Ostia 2022)

Women

Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal – Norway (born 1990)
Reigning European Half Marathon Champion
#1 New York Half 2024
3 X European Cross Country Champion 2021-23
#8 at 5000m – Olympics 2024
#6 CPH Half 2023 (NR 1:07,34)

Margaret Kipkemboi – Kenya (born 1993)
Silver – World Half Marathon 2023
Silver – 5000m World Championships 2019
Olympics Paris 2024: #4 at 10000m – #5 at 5000m