Lisbon Half Marathon

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 is the current world record for the half marathon distance.[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.

Lisbon Half Marathon
The mass race begins by crossing the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge
Datelate November (2021)
LocationLisbon, Portugal
Event typeRoad
DistanceHalf marathon
Primary sponsorEDP
Established1991
Course recordsMen's: 57:31 (2021)
Uganda Jacob Kiplimo
Women's: 1:05:44 (2001)
Kenya Susan Chepkemei
Official siteLisbon Half Marathon
Participants7793 finishers (2022)
5,424 finishers (2021)
15,692 (2019)

History
The south-facing facade of the Jerónimos Monastery
The Belém Tower from the north-east side
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
Zersenay Tadese broke the world record in 2010.
Kara Goucher won the women's race in 2009.[11]

Key:   Course record   Short or assisted course

Year Men's winner Nationality Time
000(h:m:s)		 Women's winner Nationality Time
000(h:m:s)
2022 Kenneth Renju  Kenya 1:00:13 Tsehay Gemechu  Ethiopia 1:06:44
2021 Jacob Kiplimo  Uganda 57:31 WR Tsehay Gemechu  Ethiopia 1:06:06
2020postponed 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 WR 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
Martin Lel (right) is historically the most successful male runner of the competition
Tegla Loroupe is a six-time winner of the race.

Winners by country
Country Men's race Women's race Total
 Kenya161733
 Ethiopia3710
 Eritrea303
 Portugal112
 United States022
 Belgium101
 England101
 Hungary011
 Ireland011
 Mexico101
 Russia011
 South Africa101
 Zimbabwe101
 United Kingdom101
 New Zealand101

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. 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. Krol, Maarten (2009-03-29). Lisbon International Half Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2010-03-22.
  4. 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. 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. 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. "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
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