Mo Farah faces tough test at World Half Marathon Champs
From the inaugural event in Newcastle in 1992 through to Bristol in 2001 and Birmingham in 2009, Britain has a fine tradition of staging the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.
British athletes also have a fine record with victories by Liz McColgan in 1992 and Paula Radcliffe in 2001 – and the favourite for the men’s race at this year’s event on Saturday is Mo Farah.
The Olympic and world 5000m and 10,000m champion could have chosen to race at the IAAF World Indoor Championships, which took place near his home in Oregon, but instead decided to test his fitness ahead of the Olympics over 13.1 miles on British soil.
His presence is sure to generate a great atmosphere in the Welsh city and the elite men’s race also takes place with a mass event featuring about 25,000 runners.
Farah’s half-marathon best is 59:22 from the Great North Run last September and he has been getting quicker each year with 60:23 in 2011, 60:10 in 2013, 60:00 in 2014 and 59:32 in spring 2015.
But he has tough opposition, most notably from Geoffrey Kamworor – world half-marathon champion in Copenhagen in 2014 and runner-up to Farah in the 10,000m at the World Championships in Beijing last summer.
Kamworor is joined in the Kenyan team by Simon Cheprot, Edwin Kiptoo, Edwin Kipyego and Bedan Karoki Muchiri.
"I’m expecting a tactical race," Farah said at the pre-event press conference.
"I’m really excited to be here. It’s part of my journey to Rio, so when this came up, it was a no-brainer.
"It’s going to be quite a tough race as Geoffrey is a great athlete – and the other Kenyans too – but hopefully I can go out there and have the crowd behind me."
On his training, he added: "I’m more ahead than last year. I’m pretty happy with how training has gone and Rio is looking good. As long as I stay injury free, I should be good for Rio."
Not surprisingly, the Ethiopians will also be fierce challengers and their team consists of Guye Adola, Abayneh Ayele, Teshome Mekonnen, Wasihun Mule and Adugna Tajkele and Tamirat Tola.
Michael Shelley, the Commonwealth marathon champion from Australia, also competes. Ireland, meanwhile, is led by Paul Pollock.
Farah is joined in the British team by Dewi Griffiths – the Welshman fresh from victory in the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships and sure to get huge support on home soil.
Callum Hawkins is also in the GB team and set a half- marathon PB of 62:36 in Paris as he limbers up for the London Marathon. Trials winner Ryan McLeod and Matthew Hynes fill the other spots.
In the last Championships Kenya massacred their opposition, taking the first five places, and it wouldn’t be a big surprise if they did so again.
Cynthia Limo tops the world rankings with her 66:04 victory at Ras Al Khaimah. The 2014 silver medallist Mary Wacera Ngugi has a famous name but also pedigree of performance and she won Houston in January in 66:29 ahead of Limo’s 66:41 and in the defending champion Gladys Cherono’s absence will start as marginal favourite.
Genet Yalew should lead Ethiopia’s challenge and has more big race experience. Netsanet Gudeta was the first Ethiopian in sixth in 2014 and is a proven competitor having finished third in the World Cross Country Championships.
USA were fifth in Copenhagen and they also have a solid team but probably not enough to medal with Sara Hall, who ran 70:07 at Houston, their fastest in 2016.
"We’re eyeing that chance to win a medal as a team," said Hall.
"I’ve felt there’s been a huge shift in attitude in runners in the US. The expectations have changed from making the team and making the final to winning medals.
"The bar has been raised across all events. It’s been like a snowball effect – it’s an exciting time to be part of the sport."
Britain’s chances of a team medal have faded following the withdrawal of Gemma Steel, who was seventh in this race in 2012 and is a former European cross-country champion.
In Steel’s absence, Alyson Dixon was a fine 18th in 2014 and could go even higher with home advantage this time. Former junior star Charlotte Purdue got selected on the strength of a 72:17 in Japan, while Jenny Spink and Rachel Felton got picked because of their runs in Cardiff in 2015. Tina Muir replaces Steel in the GB team.
A Home Countries International also takes place during the mass race with teams from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, UK Armed Forces & Wales.
Entry lists for the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships can be found here.
1.35pm Elite women
2.10pm Elite men and mass race
1.25pm BBC One
» See the March 24 edition of AW magazine for a more in-depth three-page preview to Saturday's World Half Marathon Championships action by Jason Henderson and Steve Smythe. Next week's magazine will include reports, pictures and results from the Cardiff event
