Isaia Lasoi and Daniel Mateiko both break the Antrim Coast Half Marathon record in Larne
Lasoi won in 58:26 by four seconds from Mateiko, with Kenya taking the first four places; Girmawit Gebrzihair won the women's race in 1:06:12.
Photograph: Daniel Mateiko winning the 2023 Antrim Coast Half Marathon, by Mondaymedia24, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsIsaia Lasoi of Kenya won the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in Larne on Sunday in 58:26, a course record. Daniel Mateiko, who won here in 2023 and holds the UK and Ireland all-comers record, was four seconds behind in 58:30, also inside the old record. Vincent Kipkorir was third in 1:00:39 and Samwel Chebolei fourth in 1:01:02 for a Kenyan one-two-three-four, with Yismaw Dillu of Ethiopia fifth in 1:01:06.
Galen Rupp was tenth in 1:01:30 and Marc Scott the first British finisher in 12th, 1:02:25. Andrew Fyfe, Hamish Hickey and Ryan Thomson all ran personal bests for Scotland in 63:17, 64:05 and 64:30.
Girmawit Gebrzihair of Ethiopia won the women's race in 1:06:12. Winnie Kimutai of Kenya was second in 1:07:03 and Wede Kefale third in 1:07:12, ahead of Degitu Azimeraw in 1:08:44 and Dakotah Popehn, the first American, in 1:08:47.
The race carries a World Athletics Elite Label, and the 5 km that goes with it was quick too: Aynadis Mebratu won the women's race in 14:51 from Beatrice Chepkoech, and Ermias Girma the men's in 13:50.
Two men inside the old record on a coast road in County Antrim. The fast half marathons are not all in Valencia any more.
Sources: Athletics Weekly; Antrim Coast Half Marathon; Scottish Athletics.
