Prague has been a preferred pitstop for stag and hen events through the years. This weekend, although, town is about to be dominated by runners as a substitute.
Overlook the booze and the bars, the one factor that issues this weekend for a lot of are isotonic drinks and half-marathon medals as hundreds of individuals flood into the capital of the Czech Republic for one among Europe’s fastest-growing highway races.
The Prague Half Marathon begins on Saturday (April 6) at 10am native time and options 15,500 runners. Because of the creation of a brand new begin and end space, this has risen impressively from 11,600 final yr and the organisers, RunCzech, needed to shut the entries a few months in the past as a result of overwhelming demand.
Curiously, nearly 60% of the sphere is from exterior the Czech Republic. Nearly 1000 Brits have made the journey, for instance, which implies they make up 8% of the sphere. Solely Germany and naturally the Czech Republic may have a mightier presence.
That is the twenty fourth version of the race and adidas has remained a trustworthy associate because the starting. “We each believed in one another from the beginning,” stated Krzysztof Łuczakowski of adidas on the pre-event press convention. “Even in the course of the Covid pandemic, Carlo (Capaldo, the president of RunCzech) at all times discovered a means.”
READ MORE: Sabastian Sawe leads elite entries
Libor Varhaník, president of the Czech athletics federation, agreed: “After onerous Covid instances the runners have returned. It’s an excellent message for Czech athletics federation.”
The elite line-ups are led by Sabastian Sawe, the reigning world half-marathon champion from Kenya. He has gained 5 of the seven half-marathons he’s run prior to now and his slowest time is 59:23. This implies the occasion file of 58:47 is unquestionably underneath risk underneath what are anticipated to be sunny spring-like situations on Saturday.
The race, which has a prestigious Elite World Athletics label, additionally consists of Martin Fiz, the evergreen Spanish marathon runner who gained a world title in 1995 however continues to be operating amazingly effectively aged 61 and aiming to win all the Superhalfs occasions so as to add to the World Marathon Majors sweep of victories he loved when he was in his 50s.
READ MORE: Interview with evergreen runner Martín Fiz
Who is aware of, if their half-marathon goes effectively then possibly a couple of runners may be part of the party-goers within the metropolis centre for a post-race drink too.
The occasion is on Czech TV. Or watch the reside stream to the occasion right here…
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