Porto Half Marathon

Porto Half Marathon

The race crosses the River Douro over Dom Luís Bridge
Date September or October
Location Porto—Vila Nova de Gaia
 Portugal
Event type Road
Distance Half marathon
Established 2007
Official site Sportzone Half Marathon

The Porto Half Marathon (Portugese: Meia-Maratona do Porto) is an annual half marathon road running event which follows the River Douro, starting in the city of Porto and ending in Vila Nova de Gaia. Known as the Sportzone Half Marathon for sponsorship reasons, the inaugural edition was held in 2007 and it typically takes place in either September or October.[1]

The competition attracts top level elite athletes, principally East African and Portuguese runners.[2] Since its inception, all the men's and women's races have been won by East African competitors. Among those to top the men's podium are Olympic champions Haile Gebrselassie and Samuel Wanjiru, while former world champion over 10,000 metres, Berhane Adere, was the 2010 women's winner.[3][4]

Zersenay Tadese holds the men's course record with his time of 59:30 minutes, set in 2011.[5] Pamela Chepchumba (a two-time winner) set the women's course record of 1:10:24 hours in 2009.[4]

The half marathon course begins near Freixo Bridge bridge and heads westwards, passing Cais de Gaia and Afurada before turning back on itself. It goes east, crossing the Douro over Dom Luís Bridge and again loops back once the route reaches the area near Freixo Bridge again. The course heads west towards the mouth of the Douro, going past Miragaia and finishing in the Jardim do Calém in Vila Nova de Gaia. In addition to the main half marathon event, there is a smaller 5 km mini-marathon which goes direct from Freixo Bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia.[6]

The race is one of three major annual running events organised in the city by the Run Porto group, alongside the Porto Marathon and the São Silvestre Porto.[7][8]

Past winners

Key:       Course record

Edition Year Men's winner Time (h:m:s) Women's winner Time (h:m:s)
1st 2007  Jonathan Kipkorir (KEN) 1:01:39  Lenah Cheruiyot (KEN) 1:11:23
2nd 2008  Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) 1:01:24  Pamela Chepchumba (KEN) 1:10:26
3rd 2009  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 1:00:04  Pamela Chepchumba (KEN) 1:10:24
4th[2] 2010  Stephen Kibet (KEN) 1:00:09  Berhane Adere (ETH) 1:13:49
5th 2011  Zersenay Tadese (ERI) 59:30  Doris Changeywo (KEN) 1:10:36

References

  1. ^ Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2007-09-23). Kipkorir wins Half Marathon in Portugal, as Tergat finishes tenth. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-10-04.
  2. ^ a b Rui Silva e Fernanda Ribeira foram os portugueses mais bem classificados (Portuguese). Sapo Desporto (2010-10-10). Retrieved on 2011-10-04.
  3. ^ Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2008-09-21). Wanjiru, Chepchumba take Half Marathon victories in Porto. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-10-04.
  4. ^ a b Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2009-10-18). Gebrselassie just outside 60 minutes at Porto Half - UPDATED. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-10-04.
  5. ^ Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2011-09-18). Tadese under one hour in Oporto. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-10-04.
  6. ^ Mapa Dos Percursos (Portuguese). Run Porto. Retrieved on 2011-10-04.
  7. ^ Run Porto - Our Events (Portuguese). Run Porto. Retrieved on 2011-10-04.
  8. ^ Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2008-01-01). Masai, Prokopcuka produce the fireworks in Amadora – Portuguese New Year’s race round-up. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-10-04.

External links

Annual half marathons in Europe
France
Netherlands
Portugal
Lisbon Half Marathon • Porto Half Marathon • Portugal Half Marathon
Sweden
United Kingdom
Elsewhere
Berlin Half Marathon (Germany) • Budapest Half Marathon (Hungary) • Neujahrsmarathon Zürich (Switzerland) • Prague Half Marathon (Czech Republic) • Roma-Ostia Half Marathon (Italy) • Zurrieq Half Marathon (Malta) • Kärnten läuft (Austria)