NAIROBI, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The World half-marathon record will be under threat as Kenyan runners Caroline Kipkurui and Joan Melly scheme to shatter Joyciline Jepkosgei's mark of 64:51 at this year's Prague Half Marathon on Saturday.
Kipkurui, 23, wants to follow in Jepkosgei's path and break the world record but will face stiff challenge from Melly and the Ethiopian entourage at the Czech Republic half marathon.
"The absence of Jepkosgei does not water down the level of competition. I still feel those running have one thing in common, eyes the win in a fast time," Kipkurui said on Thursday.
The women's field includes three women who have ran 67 minutes led by Kipkirui, whose 1:05:07 in Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) this year makes her the fifth fastest women in history, and Joan Chelimo Melly the eighth fastest woman with 1:05:37 in the same race.
They will be hoping to capture some of the magic that occurred last year when Joyciline Jepkosgei set four world records on the same course (in the 10, 15, 20 km and half marathon).
But they will face an experienced and talented challenger in the form of Worknesh Degefa, the 2015 winner here whose 1:06:14 personal best was run in Prague in 2016.
"It will be a fast race and a world record can easily fall in place. But I only want to win," said Melly.
The trio left on Wednesday for Prague. The top field in the men's race has favorites Justus Kangogo, James Rungaru, Geoffrey Ronoh, Josphat Tanui and Benard Kimeli, the last year's winner of the Prague Grand Prix.
All six athletes are capable of completing the course in under one hour. The leading time belongs to the event record holder, Atsedu Tsegay, whose 58:47 from 2012 is also the Ethiopian National Record and the seventh fastest time in history.
His challengers will be led by Kimeli and Josphat Kimutai Tanui, who was the second in the last year's Prague half-marathon. Organizers say any one of another dozen men could step up to the top of the podium.
