By Athletics Kenya Media Team
Athletics Kenya has named a 16-member squad that will represent Kenya at the World Road Running Championships scheduled for September 19–20 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Kenya will field a formidable line-up in the half marathon (21km), 5km and Road Mile.
Leading the charge are 2023 world 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo and world 10km record holder Agnes Ng’etich, who take on the men’s and women’s half marathon races.
Kenya’s half marathon to World Road Running Championships
In the men’s half marathon, Ebenyo will have the company of Gideon Rono, Nicholas Kipkorir and Michael Kiplangat.
Meanwhile, Ng’etich will be joined in the women’s 21km race by Daisilah Jerono, Veronica Loleo and Lilian Kasait.
Ebenyo returns to the World Road Running Championships with unfinished business, hoping to upgrade his silver medal from 2023 to gold this time around.
At the 2023 championships in Riga, Latvia, Ebenyo secured silver in the half marathon, crossing the finish line in 59:14 behind compatriot and current world marathon record holder Sabastian Sawe, who set a course record of 59:10.
Samwel Maili rounded off a memorable Kenyan podium sweep by taking bronze in 59:19. The Riga championships were also memorable because of the dramatic manner in which the race ended.
With less than 200 metres remaining in the men’s 21km race, Ebenyo, who had led for a major portion of the gruelling stretch, slowed slightly and offered a respectful salute to Sawe, allowing his compatriot to cross first and claim the coveted gold medal.
In later interviews, Ebenyo revealed that letting Sawe win was an act rooted in the spirit of sportsmanship.
“It is not that I was not strong, I wanted to tell the world that there are good people out there and it’s not always about winning. I wanted Sawe to win because I have been on the world stage so I wanted him to also have a feel,” Ebenyo said.
Emanuel Ebenyo’sbWorld Road Running Championships target
However, this time, the 30-year-old will be keen to make a statement of intent and storm his way to a maiden global gold medal, buoyed by a strong start to his 2026 campaign.
On January 10, Ebenyo secured bronze at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, crossing the finish line in 28:45.
The distance star also heads to Copenhagen armed with an impressive resume over 21km.
His impressive list of victories includes Laayoune in 2019, where he clocked 1:00:45, Chicago on June 7 in 1:00:49, Istanbul in 2023 in 59:52, Berlin in 2024 in 59:30 and New Delhi in 2023 in 59:27.
Meanwhile, Ng’etich heads to Copenhagen after finally clinching her first world title earlier in January.
At the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Ng’etich produced a commanding performance to storm to gold in 31:28, adding another major global title to her burgeoning collection.
The 25-year-old also boasts the Kenyan national record over 21km, courtesy of her blistering 1:03:04 triumph in Valencia in 2024. That mark also stands as the second-fastest time in history in the women’s half marathon.
Only Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey has gone faster, courtesy of her 1:02:52 triumph in Valencia in 2021.
Kenya’s 5km race team to World Road Running Championships
In the 5km race, Kenya’s men’s charge will include Charles Kiboino and newly crowned Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Mathew Kipsang.
The women’s 5km race will feature reigning Prague Half Marathon champion Caroline Gitonga and 2022 African Championships 10,000m gold medallist Caroline Nyaga.
In the Road Mile, 2023 African 1,500m champion Brian Komen and former national 1,500m champion Daniel Munguti will fly the national flag.
Reigning national 1,500m champion Naomi Korir and 2018 World Under-20 1,500m silver medallist Mirriam Cherop will represent the country in the women’s Road Mile.
