Zersenay Tadese Habtesilase is an Eritrean long-distance track and road running athlete. He held the men's half marathon world record from 2010 to 2018. His bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics made him the first ever Eritrean Olympic medallist, and his 20-km title at the 2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships also made him the country's first athlete to win at a world championship event. He does not use a sprint finish to win races; his strategy relies on a combination of efficient running and fast pace setting.
The 10th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on 7 October 2001 in the city of Bristol, UK, and was run immediately before that year's Bristol Half Marathon. A total of 200 athletes, 125 men and 75 women, from 52 countries took part. Detailed reports on the event and an appraisal of the results were given.
The 14th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships were held in Edmonton, Canada on 1 October 2005. The competition was replaced by the World Road Running Championships in 2006 and 2007, but revived as IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 2008.
The 2008 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 12 October 2008.
The 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships were held in Udine, Italy on 14 October 2007. Detailed reports on the event and an appraisal of the results were given both for the men's race and for the women's race.
The 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held in Birmingham, United Kingdom on 11 October 2009. It was the final event of the International Association of Athletics Federations' 2009 World Athletics Series.
The 6th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on October 4, 1997, in the city of Košice, Slovakia. A total of 228 athletes, 144 men and 84 women, from 45 countries took part. Detailed reports on the event and an appraisal of the results was given.
The 7th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on September 27, 1998, in the city of Uster, Switzerland. A total of 236 athletes, 139 men and 97 women, from 54 countries took part.
The 8th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on October 3, 1999, in the city of Palermo, Italy. A total of 192 athletes, 119 men and 73 women, from 48 countries, took part. The course was traced through the historical centre of the town with the start/finish line on the "Foro Italico." A detailed report on the event and an appraisal of the results were given.
The 9th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on November 12, 2000, in the city of Veracruz, Mexico. A total of 182 athletes, 121 men and 61 women, from 52 countries took part. Detailed reports on the event and an appraisal of the results was given.
The 11th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on May 5, 2002 in the city of Brussels, Belgium. A total of 198 athletes, 123 men and 75 women, from 60 countries took part. Detailed reports on the event and an appraisal of the results were given both for the men's race and for the women's race.
The 12th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on October 4, 2003 in Vilamoura, Portugal. A total of 171 athletes, 98 men and 73 women, from 49 countries took part. Detailed reports on the event and an appraisal of the results were given both for the men's race and for the women's race.
The 13th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on 3 October 2004 in New Delhi, India. A total of 152 athletes, 91 men and 61 women, from 55 countries took part.
The 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held in Nanning, China on 16 October 2010. The competition took place on the city streets, beginning and ending at Wuxiang Square, with a total prize purse of US$245,000 at stake.
Wilson Kiprop is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who specialises in the 10,000 metres and half marathon. He was the world champion at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 2010 and was the 10,000 m gold medalist at the 2010 African Championships in Athletics.
Feyse Tadese Boru is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes in the half marathon.
John Nzau Mwangangi is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes over distances ranging from 5000 metres to the half marathon. He was the gold medallist at the 2011 African Cross Country Championships. He has won a number of high-profile European road races, including the Dam tot Damloop, 20 Kilomètres de Paris, Greifenseelauf, the Valencia Half Marathon and the Valencia Marathon.
Meseret Hailu Debele is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes in half marathons and marathons. She was the gold medallist at the 2012 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and won the Amsterdam Marathon that same year. Her personal bests are 2:21:09 hours for the marathon and 66:56 minutes for the half marathon.
Stephen Kosgei Kibet is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in road running competitions from the 10K run to the marathon. His half marathon personal best of 58:54 minutes ranks him in the top ten of all-time for the distance. His best of the marathon distance is 2:08:05 hours.
Paskalia Chepkorir Kipkoech is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes mainly in half marathon races. Her personal best of 67:17 minutes ranks her within the top twenty all-time for the distance. She was the bronze medallist at the 2012 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.
