Almgren runs European record to win world half marathon title in Copenhagen

Sweden’s Andreas Almgren outkicked Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir to win the half marathon title in a European record of 58:06 at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 on Sunday (20).

They were closely matched throughout but Almgren timed his finishing surge to perfection, moving away from Kipkorir down the final stretch past Parken to get his first global gold, adding the title to his world 10,000m bronze from Tokyo last year and the European 10,000m title he won last month.

Almgren improved his own European record by 35 seconds to move to ninth on the world all-time list. He won by five seconds ahead of Kipkorir, while Uganda’s multiple Olympic and world champion Joshua Cheptegei got bronze in a PB of 58:26. Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku finished fourth in a PB of 58:35, matching his position at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee in January.