The women’s race heats up in Naples as Nimbona targets the Italian National Record.
Momentum continues to build ahead of the Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon, organised by Napoli Running and scheduled for Sunday, 22 February, as attention now turns to the women’s elite field. Following widespread media interest generated by the men’s headline clash between Italian top athletes Pietro Riva and Yeman Crippa, the spotlight shifts to a women’s race that promises to be equally compelling, with both the Italian half marathon record and the race record set in sight.
With 10,000 runners already registered, the event is shaping up to be a record-breaking edition. Among the key names already confirmed is Elvanie Nimbona. Born in Burundi and recently granted Italian citizenship, Nimbona will target the Italian Women’s half marathon record.
Naples once again provides the backdrop of a historic running stage, where record ambitions define the competition. Just as Riva and Crippa will chase the Italian men’s record of 59:26, set by Crippa in Naples in 2022, Nimbona will attempt to lower the women’s Italian record of 1:08:27, equaled on this very course by Sofiia Yaremchuk in 2024.
The elite women
With race day approaching, the organisers have confirmed a strong women’s elite field aiming to leave its mark on the event’s prestigious hall of fame. The race record of 1:06:47, set by Violah Cheptoo (KEN) in 2020, remains the benchmark.
Among the leading contenders are Kenya’s Regina Cheptoo, who arrives with a personal best of 1:08:26 from the 2025 Rome Half Marathon, and Lucy Nthenya Ndambuki, close behind with 1:08:58 from Copenhagen in 2024.
Elvanie Nimbona finds herself in strong company. Last year in Naples she finished second with a personal best of 1:09:00, and since confirming her participation, she has further demonstrated her form by setting a new 10 km personal best of 32:11 in Valencia just days ago. Also returning is Kenyan Nelly Jeptoo, who will be looking to improve on her third-place finish in 2025, when she finished with 1:09:14.
Further back, but still firmly in contention, is Denmark’s Sara Schou Kristensen, the 2024 national marathon champion, who brings a personal best of 1:11:07 from Barcelona (2024). She is followed by Sara Bottarelli, former Italian international and bronze medallist at the 2016 European Mountain Running Championships, as well as the current Italian half marathon champion, who improved her personal best to 1:11:31 at the Milan Half Marathon in late 2025.
The third chasing group is led by Finland’s Susanna Saapunki, silver medallist at the 2025 World Mountain Running Championships and sixth in 2022, with a half marathon best of 1:13:20 from the European Running Championships Brussels-Leuven (2025). Close behind are Germany’s Lisa Huwatscheck (1:14:00, Hamburg 2024) and Italy’s Alessia Tuccitto, Italian U23 half marathon champion in 2019, who holds a personal best of 1:14:23 from Rome (2023).
France is represented by Latifa Mokhtari, who recently ran 1:14:56 at the 2025 Nice Half Marathon. Completing the elite field are Czech runner Michaela Čepová (1:15:38, Prague 2025), Ukraine’s Iryna Horodyska, making her half marathon debut, and Italy’s Rebecca Volpe with a personal best of 1:16:36 from Cremona in 2025.
Entries for the Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon and the Hyundai Relay are now closed.
The Family Run & Friends will take place on Saturday, 21 February 2026, starting at 11:00 am, over an approximately 2 km course. Registration is free for children under the age of 10. Entries remain open online or onsite at the Expo Village on Friday, 20 February (3:00–8:00 pm) and Saturday, 22 February, until 30 minutes before the start.
