Battles for the race record and the Italian men’s record heat up
All eyes on Crippa, Riva and Kirui
The countdown to the Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon on Sunday, 22 February has begun. A day of sport that will bring together 10,000 athletes and promises to be truly spectacular. The atmosphere is electric, with both the men’s race record and the Italian half marathon record under threat from Yeman Crippa, Pietro Riva and Brian Kwemoi Kirui.
The leading athletes of this year’s edition were presented today at the Expo Village of the Mostra d’Oltremare.
Elite men
Italy’s star runner Yemaneberhan “Yeman” Crippa returns to Naples as the Italian half marathon record holder thanks to his 59:26 set here in 2022, when he became the first Italian to break the one-hour barrier while setting the race record.
“I am very happy to be back here. Setting the Italian record in Naples in 2022 running my second half marathon was an immense joy – the city welcomed me with open arms. I’m here to defend my 59:26, which is both my national record and the race record. I trained very well in Kenya over the past month and I feel great. Tomorrow’s weather looks perfect and the course is even faster. I know the support along the route will be incredible – I will really need it in the final uphill tunnel. I trained the entire month in Kenya with Brian Kirui Kwemoi, who shares the race record with me – we are great friends. At first I thought he would be my pacemaker, but instead he will be one of my rivals… it will be challenging with him, with Pietro Riva and with everyone else,” said Crippa.
Another Italian to watch is Pietro Riva, who ran 59:41 in Valencia in 2023, his personal best.
“It’s my first time in Naples and it will be a great challenge with all the athletes and with Yeman. Running again close to my personal best or going under one hour will be very difficult, but when you race you always give your maximum – and that’s what I will do,” said Riva.
Both Italians will have to face Kenya’s Brian Kirui Kwemoi, the 2024 Naples champion, who matched Crippa’s race record with the same time of 59:26.
Also lining up are Kenya’s Mkulia Kipkandie (59:48 in Krems 2025) and Owen Korir Kapkama, who will aim to improve on his recent 1:00:25 from Seville. Europe will be represented by Ukrainian record holder Bohdan-Ivan Horodyskyi and decorated Czech champion Jan Friš, making his debut at the distance. Among the chasers are Kenya’s Andrea Kiptoo (1:01:30 in Boston 2025) and Evans Kipkorir (1:01:51 in Florence 2025).
Elite women
In the women’s race, the spotlight is on Kenya’s Regina Cheptoo (1:08:26 in Rome 2025) and Lucy Nthenya Ndambuki (1:08:58 in Copenhagen). Nelly Jeptoo returns to the course where she placed third in 2025 with her personal best of 1:09:14.
Further back on paper are Denmark’s 2024 national marathon champion Sara Schou Kristensen (1:11:07 in Barcelona) and Italy’s reigning national half marathon champion Sara Bottarelli (Freezone), bronze medallist at the 2016 European Mountain Running Championships, who improved her PB to 1:11:31 in Milan at the end of 2025.
“It’s wonderful to be here. This morning I trained along the seafront and saw so many people running. I’m convinced this race can inspire many to take up this beautiful sport that brings wellbeing and a sense of community. I’m not as fit as I was in the fall when I won the Italian title, as I’ve had an injury in recent months. It will be impossible for me to match those times, but I want to feel good and I hope this race will be a great start to 2026, and will be even better than 2025,” commented 2025 Italian half marathon champion Sara Bottarelli.
The event can be followed live with the commentary in English by Tim Hutchings from 8:45.
1,500 at the Family Run & Friends – a celebration of smiles
More than 1,500 participants, many of them children, filled the Mostra d’Oltremare for the Family Run & Friends, creating a joyful curtain-raiser to race weekend and setting a new participation record for the event. Families, grandparents and strollers joined the 2 km non-competitive run in a festive atmosphere enhanced by music, waving flags and the iconic Esedra fountain.
The event also hosted a powerful moment for the social inclusion project “We Run Again,” promoted by Napoli Running with the support of Sport e Salute, as several women inmates from the Pasquale Mandato Prison in Secondigliano took part and were able to reunite with their loved ones through sport. Tomorrow, four inmates will continue this journey by running in the Hyundai Relay.
The Family Run concluded with medals and refreshments for all, confirming once again that the Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon is not only about elite performances, but also about community, inclusion and the joy of running together.
