Agnes Ngetich Eyes Another World Title After a Stunning 2026 Season

Kenyan star Agnes Ngetich is set to cap an extraordinary 2026 season by aiming for another global title in the women's half marathon at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen.

This year, Ngetich has demonstrated remarkable dominance across various surfaces and distances. Her campaign began with a commanding 42-second victory at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee in January.

She followed this by clocking a world-leading 28:58 for 10km in Lille, the third-fastest time in history. On the track, she proved her speed by winning a competitive 3000m in Monaco with a world-leading time of 8:08.95.

A victory in the Danish capital would solidify her status as one of the most versatile distance runners of her generation. Currently ranked as the world's number one road runner, Ngetich heads to Copenhagen as the clear favourite.

Her credentials over the 21.1km distance are formidable. The world 10km record-holder made her half-marathon debut in Valencia in 2024 with a stunning 1:03:04, returning a year later to win in 1:03:08. These times remain the second- and third-fastest performances ever recorded, trailing only Letesenbet Gidey’s world record of 1:02:52.

Her only blemish in an otherwise stellar year was at the New York City Half Marathon in March, where an aggressive start led to her fading to 13th place in 1:10:25. Copenhagen presents a chance for redemption, and her overall record suggests the New York result was an anomaly.

Tsigie Gebreselama of Ethiopia is poised to be one of Ngetich's strongest rivals. The 2023 world cross-country silver medallist is the fastest entrant this year, having won the Lisbon Half Marathon in March with a time of 1:04:48.

With a personal best of 1:04:21, she will be determined to improve on her fourth-place finish at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga three years ago.

Her compatriot, Ftaw Zeray, has also had an impressive season, winning the Paris Half Marathon with a personal best of 1:05:12 and securing a second-place finish in Istanbul. Zeray finished sixth in this event at the 2023 championships and will be aiming for a podium spot.

Kenya's team depth is formidable. Lilian Kasait Rengeruk, the fourth-fastest woman in history with a personal best of 1:03:32, adds significant strength.

She also boasts a 29:32 10km time and a fifth-place finish in the Olympic 10,000m in Paris. Fellow Kenyans Daisilah Jerono (1:05:21) and Veronica Loleo (1:05:35) are also major contenders after strong performances in Berlin.

International Stars to Watch

The international field features several athletes in top form. Weini Kelati Frezghi arrives having set a new US half-marathon record of 1:06:04 in Barcelona.

Slovenia’s Klara Lukan has also had a breakthrough year, setting a national record of 1:06:43 before becoming the first European woman to run a sub-30-minute 10km on the roads (29:51).

Uganda’s Esther Chebet comes to Copenhagen with a recent victory and a personal best of 1:06:33 from Malaga. Meanwhile, Uruguay’s Julia Paternain brings championship experience, having won a marathon bronze at last year's World Championships in Tokyo.

Veteran competitor Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal of Norway, a multiple European medallist and the 2024 European half-marathon champion, is known for her tactical prowess on challenging courses.

While Ngetich is the athlete to beat, the race in Copenhagen is set to be a thrilling contest. With Gebreselama holding the year's fastest time and a deep Kenyan squad, the battle for the world title promises to be fierce.