Yeman Crippa – Historic Italian record at the Napoli City Half Marathon
The Azzurro, Yeman Crippa, runs below the one-hour mark with 59:26 and sets the Italian half marathon record at the Naples City Half Marathon. Among women, Kenyan Gladys Chepkirui wins. Third is Sofiia Yaremchuk who crosses the finish line with the flag of her native Ukraine.
NAPLES, 27th February 2022 – Basking in sun, the spectacular city of Naples sees the Italian record achieved by the Azzuro, Yeman Crippa(Polizia), who stopped the clock at 59:26 at the Napoli City Half Marathon. New Italian record, improving on Eyob Faniel’s 1:00:07; course record snatched from Henry Rono (1:00:04), first time ever for an Italian under one hour, just 13 seconds from the European record (still in the hands of the Swiss Julien Wanders, today 6th in 1:00:28). He takes the jackpot, Yeman who writes an indelible page in the history of European and Italian athletics.
Naples is at the centre of the world of running, with a competition of the highest technical level with four athletes under the hour, between 59:26 of Crippa and fourth in the standings, Josphat Kiprotich (59:35 debut) the beauty of only 9 seconds and racing through the finishing line. In the middle, the Kenyan Joshua Kiplangat Belet in 59:28 and Josphat Kipkemboi Kemei in 59:32, capturing the quicksilver of this day.
The women’s race will also be remembered with the success of Gladys Chepkirui, who crossed the finish line in Viale Kennedy, at the Mostra D’Oltremare, in 1:08:09, improving her personal best by over 5 minutes. Behind the Kenyan was the Ethiopian, Bezabh Ftaw Zeray in 1:09:36. Highly encouraged Sofiia Yaremchuk (C.s. Army) finished third, naturalized Italian for a year but of Ukrainian origins, who finished her race waving the Ukrainian flag and setting her personal best of 1:10:13.
It is a magnificent day for Italy as well as for Naples – also with a great debut of Yohanes Chiappinelli (Carabinieri), who finished in 12th place overall, and 2nd Italian, in 1:02:08 and the 13th place in 1:02:35 by Ilias Aouani (Fiamme Azzurre), reigning Italian half marathon champion, who takes away 26 seconds from his personal best.
“It is an important moment for all of Italian athletics and for me too,” says radiant and highly acclaimed Yeman Crippa, “I had a fiery gaze upon arrival. I had all the competitive nastiness that I kept inside after the 2021 season lacking in results. A few injuries, some retirements like in Siena in my debut, the Tokyo Olympics, the Euro Cross in Dublin, then today I exploded. I didn’t think I could do so well. At the 15th km, I realized that I was at the correct time for the record. I went to 14:02 at 5km, 28:12 at 10 km, 42:25 at 15km, very regular at the rate of 2:49 per km. From the tenth kilometre, I joined the leading group and around the eighteenth kilometre, I was alone, in the slight climb of 600 meters. Inside the Lazio tunnel, I launched the sprint, there was 2 km left and then I saw the finish line down there and I gave it my best. Naples is beautiful, a cheer as we raced on the course. It has been three wonderful days for me.”
Before the start, all the participants of the race paid respect with 30 seconds of silence for peace and to commemorate the victims of the war in Ukraine in recent days and for all wars. Certainly very exciting and touching moments for Sofiia Yaremchuk who, in addition to arriving waving the flag of her home country, ran with a bow in her hair with the colours of Ukraine: "An important personal best,” says the bearer of the C.S. Italian Army, “I knew I had trained well in Iten in the last month. Of course, the last few days have been really difficult for me and with many concerns. Naples, this race, this day, everything was spectacular. I dedicated my success to Ukraine and Lviv, my city about 200km from Kyiv.”
A great day for Napoli Running and Napoli City Half Marathon that welcomed 4200 people at the start this morning, including the participants of the 10 + 11,097km relay. “A dreamed and strongly desired record,” says President Carlo Capalbo, “we make records and firsts throughout Europe with my international team. Great records are coming and will keep on returning to Naples. Thanks to those who believed and worked with me for this exceptional result, my staff from Napoli Running and Runczech, as well as the hundreds of volunteers working with us today. ”
Napoli Running is looking forward to next December 4th, when another edition of the Sorrento Positano Ultramarathon and Panoramica will be held.
