Tsigie Gebreselama returns to the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon to defend her title in one of the strongest editions ever
Ethiopia’s Tsigie Gebreselama is one of the elite runners to watch at the 2026 EDP Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday. She returns to defend her title in one of the toughest fields, with 10 women who have run under 1:10 for the half marathon, including Kenya’s Janeth Chepngetich and fellow Ethiopian Girmawit Gebrzihair.
The men’s race will be equally exciting, with 6 of them having personal bests under 60 minutes, and Uganda’s Oscar Chelimo being an interesting debutant to watch. Of course, Jacob Kiplimo will be the main star of the race!
Below is the press release.
Press Release
March 4, 2026
Tsigie Gebreselama returns to the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon to defend her title in one of the strongest editions ever
Men’s elite field boasts world-class depth
Following last month’s announcement of Jacob Kiplimo’s return to the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon, the Maratona Clube de Portugal today revealed the full elite lineup for this Sunday’s race (March 8). The standout name is Tsigie Gebreselama, last year’s winner and current course record holder (1:04:21).
In addition to the Ethiopian—who became the 11th fastest woman of all time with her performance in Lisbon—the field includes 10 women with personal bests under 1:10. This group features her compatriot Girmawit Gebrzihair (1:04:14) and France’s Mekdes Woldu (1:08:36), who is within striking distance of the French national record (1:08:20).
The men’s field is set to be one of the strongest in the history of the Portuguese half marathon, with several national and potentially continental records under threat. This is in addition to Jacob Kiplimo’s highly anticipated attempt to break the world record.
With Samuel Barata among the top contenders, several athletes are expected to push for fast times and challenge their respective national records. Of particular note is the French contingent, consisting of Etienne Daguinos (59:46), Valentin Gondouin (1:00:17), and Hassan Chahdi (1:01:05), who may target Emmanuel Roudolff’s mark of 59:37.
Keep a close eye on Spain’s Said Mechaal, the recent national 10km record holder, and Norway’s Awet Kibrab, one of the fastest Europeans in marathon history (2:04:24 on his debut).
