Below is a press release from the organizers of the Lisbon Half Marathon, on the addition of Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia to their elite list.

The third fastest athlete ever in the 10K makes his 21K debut in Lisbon

One week after announcing the participation of world record holder Ruth Chep’ngetich, the Maratona Clube de Portugal now confirms Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi as the star of the men’s elite field in this year’s edition of the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon, scheduled for March 9.

Aregawi, 23, is the 5K world record holder (12:49, Barcelona 2021) and the third fastest athlete ever in both the 10K (26:33, Laredo 2023) and the 3,000 meters (7:21.28, Chorzów 2024). Now, he is set to make his half marathon debut in the Portuguese capital, after a breakthrough year in which he won the silver medal in the 10,000 meters at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The young Ethiopian believes this is the right time to take this step, following a dedicated training period.

“I’m excited to announce that I will make my debut in the distance on March 9 at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon. I’ve trained well over the past few months to prepare for this race, and I can’t wait to run fast,” said Aregawi to the event organizers.

In addition to his Olympic silver medal in Paris 2024, Aregawi also finished 4th in the 10,000 meters at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, a position he repeated in the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. He is also a two-time silver medalist in the World Cross Country Championships (2023 and 2024).

With this announcement, Lisbon reaffirms its status as a premier destination for elite athletes and debutants looking for a fast, flat, and record-breaking course.

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