By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2026 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
NAPOLI (22-Feb) — With one powerful move in the 19th kilometer, Yemaneberhan Crippa broke open the 12th edition of the Coelmo Napoli City Half-Marathon and scooted to victory in a new Italian record of 59:01. The 29 year-old, who had set the previous record of 59:26 when he won here in Napoli four years ago, moved up to #2 on the all-time European list behind only Sweden’s Andreas Almgren, who ran 58:41 in Valencia last October. Crippa’s mark was also a new course record and the second-fastest time ever on Italian soil on a record-eligible course.
“I try to do my best,” Crippa told Race Results Weekly while posing for a selfie with a fan after the race. “Very nice weather, very nice course. Also, the pacemaker was very good.”
Indeed, the conditions here were very favorable for fast running. The start-time temperature was about 9C/48F, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and there was no perceptible wind. That allowed pacemaker Gideon Kipkorir Rop of Kenya to take the top men through the 5-kilometer mark in a brisk 13:58, and 10-K in 28:05. That put Crippa –plus Kenya’s Andrea Kiptoo, Owen Korir Kapkama and Brian Kwemoi Kirui– on pace for a 59:15 finish.
Not in the lead group was Crippa’s top Italian rival, Pietro Riva. Riva ran the early kilometers at the back of the first pack, but decided to hang back and maintain the pace which felt right for him.
“My option was to stick with them as long as I could, and I managed to run six, seven K with the pack,” said Riva, who is Italy’s second-fastest half-marathoner of all time (PB of 59:41). “Until 10-K I was three or four seconds behind them.”
The pacemaker made it about 11 kilometers before retiring. Crippa did not want the pace to slow down, so he he took up the pace at the front. Kiptoo also took a turn leading, and by the 14-kilometer point the pace had become too fast for Kirui. The Kenyan drifted back and eventually finished a distant fifth in 1:01:29.
Crippa put in a gentle surge before the 15-kilometer point, and that was enough to drop Kapkama. That left only Kiptoo still in contention, and Crippa decided to make his big move in the second of two tunnels the race passes through.
“In the tunnel I tried to push,” Crippa explained. “I had the energy and I tried to do my best to sprint. After the tunnel, the course started to go downhill. The second athlete was a little bit behind and I realized I can win the race.”
It only took a few seconds for Crippa to open a gap, and his margin over Kiptoo would expand to 26 seconds by the finish line. Crowds lined both sides of the narrow finish straight, phones raised to snap photos of Crippa’s record run. The 2022 European Athletics 10,000m champion raised both arms in triumph as he broke the tape.
“Everything was fine,” Crippa added. “And I did my personal best.”
Kiptoo finished second in a personal best 59:27 in only his second half-marathon. Kapkama also set a personal best in third (59:42). Riva passed Kwemoi to take fourth in 1:00:32. The Italian said he was happy with his performance because he is in the middle of training for his marathon debut in Rotterdam in April.
“I managed to hold a good pace and I had a good run in the tunnel,” Riva said. “I’m really happy with my race. I’m preparing (for) the marathon so I am not fully rested.” He added: “Let’s see how the final preparation goes.”
The women’s race was sleepy by comparison. Lucy Nthenya Ndambuki of Kenya was the only athlete to run with the designated male pacemaker through 10-K and already had a 39-second lead over her nearest chaser, Nelly Jeptoo. Ndambuki cruised home for the win in 1:08:48, a career best, but well off of Viola Cheptoo’s 2020 course record of 1:06:47. She said she was happy with her effort.
“My plan was to run my good race, experience the weather of Napoli,” Ndambuki told Race Results Weekly. “Of course, it was a good race for me and I appreciate it.”
Jeptoo got a personal best of 1:09:14 in second place, and third place went to 2025 World Mountain Running Championships silver medalist Susanna Saapunki of Finland who clocked 1:10:35. Her mark was a three-minute personal best.
The top Italian was Sara Bottarelli, the reigning national half-marathon champion. She finished sixth in 1:14:11.
A record 7772 athletes crossed the finish line on the Viale J.F. Kennedy, a 36% increase over 2025 (the race had over 10,000 entrants). Race director Carlo Capalbo was thrilled.
“It was an unforgettable day,” said the 68 year-old Capalbo, who grew up here and moved away when he was 20 to advance his education. “Good weather, 10,000 people (which was a record for us), new Italian record 59:01, an excellent time. I’m very happy.” He added: “We are building a culture here. We are on a good path.”
The Coelmo Napoli City Half-Marathon is one of just ten World Athletics label road races in Italy, and the only one south of Rome.
PHOTO: Yemaneberhan Crippa winning the 2026 Coelmo Napoli City Half-Marathon in a course and Italian record 59:01 (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
PHOTO: Lucy Nthenya Ndambuki of Kenya winning the 2026 Coelmo Napoli City Half-Marathon in a personal best 1:08:48 (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
PHOTO: Yemaneberhan Crippa (center) celebrates with Andrea Kiptoo (second place) and Owen Korir Kapkama (third place) after the 2026 Coelmo Napoli City Half-Marathon (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
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RACE RESULTS WEEKLY is sponsored by RunCzech, organizers of the Prague Marathon and a series of iconic running events, including the Prague Half Marathon, part of the SuperHalfs, and Italy’s fastest half marathon, the Napoli City Half Marathon. Learn more at runczech.com.
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