The national 10,000m champion Loice Chemnung is seeking to improve on her runner-up finish last year during the 2025 Antrim Coast Half Marathon scheduled for August 24.
At last year's edition of the race, Chemnung clocked 1:06:47 to place second just behind Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who claimed victory in 1:05:31. Joyciline Jepkosgei completed the podium, clocking 1:07:04.
The 28-year-old says she has fine-tuned her training for this year’s showdown. "I have been focusing on some short workouts to get myself ready for the Antrim Coast Half Marathon," Chemnung shared. Chemnung's 2025 season has been nothing short of impressive.
On January 26, Chemnung was part of the pacers for the Osaka Women's Marathon, which saw Ethiopia's Workenesh Edesa claim victory in 2:21:00, outkicking the Japanese duo of Kana Kobayashi (2:21:19) and Yuka Suzuki (2:21:33).
On March 23, Chemnung won the Malaga Half Marathon, clocking 1:05:46 to finish ahead of compatriot Miriam Chebet (1:07:01) and Uganda's Joy Cheptoyek (1:08:00).
She extended her flying form of the season at the May 25 Bangsaen 10km road race, winning in 31:26 with Ethiopians Gutene Shanko (32:50) and Mehret Gemeda (32:53) in second and third place.
Her most recent race was a 10,000m track race at the National Championships, where she stopped the clock in 31:39.09 to claim the national title over the 25-lap race. Cintia Chepng'eno (32:22.44) and Rebecca Mwangi (32:22.85) completed the podium in that race.
Chemnung is fairly new to the 21km distance, having made her debut over the distance on March 10, 2024, when she won the Malaga Half Marathon in 1:05:58. She followed that with a second-place finish in Antrim before closing her 2024 season with victory at the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon, clocking 1:07:27.
In Antrim, Chemnung will flex muscles with compatriot Lilian Kasait, the 2023 World Road Running 5K silver medallist. Kasait has already recorded a half-marathon victory in her 2025 season when she won in Prague on April 5, clocking 1:05:27.
Adding more depth to the formidable field include 2024 European Half Marathon champion Karoline Grovdal of Norway and bronze medallist Calli Hauger-Thackery of Britain, as well as Ethiopia’s Bertukan Welde.
