Elite Athlete Programme

Our Elite Athlete Programme attracts leading athletes from across the UK and worldwide to compete.

Our elite races attract leading domestic and international athletes, as well as significant media coverage.

R4W Race Director and Olympic Marathon Runner Steve Brace has devised courses across events with fast times and elite athlete performance in mind.

We have hosted several Championships in the sport of athletics across multiple distances and disciplines including the Welsh 10KM Championships, Welsh Half Marathon Championships, Welsh Trail Running Championships, British Half Marathon Championships, Commonwealth Half Marathon Championships, World Half Marathon Championships, World Trail Running Championships and the World Mountain Running Championships.

The Cardiff Half Marathon has hosted several of the world’s top five fastest athletes over half marathon including women’s record holder Edith Chelimo who became the fifth fastest athlete of all time in the race with a time of 65:52. The Newport Marathon and our 10K Series events see top British and European athletes compete.

For more information about elite race entry, prize money and entry criteria for any R4W event please contact Alex Donald, Elite Athlete Manager.

Noteworthy Competitors

The Cardiff Half Marathon, our flagship event, has welcomed some of the world’s top elite athletes and a competitive wheelchair field. Noteworthy former competitors include medallists from major championships:

JOHN KELAI

2010 Commonwealth
Marathon Champion

FLOMENIA DANIEL

2014 Commonwealth Marathon Champion

CYBRIAN KOTUT

2016 Paris Marathon Champion

JAPHET KORIR

2013 IAAF World Cross Country Champion

FILEX CHEMONGES

Ugandan National Record Holder for the Marathon

AZMERA AREHA

10th Fastest All Time Female Marathoner (2:18:33)

JOSPHAT BETT

2014 Commonwealth Games 10,000m Silver Medallist

WILSON CHEBET

Former Rotterdam Marathon Record Holder

COURSE RECORDS

CARDIFF HALF MARATHON

  • Male – Leonard Langat, Kenya, 59:30 (2019)
  • Female – Edith Chelimo, Kenya, 65:52 (2017) – UK All Comers Record

WORLD HALF MARATHON

  • Male – Geoffrey Kamworor, Kenya, 59:10 (2016) – UK All Comers Record
  • Female – Peres Jechirchir, Kenya, 67:31 (2016)

NEWPORT WALES MARATHON

  • Male – Adam Bowden, GBR, 02:20:06 (2021)
  • Female – Rebecca Gallop, GBR, 02:44:07 (2018)

VELOTHON WALES (174KM PRO RACE)

  • Male – Ian Bibby, GBR (JLT Condor) 4:09:47 (2017

CARDIFF BAY RUN

  • Male – Omar Ahmed, GBR, 28:42 (2021)
  • Female – Charlotte Arter, GBR, 32:49 (2019)

NEWPORT WALES 10K

  • Male – Matt Clowes, GBR (2019) & Ieuan Thomas, GBR (2018) – 29:43
  • Female – Charlotte Taylor-Green, GBR, 34:44 (2019)

PORTHCAWL 10K

  • Male – Josh Griffiths, GBR, 29:55 (2019)
  • Female – Natasha Cockram, GBR, 34:50 (2019)

BARRY ISLAND 10K

  • Male – Dewi Griffiths, GBR, 29:48 (2018)
  • Female – Eleanor Davis, GBR, 34:37 (2018)