ROME — Kenya’s Edward Koonyo and Ethiopia’s Yalemget Yaregal lead the elite fields for Sunday’s 2026 Wizz Air Rome Half Marathon by Brooks, a World Athletics Elite Label road race through the Italian capital. The third edition begins at 8 a.m. Central European Summer Time (2 a.m. EDT) near Viale di Porta Ardeatina. Organizers expect about 40,000 runners, including 31,000 from abroad, making it Italy’s most-attended half marathon.

How to watch 2026 Wizz Air Rome Half Marathon

Sky Sport Uno is the official broadcaster and begins live coverage at 8:15 a.m. CEST (2:15 a.m. EDT), with Nicola Roggero on commentary and Olympic marathon champion Stefano Baldini providing analysis. Streaming is available through NOW.

• Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026
• Start: 8 a.m. CEST / 2:15 a.m. EDT
• Distance: 21.097 kilometers (13.1 miles)
• Start: Viale di Porta Ardeatina
• Finish: Near the Colosseum, Via degli Annibaldi
• TV: Sky Sport Uno, from 8:15 a.m. CEST
• Stream: NOW
• Official site, stream and results: romehalfmarathon.it fidal

Men’s race

Koonyo enters as the favorite with a personal best of 1:00:00, set in Ghent in 2024. Fellow Kenyans Timothy Kosgei, 1:00:22 from Paris in 2025, and Kelvin Kipruto, 1:00:25 from Mainz this year, give the race genuine depth at the front. Robert Keter (1:00:40) and Felix Kibet (1:00:51) add further Kenyan strength. Türkiye’s Sezgin Ataç (1:01:49) and Ethiopia’s Zeleke Yayewsew (1:01:56) are the leading non-Kenyan contenders.

Two debutants could disrupt the established order: Kenya’s Maxon Kipnegetich, who has run 27:40 for 10K on the road, and Ethiopia’s Ataklti Kidanu, whose 10K best is 27:41. Italy’s top hope is Ahmed Ouhda, who represented Italy at the European Championships in Birmingham. His 1:02:14 personal best, set in Cremona in 2025, leads the Italian field; he also has a 2:08:37 marathon best.

Women’s race

Yaregal is the athlete to beat at 1:06:27, set in Berlin. Ethiopia’s Betelihem Afenigus, at 1:06:46 from Paris, and Kenya’s Regina Wambui Ndungu, who ran 1:07:10 in Lisbon in 2026, should keep the race competitive. Multiple Italian champion Giovanna Epis leads the home challenge. The Carabinieri athlete has a half-marathon best of 1:10:15 from Crema in 2022, while Isabella Caposieno, at 1:15:10, is a promising younger Italian runner.

Elite fields