Kenya arrives at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen with its usual mix of speed, depth and global experience. The United States is sending its largest team, while Canada fields a blend of veterans and emerging talent aiming to improve on its 2023 showing in Riga.
The championships run Sept. 19–20 and feature the road mile, 5K, and half marathon.
Kenya
Athletics Kenya named a 16‑member squad entered across the half marathon, 5K and road mile.
Men’s half marathon
Daniel Ebenyo leads the men after finishing second in the half marathon at the 2023 World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, where he crossed in 59:14 behind compatriot Sabastian Sawe (59:10, course record). Ebenyo, the 2023 world 10,000‑metre silver medallist, returns with unfinished business and solid 2026 form, including a bronze at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Fla., in January (28:45).
His half‑marathon résumé includes wins in Laayoune, Morocco (2019, 1:00:45), Chicago (June 7, 1:00:49), Istanbul (2023, 59:52), New Delhi (2023, 59:27) and Berlin (2024, 59:30). He will be joined by Nicholas Kipkorir, Gideon Rono and Michael Kiplangat.
Women’s half marathon
Agnes Ng’etich headlines the women after capturing her first senior world title at the 2026 World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee (31:28). The 25‑year‑old holds the Kenyan half‑marathon record (1:03:04, Valencia 2024), the second‑fastest time in history behind Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey (1:02:52, Valencia 2021).
She is joined by Daisilah Jerono, Veronica Loleo, and Lilian Kasait.
5K
Kenya’s men’s 5K features Charles Kiboino and Mathew Kipsang, the newly crowned Commonwealth Games 5,000‑metre champion. On the women’s side, Prague Half Marathon champion Caroline Gitonga and 2022 African Championships 10,000‑metre champion Caroline Nyaga will race.
Road mile
Brian Komen, the 2023 African 1,500‑metre champion, and former national 1,500‑metre champion Daniel Munguti will run the men’s mile. Reigning national 1,500‑metre champion Naomi Korir and 2018 world under‑20 1,500‑metre silver medallist Mirriam Cherop comprise the women’s team.
Kenya roster (Copenhagen 2026)
- Half marathon — men: Daniel Ebenyo, Nicholas Kipkorir, Gideon Rono, Michael Kiplangat
- Half marathon — women: Agnes Ng’etich, Daisilah Jerono, Veronica Loleo, Lilian Kasait
- 5K — men: Charles Kiboino, Mathew Kipsang
- 5K — women: Caroline Gitonga, Caroline Nyaga
- Road mile — men: Brian Komen, Daniel Munguti
- Road mile — women: Naomi Korir, Mirriam Cherop
United States
Three American road record holders anchor a 19‑athlete U.S. team: Weini Kelati and Conner Mantz (American half‑marathon record holders) and Yared Nuguse (American road mile and outdoor mile record holder).
Women’s half marathon
Kelati, a 2024 Olympian in the 10,000 metres, qualified as the top‑ranked American in the World Athletics Road Running Rankings on May 5. She will be joined by Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, Ednah Kurgat, Molly Born, Carrie Ellwood, and Annie Rodenfels.
McClain represented the United States in the marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Hurley and Kurgat are former World Cross Country Championships team members.
An unusual scoring situation applies: Kelati, McClain, Hurley and Kurgat will be eligible to score after a lead‑vehicle error misdirected runners late at the U.S. Half Marathon Championships. Born, Ellwood and Rodenfels—the top three finishers at the U.S. championships—will make their international debuts under a special World Athletics exception; their results count for ranking points but not for medals or prize money.
Men’s half marathon
Mantz leads the men after securing his place through selection criteria. He will be joined by Wesley Kiptoo, two‑time Olympian Hillary Bor and Ahmed Muhumed. Kiptoo made his Team USA debut at the 2026 World Cross Country Championships, while Muhumed has twice represented the United States at global cross-country championships. Bor is a two‑time Olympian in the steeplechase.
5K
Karissa Schweizer and Courtney Frerichs bring considerable international experience to the women’s 5K. Schweizer, a two‑time Olympian and two‑time World Championships team member, won the U.S. 5K championship and previously competed at the 2026 World Cross Country Championships. Frerichs, the American steeplechase record holder and an Olympic silver medallist, finished fourth at the U.S. championships; her selection followed Hurley’s qualification for the half marathon and third‑place finisher Gracie Hyde earning a spot on the mile team.
Drew Hunter won the men’s U.S. 5K title and will make his first World Championships appearance after winning the 5000 metres at the 2025 NACAC Championships. He will be joined by Dylan Jacobs, a 2025 World Indoor Championships finalist in the 3000 metres.
Road mile
Nuguse headlines the men’s mile as the Olympic 1500‑metre bronze medallist and American record holder in the road mile and outdoor mile; he qualified by winning the U.S. road mile selection race. Vincent Ciattei, a three‑time U.S. road mile champion, will join Nuguse and make his Team USA debut.
Addy Wiley and Gracie Hyde comprise the women’s mile team. Wiley, the 2026 World Indoor Championships bronze medallist in the 800 metres, won the U.S. 1 Mile Championships ahead of Hyde, who will make her first appearance for Team USA.
U.S. team (Copenhagen 2026)
Women’s half marathon
- Molly Born — U.S. Championships top‑three finisher
- Carrie Ellwood — U.S. Championships top‑three finisher
- Emma Grace Hurley — 2026 U.S. selection; World Cross Country team member
- Weini Kelati — American record holder; 2024 Olympian
- Ednah Kurgat — World Cross Country team member
- Jess McClain — 2025 World Championships marathon team
- Annie Rodenfels — U.S. Championships top‑three finisher
Men’s half marathon
- Hillary Bor — Two‑time Olympian
- Wesley Kiptoo — 2026 World Cross Country team member
- Conner Mantz — American record holder; marathon American record holder
- Ahmed Muhumed — Two‑time World Cross Country team member
Women’s 5K
- Courtney Frerichs — Olympic silver medallist; American steeplechase record holder
- Karissa Schweizer — Two‑time Olympian; U.S. champion
Men’s 5K
- Drew Hunter — U.S. champion; 2025 NACAC 5,000m champion
- Dylan Jacobs — 2025 World Indoor Championships finalist
Women’s mile
- Gracie Hyde — U.S. Championships runner‑up
- Addy Wiley — 2026 World Indoor bronze medallist
Men’s mile
- Vincent Ciattei — Three‑time U.S. road mile champion
- Yared Nuguse — American road mile and outdoor mile record holder; Olympic bronze medallist
Team staff: Devon Martin (women’s coach), Chris Lundstrom (men’s coach), Dustin Williams (head athletic trainer), Gina Rose Palermo (athletic trainer/licensed massage therapist).
Canada
Head coach Félix‑Antoine Lapointe described the roster as battle‑tested.
“The lineup looks excellent. We will have a strong Canadian team, with most of the athletes already used to competing at the highest level,” Lapointe said. “This event is an outstanding opportunity for Canada’s top endurance athletes to race at the highest level and gain valuable experience heading toward the 2027 World Championships and the 2028 Olympic Games.”
Team leader Heather Hennigar highlighted the balance across all three disciplines.
“It’s a really strong and well‑rounded team across the mile, 5K and half marathon. We have a great mix of athletes with significant international championship experience alongside others who are continuing to establish themselves at this level. We’re excited about what this group can do in Copenhagen.”
Team Canada: Copenhagen 2026
The 16 athletes named to the team: Lucia Stafford, Gabriela DeBues‑Stafford, Foster Malleck, Max Davies, Regan Yee, Simone Plourde, Kieran Lumb, Evan Burke, Jadyn Keeler, Natasha Wodak, Elissa Legault, Florence Caron, Rory Linkletter, Cameron Levins, Andrew Alexander, Justin Kent.
Athletes in form
Jadyn Keeler — Fresh off her national half‑marathon title in Edmonton, Keeler arrives with momentum.
“Putting on Team Canada gear means the world to me… to make my first senior national team is an even bigger deal,” she said. “I’m thrilled to have this opportunity and will do my very best to make everyone back home proud.”
Kieran Lumb — The reigning Canadian 5000m champion and 2024 Olympian returns after placing fifth in the mile at Riga 2023 (3:56.98 PB). In 2026, at 28, he ran personal bests in the 5K and 10K road events.
“At these championships in Copenhagen, I am aiming for a top‑10 finish in the 5km, as well as to break the Canadian record,” Lumb said.
Lucia Stafford — Stafford enters Copenhagen after a fourth‑place finish at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
“I’m representing people from communities I may never visit and athletes whose paths may look completely different from mine,” she said. “Wearing the maple leaf is one of the times when all of Canada feels like family.”
Natasha Wodak — Wodak will be an interesting veteran to represent Canada. This is her 22nd time representing Canada internationally. The 44‑year‑old Vancouver‑based athlete formerly held the Canadian half‑marathon record at 1:09:41 and was the first Canadian to run sub‑70. She continues to hold the national marathon record and is the former 10,000m record holder. In March, she ran 1:10:56 in Germany, which is not far off her PB.
Looking back: Canada at Riga 2023
Lapointe expects similar intensity in Denmark.
“The previous edition was very competitive across the mile, 5 km, and half marathon, and we expect the same level this year. I believe we have several athletes capable of contending for a top‑8 finish.”
Highlights from Riga 2023
- Kieran Lumb — 5th in the men’s mile (3:56.98 PB), Canada’s top finisher
- Glynis Sim — 12th in the women’s mile (PB 4:36.81)
- Ben Flanagan — 12th in the men’s 5K (13:34)
- Julie‑Anne Staehli — 17th in the women’s 5K (15:55)
- Sasha Gollish — 60th in the women’s half marathon (1:19:25)
- Philippe Parrot‑Migas — 78th in the men’s half marathon (1:07:59)
