Mantz returns from two stress fractures at World Road Champs
The World Road Running Championships open Saturday with Mantz, Nuguse, Kelati and Ingebrigtsen all on the start lists.
Conner Mantz runs the half marathon at the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen this weekend, his first championship race since a long injury layoff. LetsRun reports that after setting the American record of 2:04:43 in Chicago last fall, Mantz felt so good he did a hard long run the day after the race, then paced his wife in a marathon a month later. Two sacral stress fractures followed.
After setting the American record of 2:04:43 in Chicago last fall, Conner Mantz felt so good he did something absolutely crazy - a hard long run the day after the race.
He is now a father and back running healthy, and LetsRun says he is ready to test his wheels at the World Half. Jonathan Gault's preview includes an update from Mantz's coach Ed Eyestone.
Nuguse says he is in the shape of his life
Yared Nuguse runs the mile on Saturday, chasing his first global title. At the pre-event press conference he told reporters he is in the shape of his life and ready to hammer a race out, according to David Monti.
Monti posted Saturday's start lists. The mile has 48 women from 31 federations and 58 men from 31 federations, with championship records of 4:20.98 and 3:56.13. The 5K has 42 women from 28 federations and 51 men from 31 federations, with championship records of 14:35 and 12:59. First place in each event pays $10,000.
Ingebrigtsen back in Denmark, Kelati moves up
Jakob Ingebrigtsen returns to Copenhagen two years after what LetsRun calls his infamous Copenhagen Half blowup, this time in the road 5K. Chris Chavez frames that race as Ingebrigtsen against Jimmy Gressier.
Weini Kelati has moved up to the half marathon after contesting the 5K in Riga in 2023, Monti reports. She ran her North American record of 1 hour 6 minutes 4 seconds in Barcelona in February 2026.
In the men's half, LetsRun says Andreas Almgren is trying to become the first non-African to win the title in 30 years, with Joshua Cheptegei in his way. On the women's side LetsRun says Agnes Ngetich seems unstoppable. Chavez says the action streams on Peacock.
What it actually means
For American fans this is the first hard look at whether Mantz's Chicago form survived the injury, and the half is the distance that answers it. The earlier US angle on this meet was about 2027 team spots. Now it is about who shows up fit.
I’m very ready to hammer a race out,” said Yared Nuguse at the #WRRC pre-event press conference.
Win the long run conversation
One email a day. Under three minutes. Marathon results, shoe fights and training arguments, settled.