Atlanta Ready to Host the Most Competitive USATF Half Marathon Championships in History of Event

Atlanta will host the most competitive USATF Half Marathon Championships in history on Sunday, March 2, at the Publix Atlanta Half Marathon at The Home Depot Backyard, where six Team USATF spots for the World Athletics Road Running Championships San Diego 25 are on the line. To qualify, athletes had to post a time between Sept. 3, 2023, and Feb. 3, 2025, and this year’s field reflects unprecedented depth. More than 110 of the nation’s fastest distance runners—nearly triple the size of the 2023 field—will navigate Atlanta’s relentless hills, adding another chapter to the city’s elite racing legacy, which includes the 1996 Olympic Games and the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon.
 

With one of the strongest fields in U.S. history, the race promises intensity, strategy and high stakes as America’s best distance runners battle for a spot to compete on the world stage. Atlanta’s challenging course will test even the strongest contenders as they take on the hills surrounding Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
 

Men’s Race: A Stacked Field and a Tactical Battle Ahead

The men’s race leads off the morning, bringing together one of the deepest fields ever assembled for a USATFHalf Marathon Championship. While the new American record holder Conner Mantz is sitting this race out as he prepares for a half marathon in New York, the starting line still features a loaded lineup of elite contenders.
 

The men’s field includes 24 of the top 29 qualifiers, featuring 10 of the 13 fastest Americans during that period. More than half of the 25 fastest U.S. half marathoners in history will compete. Expect a strategic opening 10K before an all-out battle in the final miles.
 

Men to Watch

Hillary Bor (Hoka) leads the field after a 1:00:20 personal best. The two-time Olympian, known for his steeplechase dominance, has successfully transitioned to road racing, ranking No. 2 in the qualifying window and No. 6 all-time.
 

He will be challenged by Abbabiya Simbassa (Under Armour), the fastest American marathoner of the last three years. His 2:06:53 in Valencia suggests he can go much faster than his 1:00:45 half marathon qualifier.
 

Andrew Colley (Zap Endurance) is another podium threat, coming off a breakthrough 1:00:47 in Houston. Known for pushing the pace—evident in his aggressive racing style in the 10,000 at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field—Colley could dictate the tempo in Atlanta.
 

At 37 years old, Leonard Korir (WCAP) brings veteran experience. The only competitor in the field with a sub-60-minute personal best, Korir aims to defy expectations again, just as he did with a surprise podium finish at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon.
 

Two additional podium contenders include Reed Fischer (adidas) and Joe Klecker (On). Fischer has been one of the most consistent road racers, rarely having a bad race and recently setting a 1:00:54 personal best. Klecker, meanwhile, is the biggest wild card. His only half marathon came on a flat Houston course, and while he’s inexperienced at the distance, his raw speed is unmatched. His 27:07 10,000m personal best set in 2023 is the fastest in the field by far. The only American to hit that mark is Shadrack Kipchirchir, who ran it in 2017. With Atlanta’s rolling terrain offering a stark contrast to Houston, Klecker may opt to shadow the leaders before making his move in the final stretch.
 

Women’s Race: A Record-Breaking Era Continues

Weini Kelati: The Race Favorite

All eyes will be on Weini Kelati (Under Armour). The two-time American record holder owns a 1:06:09 personal best—more than a minute faster than any other woman in the field. Kelati has dominated on both flat courses like Houston and hilly courses like the Manchester Road Race, proving she can win in any setting. If she sets the pace early, the real race may be for second and third.
 

Podium Contenders

Among those chasing Kelati is former American record holder Sara Hall (1:07:15) (Asics). While she has recently focused on the marathon, Hall remains one of the most versatile distance runners in the U.S.
 

Annie Frisbie (Puma) brings a strong resume to Atlanta, having consistently excelled on hilly courses like the AJC Peachtree Road Race. Her 1:07:34 personal best puts her right in the mix.
 

Her teammate and Olympian Dakotah Popehn (Lindwurm) (Puma) enters as one of the top-ranked contenders, boasting a 1:08:04 personal best. She is one of the few athletes in the field with firsthand experience on Atlanta’s terrain, having raced a similar course on a cold, damp morning at the Publix Atlanta Half Marathon in 2022.
 

Two rising stars to watch are Amanda Vestri (Brooks) and Emma Grace Hurley (Asics). Vestri made her half marathon debut in December 2024 but has already shaved nearly a minute off her time, dropping from 1:08:12 to 1:07:35 in just two months. Hurley, a Georgia native, made an impressive debut with a 1:08:26 debut and will have hometown support pushing here forward.
 

Georgia Athletes to Watch

Georgia will be well-represented, led by Alpharetta’s Ryann Helmers (1:15:32), the Top Georgian at the 2024 AJC Peachtree Road Race. Tayler Tuttle (1:14:13), a Providence Christian Academy alum, has transitioned to trail racing, while Cameron Bensley (1:06:54), a Berry College graduate from Cartersville, continues to build momentum on the roads.
 

Fans can watch the USATF Half Marathon Championships live on Atlanta Track Club’s YouTube channel and USATF.tv, with coverage starting at 6:30 a.m. EST. The men’s race begins at 7:10 a.m., followed by the women’s start at 7:13 a.m.
 

Men’s Field

Women’s Field