2023 event to be GB trial race for World Athletics Road Running Championships Half Marathon

Championship entries for The Big Half, taking place on Sunday 3 September, are now open. The Big Half will host the UK athletics trial race for the World Athletics Road Running Championships Half Marathon, in Riga, Latvia, on Sunday 1 October.

The first three British men and women to finish at The Big Half will guarantee their place in the Great Britain team to fly out to Riga in October, providing they have the qualifying time of 62:30 for men and 71:30 for women.

The half marathon qualifying times to be considered for a Championship entry for The Big Half are:

Men: 70:00 or faster
Women: 80:00 or faster

The times must have been in a recorded in a race since January 2022. The maximum number of Championship places is 200 (100 men and 100 women), which will be allocated on a ‘fastest first’ basis Spencer Barden, Head of Elite Athletes at London Marathon Events, said: “It’s fantastic that The Big Half will host UK Athletics’ official trial race for the World Athletics Road Running Championships Half Marathon. We’re looking forward to welcoming some of the best British distance runners to London on Sunday 3 September as they battle it out to earn a British vest in Riga.”

Championship entries for The Big Half cost £56 and are now open here. The Big Half is London’s community half marathon. It starts close to the Tower of London and heads out to the financial district of Canary Wharf before returning to central London, crossing Tower Bridge and finishing in spectacular style at Cutty Sark in Greenwich.

More ways to enter

Other ways to enter the event include:

General entries (costing £56, with a £2 reduction for members of UKA-affiliated athletics clubs)
Discounted resident entries (£46) for people living in the host boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lewisham and Greenwich
£10 community entries for local groups and organisations, sports clubs, schools or charities in London that benefit their local community. More details on community entries are available here.
The Big Mile – a free one-mile event for people of all ages and abilities. Register for free online here.
The New Balance Big Relay will open shortly.

The World Athletics Road Running Championships Half Marathon will be part of the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships (Saturday 30 September to Sunday 1 Ocotber) which will also include one mile and 5K races.

For those interested in being considered for a Platinum or Gold Elite start (subject to proof of half marathon qualifying times since 1 January 2022) please contact Head of Elite Athletes Spencer Barden – spencer.barden@londonmarathonevents.co.uk.

Platinum Elite qualifying times:

Men – sub 63:00 half marathon
Women – sub 72:00 half marathon

Gold Elite qualifying times:

Men – sub 66:00 half marathon
Women – sub 75:00 half marathon