Obiri, Rupp to headline Houston City Marathon in January

Reigning Boston and New York City marathon champion Hellen Obiri is one of the star athletes that will be lining up for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon set to take place on 14 January 2024.

In a communique sent out on 21 December, the race organisers confirmed that the Kenyan, and American star Galen Rupp, will be the 'big names' of the event whose start lists for the elite competitions will be announced next month.

Racing for her first time in downtown Houston, Obiri will be making her first road appaearance since clinching the New York City Marathon in November.

Following that feat, Obiri etched her name in the history books, becoming the first person to win both the Boston and New York marathon in the same year since 1989.

"I have been living in the United States for a while now but even when I was in Kenya, I know Houston is a very good race with a fast course," Obiri told LetsRun.com. "I want to run the marathon at the Olympics in Paris so to run some half marathons is an important part of my preparations."

Obiri in the half marathon this year, won the RAK Half Marathon in February in a time of 1:04:22, which was the fifth fastest time in women's half marathon history.

In March, the 2017 and 2019 5000m world champion broke the United Airlines NYC half marathon in a time of 1:07:21.

With a chance to making America's marathon team for next year's Olympics, Rupp, one of three American men in history to run under one hour in the half marathon, will use the race to ramp up his preparations for the US marathon trials in February.

An 800m rivalry for ages?

"I have been working hard since Chicago and my training is going on well," eighth place finisher in the Bank of America Chicago marathon Rupp said. "Of course the focus is on the trials and making the Olympic team but with Houston three weeks out, I see it as a perfect opportunity to test myself and just make sure I am on track to where I want to be."