Yomif Kejelcha breaks half-marathon world record by one second

Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha made each 2nd count arsenic he collapsed nan men's half-marathon grounds by conscionable 1 2nd Sunday.

Kejelcha vanished powerfully successful nan Spanish metropolis of Valencia to group a clip of 57 minutes, 30 seconds, knocking a azygous 2nd disconnected nan grounds group successful 2021 by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo successful Lisbon, Portugal.

Kejelcha is simply a erstwhile world title metallic medalist successful nan 10,000 meters and holds nan indoor world grounds for nan mile, which he group successful Boston successful 2019. He vanished sixth successful nan 10,000m last astatine nan Paris Olympics earlier this year, according to nan BBC.

Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha celebrates aft winning and mounting a caller half marathon world grounds pinch a clip of 57 minutes 30 seconds in  Valencia, Spain connected Oct. 27, 2024. Eva Manez / REUTERS

Like each way and section records, Kejelcha's will beryllium taxable to ratification procedures earlier World Athletics considers it official.

"This title wasn't easy," Kejelcha said, according to World Athletics. "Today I told myself to do it successful 57 minutes, and I saw from nan timepiece connected nan lead car that it was possible, contempt nan rain. I wanted to break nan world grounds and I'm really happy I did it."

It was nan 2nd clip successful a statement that nan grounds was bettered by specified a constrictive margin. When Kiplimo group his record, nan clip was a azygous 2nd faster than that group by Kibiwott Kandie of Kenya a twelvemonth earlier successful Valencia.

Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha celebrates aft winning and mounting a caller half marathon world grounds pinch a clip of 57 minutes 30 seconds in  Valencia, Spain connected Oct. 27, 2024. Eva Manez / REUTERS

It concisely seemed location could beryllium a world grounds Sunday successful nan women's half-marathon too, but Kenya's Agnes Ngetich missed retired by 11 seconds while chasing Letesenbet Gidey's people of 1 hour, 2 minutes, 52 seconds. Gidey besides group her grounds successful Valencia, successful 2021.

World Athletics said it was nan second-fastest clip successful history. It was nan first clip that Ngetich, a world title finalist past twelvemonth successful nan 10,000, had raced nan half-marathon.

"I'm really happy, and truthful proud that I achieved nan 2nd fastest clip ever connected my debut," Ngetich said, according to World Atheltics. "Valencia will ever person a typical spot successful my bosom because it's wherever I group my world grounds successful nan 10km."

In:
• Marathon
• Ethiopia