Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha shattered the men's world half marathon record in Valencia on Sunday, finishing with a time of 57 minutes and 30 seconds.
This remarkable achievement sees Kejelcha surpass the previous record, set by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon three years ago, by just one second.
The 27-year-old, known for his prowess in distance events, took control of the race early, breaking away from competitors after the three-kilometre mark. He maintained a blistering pace, clocking 5km in 13:38, 10km in 27:12, and 15km in 40:56, ultimately leaving Kenyan runners Daniel Mateiko and Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi behind to secure his victory.
In the women’s race, Agnes Ngetich of Kenya also started strong, keeping pace with record-breaking speed early on. However, her performance waned in the latter stages, and she finished in 1:03:03, marking the second-fastest half marathon time in history.
