Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha has broken the world half marathon record previously held by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, clocking 57:30 at the Medio Maratón de Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
The record-breaking run shaved one second off Kiplimo’s 2021 record set in Lisbon.
In just his sixth outing at the half marathon distance, Kejelcha, 27, began aggressively, trailing pacemakers for the initial stages before seizing control near the 3km mark.
He maintained a blistering 2:43/km pace, passing key splits with exceptional times: 5km in 13:38, 10km in 27:12, and 15km in 40:56.
Kejelcha distanced himself from Kenyan competitors Daniel Mateiko and Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi shortly after the 15km mark, surging toward the finish to claim the title and set the new world record.
Meanwhile, the women’s race in Valencia also saw a near-record performance from Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich, who completed the course in 1:03:03 – the second-fastest half marathon time in history, narrowly missing the world record.
