By : Lloyd Mahachi
Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha made history on Sunday in Valencia, Spain, by breaking the men’s world half-marathon record with a stunning time of 57 minutes and 30 seconds. Kejelcha’s achievement eclipsed the previous record held by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo by a single second.
The 27-year-old world indoor mile record holder dominated the race, taking control from the three-kilometer mark. He consistently maintained a blistering pace, passing the 5km mark in 13:38, 10km in 27:12, and 15km in 40:56.
Kejelcha’s impressive performance saw him pull away from Kenyan runners Daniel Mateiko and Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi, securing victory and cementing his place in the record books.
In the women’s category, Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich also delivered an exceptional performance, finishing in 1 hour, 3 minutes, and 3 seconds – the second-fastest time in history. Although she was on world-record pace initially, her speed slightly decreased in the second half.
Kejelcha’s remarkable achievement marks his sixth appearance over the half-marathon distance and underscores his status as one of the world’s leading distance runners.
Editor : Josephine Mahachi
