Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 23
Yomif Kejelcha Reclaims Half Marathon World Record in 56:51, Cutting 29 Seconds
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 23

Yomif Kejelcha Reclaims Half Marathon World Record in 56:51, Cutting 29 Seconds

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 23

Summary

  • 56 minutes 51 seconds gave Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha victory in a World Athletics road race in Buenos Aires and put him back atop the men's half marathon record list, pending ratification.
  • The 29-year-old had lost the mark in March when Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo ran 57:20 in Lisbon; Kejelcha's new time slashed 29 seconds from that record.
  • Kejelcha previously set the record at 57:30 in Valencia in October 2024, making Sunday's run his second time holding the world best.
  • The performance extends a standout year for Kejelcha, who also owns the men's 10,000m road world record and ran 1:59:41 for second in the London Marathon.

Insights

Did perfect weather and elite pacemakers artificially engineer Kejelcha’s historic 56:51 finish in Buenos Aires?
Could breakthrough shoe technology be the real secret behind Kejelcha shattering the half-marathon record by a massive 29 seconds?
With sub-two-hour marathons now a reality, how close is the human body to hitting its absolute physiological limit in distance running?