VALENCIA – Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey smashed the women’s half marathon world record, finishing in one hour, two minutes and 52 seconds at the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso.
The 23-year-old Gidey, who is also the world 5,000 metres (14:06.62) and 10,000 metres (29:01.03) record-holder, shaved more than a minute off the previous half marathon mark of 1:04:02 set by Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich this year.
“I’m so happy to break the world record in my first half marathon and my first race for the NN Running Team. Gracias Valencia,” Gidey, the Tokyo Olympics 10,000 metres bronze medallist, said according to Reuters.
Her 10 kilometre split was 29:45 minutes, around 35 seconds better than the pace of Chepngetich when she set the record, and she steadily improved in sunny conditions to cruise to victory.
Gidey set a world 5000m record in the same city of Valencia with 14:06.62 in October last year and this summer ran a world 10,000m record of 29:01.03 in Hengelo, although she won ‘only’ bronze in the 10,000m at the Tokyo Olympics.
She was making her half-marathon debut in Valencia this weekend but had shown her potential on the roads in 2019 with a 44:20 world best for the 15km in Nijmegen.
In Valencia, Gidey passed 10km in a scintillating 29:45 and showed no sign of slowing down as she went through 15km in 44:29. This meant she was cruising at well inside 15min pace for 5km with each kilometre inside three minutes.
Coming into the long home straight she maintained her momentum as she blasted through the finish line in 62:52.
To put her run into perspective, she ran quicker than Miruts Yifter, the 1980 Olympic men’s 5000m and 10,000m champion, ran when he clocked a half-marathon world record for men of 62:57 in 1977.
In the men’s race, Kenya’s Abel Kipchumba made a late charge to win in 58:07 minutes, moving him to sixth on the world all-time list.
“I’m very happy to be here, the training went very well and that’s why I’m here,” said Kipruto, who set his 10km record of 26:24 in Valencia last year. “For now, I am here to run under 58 minutes, which is a very demanding target.”
Facing him are Rodgers Kwemoi, Philemon Kiplimo, Abel Kipchumba, Kelvin Kiptum, Andamlak Belihu and world 5000m champion Muktar Edris among others and the event has a reputation for super-fast times with the 2020 race, for example, seeing four men dip under the world record at the time.
Fellow Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto was second in 58:09 and Daniel Mateiko was third in 58:26 as the top seven men finished the World Athletics Elite Label road race inside 59 minutes.
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