Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey Breaks Women’s Half-Marathon World Record

Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey has smashed the women’s half-marathon world record in a time of one hour, two minutes and fifty-two seconds.

On Sunday, the marathon world champion sliced almost half a minute off the previous best mark of 1:04:31, set by Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich in April last year.

Gidey, 23, was followed across the line in Valencia by Genetu Molalign ( 1:03.51) with Yalemzerf Yehualaw third (1:03.53)– the fastest debut half-marathon in history.

“I knew I could run this kind of time as my training sessions in the altitude of Addis Abeba have gone very well,” said an ecstatic Gidey, the Olympic bronze medallist and world silver medallist over 10,000m.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“In future I’m thinking of competing at the marathon distance but I’m not sure that will come before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games or later.”[/perfectpullquote]

In the men’s race, 2021 world leader Abel Kipchumba outkicked pre-race favorite Rhonex Kipruto, the third-fastest man in history, to win in a world-leading 58:07.

Kipchumba’s winning time elevates him to sixth on the world all-time list with his compatriot Kibiwott Kandie holding the world record after clocking 57:32.