Yalemzerf Yehualaw Breaks Women’s World Half Marathon World Record

Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw broke women half marathon world record in Larne, Northern Ireland on Sunday morning.

The 22-year old clocked 1:03:43 to win Antrin Coast Half Marathon, breaking the previous record of 1:04:02 set by Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich in April this year, by 19 seconds.

Behind Yehualaw, Vane Nyamboke from Kenya was the runner-up in 1:09:44 and Rose Harvey of England finished third in 1:10:28.

According to the World Athletics, Yehualaw becomes the first woman to break 64 minutes for the half marathon.

Yehualaw started to pull away in the closing six kilometers from the top group which included Nyamboke and Harvey.

She covered the marathon the half marathon distance with an average pace of 4:49 per mile.

“This was a dream come true for me,” Yehualaw told World Athletics. “I have tried twice before to break the world record but it didn’t happen, but I’m so happy it happened today in Larne.”

The 22-year-old was not part of Team Ethiopia at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics after finishing in the Ethiopian Trials 10,000m.

She had previously finished third in one of her attempts to break a world record back at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia last October.

“At the World Half Marathon Championships I was trying to win gold but it didn’t happen,” Yehualaw added. “But today I’m so happy.”

Yehualaw made her international debut in 2019 and went on to win Rabat Half Marathon in 1:09:13 before returning to the same city to win African Games title.