Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir Shatters Half Marathon World Record in Prague

Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir has set a new world record for a women-only half marathon.

Jepchirchir, 26, shattered the previous world record in the Prague half marathon on Saturday.

She clocked one hour, five minutes, 34 seconds in the 21.1-kilometer race, eclipsing the previous record of 1:06:11 set by Ethiopia’s Netsanet Gudeta at the World Half Marathon Championships in 2018.

Jepchirchir crossed the finish line ahead of her compatriots Brenda Jepleting and Dorcas Kimeli who clocked 1:07:07 and 1:07:14 respectively.

Kenya grabbed the first six positions in the race with Edith Chelimo, Sheila Chepkirui, and Vibian Chepkirui finishing in fourth, fifth, and sixth place in that order.

“I was thinking to run maybe 1:04:50, but I’m so happy,” Jepchirchir said after smashing the record.

This is her second world record over the distance having clocked 1:05:06 in Ras Al Khaimah in 2017, a record that stood for less than two months.