Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir Breaks Women’s Half Marathon World Record

Kenyan long-distance runner, Peres Jepchirchir has smashed her own women’s half marathon world record.

The 27-year-old completed the race in 1 hour, 5 minutes, 16 seconds at the World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland on Saturday afternoon, eclipsing the previous world record of 1:05:34 she set this year.

Melat Yisak Kejeta of Germany finished second in a time of 1:05:18 while Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw came in third with 1:05:19. The two also raced under Jepchirchir's previous world record.

During pre-race conference on Friday, Jepchirchir warned the 1:05:34 world record she set in September in Valencia, Spain was in danger of being shuttered citing the quality of the field.

The World Athletics Half Marathon Championships, a biannual competition, was set to take place on March 29th but was postponed until October due to the Covid-19 pandemic.