Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha has set a new men's half marathon world record, crossing the finish line in 56 minutes and 51 seconds at a World Athletics road race in Buenos Aires on Sunday. The 29-year-old athlete has reclaimed the record he previously held.
Kejelcha had set the previous record of 57 minutes and 30 seconds in Valencia in October 2024. However, that mark was surpassed by Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo in March, who recorded a time of 57 minutes and 20 seconds in Lisbon earlier this year. Kejelcha's latest performance shaves 29 seconds off Kiplimo's time, pending official ratification by World Athletics.
This achievement adds to Kejelcha's notable career. He is also the world track silver medallist in the 10,000 meters and holds the world record for the men's 10,000 meters on the road. Additionally, earlier this year, he was one of the first men to run a sub-two-hour marathon under record-eligible conditions. In that race, the London Marathon, he finished second behind Kenya's Sebastian Sawe, who won with a time of 1:59:30, with Kejelcha just 11 seconds behind.