New women’s half marathon world record time

Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw ran a new world record time of 1:03:43 at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon on 29 August which, subject to ratification, betters that set in Istanbul by Ruth Chepngetich on 4 April by 19 seconds.

Yehualaw is the first woman to have broken 64 minutes for the half marathon, improving her personal best time, set in the Istanbul race, by 57 seconds. The next woman to finish, Kenya’s Vane Nyaboke, was six minutes behind her. Only the first eight men finished ahead of her. Paced through 5km in 15:06 and 10km in 30:22 Yehualaw made the turn to pass 15km in 45:24 and looked comfortable as she pushed on to the finish.

“I have tried twice before to break the world record," said Yehualaw. "it didn’t happen, but I’m so happy it [did] today in Larne.” Yehualaw had missed out on selection for the Olympic Games in Tokyo but improved from her 4th place in the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia last October to run the second fastest time ever (1:04:46) the following month at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon before shaving a further six seconds of her personal best behind Chepngetich’s 1:04:02 in Istanbul.

Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer won the men’s race in a crowded sprint finish with the first four finishing within five seconds.