New women’s half marathon record for Letesenbet Gidey

Compatriot Yelamzerf Yehualew trailed Gidey throughout the race but still finished 13 seconds inside the existing world record time.

Gidey was paced to 5km in 15:00 but then sped up to reach 10km in 29:45 – only seven seconds outside Kalkidan Gezahegne’s new world record for the distance. Now beyond her customary track racing distances of 5000m and 10,000m Gidey kept up the frenetic pace with a 14:44 split to 15km and then slowed only a little in the closing stages.

Her first world road record sits alongside those she set on the track at 5000m (14:06.62) and 10,000m (29:01.03).

In the men’s race Abel Kipchumba overtook fellow Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto in the closing stages to win by two seconds in 58:07. The top seven men finished inside 59 minutes.