Kejelcha Reclaims Half-Marathon World Record
Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha set a new half-marathon world record of 56:51 at the Buenos Aires Half-Marathon, beating Jacob Kiplimo’s 57:20 record. The 29-year-old also recorded impressive splits and expressed excitement about future races.
Yomif Kejelcha, 29, Ethiopian, set a new half-marathon world record of 56:51 at the Buenos Aires Half-Marathon on 23 August 2024. The time eclipsed Jacob Kiplimo’s 57:20 record from March 2026 and came just shy of Kiplimo’s 56:42 from February 2025, which was not ratified due to "irregular conditions," presumably a pace vehicle acting as a wind break.
Men’s Race
The race began under low 40s temperatures and mild breezes. Kejelcha started conservatively, paced by two runners set to hit a 58:00 pace (2:45 per kilometer). He reached 5 km in 13:45, 17 seconds behind Kiplimo’s 57:20 5-km split. He passed the 10 km mark in 27:19, 19 seconds off the world-record template.
He then accelerated, completing the next 5 km in 13:22 for a 15 km split of 40:41, nine seconds ahead of Kiplimo. With the wind at his back, he ran the following 5 km in 13:23, reaching 20 km in 54:04. The final 1.1 km was covered in 2:47, finishing the race at 56:51.
The top three men were:
| Rank | Athlete | Nationality | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yomif Kejelcha | Eth | 56:51 |
| 2 | Tadese Worku | Eth | 59:20 |
| 3 | Bereket Nega | Eth | 60:20 |
Women’s Race
Ethiopian Fotyen Tesfay, 28, won the women’s race in 63:57, a personal best and a world-ranking seventh time. She finished over a minute ahead of Kenyan Nelvin Jepkemboi, who ran 65:06. Tesfay’s splits were 15:26, 30:29, 45:25, 60:42, and a final 3:15.
The top three women were:
| Rank | Athlete | Nationality | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fotyen Tesfay | Eth | 63:57 |
| 2 | Nelvin Jepkemboi | Ken | 65:06 |
| 3 | Catherine Amanangole | Ken | 65:11 |
Split Performance
Kejelcha’s split progression illustrates his negative-split strategy:
| Distance | Split | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 13:45 | 13:45 |
| 10 km | 13:34 | 27:19 |
| 15 km | 13:22 | 40:41 |
| 20 km | 13:23 | 54:04 |
| Finish | 2:47 | 56:51 |
Tesfay’s splits show a steady pace:
| Distance | Split | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 15:26 | 15:26 |
| 10 km | 15:03 | 30:29 |
| 15 km | 14:56 | 45:25 |
| 20 km | 15:17 | 60:42 |
| Finish | 3:15 | 63:57 |
Record Context
Kejelcha is the world’s fastest marathon debutant, having run 1:59:41 at London in April 2024. He also holds the indoor mile world record of 3:47.01 (2019) and won world indoor 3000-metre golds in 2016 and 2018. His new half-marathon record follows his 57:30 world record set in Valencia in October 2024.
After the race, Kejelcha said, "I had planned to run conservatively over the early stages, but I felt good and decided to give it my all. This time is unbelievable; I can’t describe it with words. I now hope to try the Argentinian meat, which has a very good reputation."
