(Reuters) – Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich smashed the world half marathon record on Sunday, clocking a time of 1 hour, 04 minutes and 02 seconds at the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon to shave 29 seconds off the old mark.
The 26-year-old, a winner in 2017 and 2019, sprinted away from Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw across the final stages of the race to win by 38 seconds.
Kenyan Hellen Obiri a two-time world 5,000m champion finished third with a time of 1:04:51 — the fastest debut half marathon in history — to mark the first time three women finished inside 65 minutes in one half marathon.
Kibiwott Kandie of Kenya won the men’s race in a time of 59:35.
Kandie, who set the world record in Valencia last year, raced into the lead with about 12 minutes remaining and held off the challenge of compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor to claim victory by three seconds, with Roncer Kipkorir taking third place.
(Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
