Kenya’s Ngetich breaks women-only half-marathon world record by a second
Kenya's Agnes Ngetich set a new women-only half-marathon world record on Sunday in Copenhagen, finishing in 1:05:15. She won the World Athletics Road Running Championships by 50 seconds over compatriot Veronica Loleo.
Why It Matters
The mark improves on a women-only record that stood since 2020 and adds to Ngetich's string of international titles this year, underscoring her rising prominence in distance running. The performance also highlights the distinction between women-only and mixed-gender records in road running.
Key Facts
- Athlete: Agnes Ngetich (Kenya)
- Event: World Athletics Road Running Championships, Copenhagen
- New record time (women-only half-marathon): 1:05:15
- Margin to second place: 50 seconds
- Second place: Veronica Loleo (Kenya)
Agnes Ngetich of Kenya lowered the women-only half-marathon world record by one second when she won the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen on Sunday, stopping the clock at 1 hour, 5 minutes and 15 seconds. Ngetich pushed to the lead early on a sunny morning in the Danish capital and maintained that advantage to the finish. She completed the race 50 seconds ahead of compatriot Veronica Loleo, who placed second.
The new women-only mark replaces the record set by Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya when she won the World Half Marathon title in Poland in 2020. The overall women's half-marathon record remains faster and is held by Ethiopia's Letesenbet Gidey, who ran 1:02:52 at the mixed-gender Valencia Half Marathon in 2021.
The win in Copenhagen adds to a strong season for the 25-year-old Ngetich. Earlier this year she helped Kenya win the team half-marathon in Copenhagen and took the World Cross Country Championships title in Florida in January. Last year she also set the women-only 10km world record.
Sunday's result cements Ngetich's status among the leading distance runners and continues a recent pattern of Kenyan success in world road racing events. The Copenhagen race highlighted the separate record categories for women-only and mixed-gender competition, and Ngetich's performance now stands as the fastest time recorded in an exclusively female field.
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