Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha set a new world record at the Valencia Half Marathon on Sunday 27 October.
He finished in 57 minutes 30 seconds, taking one second off Jacob Kiplimo’s mark of 57:31, set in Lisbon three years ago.
Meanwhile, Kenya's Agnes Ngetich shot to number two of the world all-time rankings, after winning the women's race in 63:04. The only female who's run faster over the distance is Ethiopia's Letensebet Gidey (62:52)
What everyone's reading
If their spectacularly fast times have you wondering about who the world's fastest athletes are over the 13.1-mile distance, and how their times compare, look no further.
Below you’ll find tables detailing:
- The 10 fastest half marathoners in history on record-eligible courses
- The 10 fastest performances on record-eligible courses
- The progression of the world records since 2004, when the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) first ratified half marathon times on record-eligible courses as world records.
Note that we said 'on record-eligible courses.' Some well-known fast times, such as Galen Rupp’s 59:47 at the Ostia Half Marathon in 2018, aren’t listed below, because they were achieved on a course with too much net elevation drop and/or too much separation between the start and finish.
Each half marathoner appears on the first list, for the fastest performers in history, only once. The second set of tables, for fastest performances in history, allows for a runner to appear more than once. For example, former world record-holder Jacob Kiplimo occupies three spots on the men’s fastest-performances list.
The tables are current as of 27 October 2024.
10 Fastest Half Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Letensebet Gidey (Ethiopia) | 62:52 | 4:47.7 | Valencia, 2021 |
| Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) | 63:04 | 4:48.6 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Fotyen Tesfay (Ethiopia) | 63:21 | 4:50.0 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Lilian Kasait (Kenya) | 63:32 | 4:50.8 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia) | 63:51 | 4:52.2 | Valencia, 2021 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 64:02 | 4:53.1 | Istanbul, 2021 |
| Girmawit Gebrhizair (Ethiopia) | 64:12 | 4:55.3 | RAK, 2022 |
| Ejgayehu Taye (Ethiopia) | 64:14 | 4:54.0 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Hellen Obiri (Kenya) | 64:22 | 4:54.6 | RAK, 2022 |
| Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) | 64:29 | 4:55.2 | Barcelona, 2024 |
10 Fastest Half Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia) | 57:30 | 4:23.1 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) | 57:31 | 4:23.2 | Lisbon, 2021 |
| Kibiwott Kandie (Kenya) | 57:32 | 4:23.3 | Valencia, 2020 |
| Hagos Gebrhiwet (Ethiopia) | 57:41 | 4:24.0 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Rhonex Kipruto (Kenya) | 57:49 | 4:24.6 | Valencia, 2020 |
Selemon Barega (Ethiopia) | 57:50 | 4:24.7 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Alexander Mutiso (Kenya) | 57:59 | 4:25.4 | Valencia, 2020 |
| Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya) | 58:01 | 4:25.5 | Copenhagen, 2019 |
| Sabastian Sawe (Kenya) | 58:05 | 4:25.9 | Copenhagen, 2024 |
| Abel Kipchumba (Kenya) | 58:07 | 4:26.0 | Valencia, 2021 |
Progression of World Record Since 2004: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Elana Meyer (South Africa) | 66:44 | 5:05.4 | Tokyo, 1999 |
| Lornah Kiplagat (Netherlands) | 66:25 | 5:04.0 | Udine, 2007 |
| Mary Keitany (Kenya) | 65:50 | 5:01.3 | RAK, 2011 |
| Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) | 65:12 | 4:58.4 | Barcelona, 2014 |
| Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) | 65:09 | 4:58.1 | Barcelona, 2015 |
| Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) | 65:06 | 4:57.9 | RAK, 2017 |
| Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) | 64:52 | 4:56.9 | Prague, 2017 |
| Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) | 64:51 | 4:56.8 | Valencia, 2017 |
| Ababel Yeshaneh (Ethiopia) | 64:31 | 4:55.3 | RAK, 2020 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 64:02 | 4:53.1 | Istanbul, 2021 |
| Letensebet Gidey (Ethiopia) | 62:52 | 4:47.7 | Valencia, 2021 |
Progression of World Record Since 2004: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Paul Tergat (Kenya) | 59:17 | 4:31.3 | Milan, 1998 |
| Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya) | 59:16 | 4:31.2 | Rotterdam, 2005 |
| Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) | 58:55 | 4:29.6 | Tempe, 2006 |
| Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya) | 58:53 | 4:29.5 | RAK, 2007 |
| Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya) | 58:33 | 4:28.0 | City-Pier-City, 2007 |
| Zersenay Tadese (Eretria) | 58:23 | 4:27.2 | Lisbon, 2010 |
| Abraham Kiptum (Kenya) | 58:18 | 4:26.8 | Valencia, 2018 |
| Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya) | 58:01 | 4:25.5 | Copenhagen, 2019 |
| Kibiwott Kandie (Kenya) | 57:32 | 4:23.3 | Valencia, 2020 |
| Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) | 57:31 | 4:23.2 | Lisbon, 2021 |
| Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia) | 57:30 | 4:23.1 | Valencia, 2024 |
