Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir, the former world half-marathon record holder, will be looking to break the current record at the 2020 Prague Half Marathon this Saturday. She claims that she is ready to do it.
The current women-only record is held by 29-year-old Ethiopian Netsanet Gudeta at one-hour, six-minutes and 11 seconds, from the 2018 Valencia race. Kenyan Brigid Kosgei has run as fast as 64:28 on a not-certified course and the official mixed half-marathon record is currently held by Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh at 64:31 from the February 2020 running of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon.

Image: Emmanuel Sabuni
Jepchirchir’s best is 65:06 from the 2017 Ras Al Khaimah event, which is the former record. The 26-year-old is currently the sixth-fastest woman with the ninth-fastest performance all-time.
Only five women have run under 65-minutes.
Netsanet Gudeta is also racing…
Netsanet Gudeta, Ethiopia’s current record holder is featured at this Saturday’s 21.1-kilometre race.
Organisers of the event have invited a strong field of over 30 elite runners, looking to return to racing with a splash.
The men’s field is led by nine sub-one-hour half marathoners one of which is 20-year-old Kenyan Stephen Chesang who owns a personal best time of 58:42.
Kiprop will be chasing world record holder Geoffrey Kamworor’s 58:01.
Kiprop will be challenged by Kibiwott Kandie (58:58) who won the 2020 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates and won the 2020 Kenyan national cross country championships.
Kandie made his half marathon debut in Lille, France, last year running a 59:31.