Yomif Kejelcha reclaims half marathon world record in Buenos Aires

Yomif Kejelcha has taken back the men’s half marathon world record.

The Ethiopian produced a remarkable 56:51 at Sunday’s Media Maratón Ciudad de Buenos Aires, August 23, running much of the second half alone. He broke away from the lead group around seven kilometres.

From there, it became less a race and more of a time trial.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @yomif_kejelcha

Kejelcha covered the 21.1-kilometre course at an average pace of 2:42 per kilometre or 4:20 per mile to lower the existing record by 29 seconds. His official gun time was 56:51, with a net time of 56:50.

The performance remains subject to the customary World Athletics ratification process.

“I’m over the moon,” Kejelcha said after crossing the line.

His winning margin was enormous by elite half-marathon standards. Tadese Worku Gebresilase followed in 59:20, with Bereket Nega Batebo third in 1:00:20, completing an Ethiopian sweep of the podium. Kenya’s Jonathan Kipkoech Kamosong was fourth in 1:00:21.

For Kejelcha, the performance restores a record he first claimed in October 2024, when he ran 57:30 at the Valencia Half Marathon.

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo subsequently took the record into new territory, running 56:42 in Barcelona in February 2025, which is the first sub-57-minute half marathon. That performance, however, was not ratified after World Athletics determined that the race conditions did not fully comply with its regulations.

Kiplimo made another attempt in Lisbon in March 2026, running 57:20. That mark was still awaiting ratification when Kejelcha arrived in Buenos Aires.

Kejelcha’s 56:51 is therefore 29 seconds quicker than Kiplimo’s Lisbon performance and 39 seconds faster than Kejelcha’s previous ratified world record.

Another extraordinary chapter

The half marathon record adds another remarkable entry to what has become an extraordinary year for Kejelcha.

In April, he made his marathon debut at the London Marathon and ran 1:59:41 for second place behind Sabastian Sawe, who set the world record in 1:59:30.

Kejelcha consequently became only the second athlete to break two hours for the marathon under record-eligible race conditions. It was also the fastest marathon debut ever recorded and the second-fastest marathon performance in history.

Four months later, he has now become the first athlete to record an eligible sub-57-minute half marathon.

The progression is striking. Kejelcha is no longer simply one of the world’s best track and road runners. He is beginning to occupy a rather unusual place in the sport. It is one where the boundaries between the exceptional and the unprecedented are becoming increasingly difficult to see.

More than 31,500 runners reportedly took part in the 2026 Buenos Aires Half Marathon.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay completed the Ethiopian double, winning in 1:03:57. Sisters Nevin Can and Selin Can took second and third, respectively, in 1:05:06 and 1:05.11.

From World Athletics — The women’s contest kicked off at a 3:05 per kilometre rhythm, Tesfay’s pacemaker Gebretsadik Abraha taking command of the race. The opening 5km was covered in 15:28, with five women in contention – Nelvin Jepkemboi, Catherine Amanang’ole, Irine Jepchumba Kimais, Sheila Chepkirui and Tesfay.

The pace over the following kilometres increased to a 3:00 rhythm, and that proved too strong for Tesfay’s rivals who began to drop from the leading pack. It was at around the ninth kilometre when Tesfay broke away, reaching the 10km point in 30:31 – three seconds ahead of Jepkemboi and Amanang’ole. As had been the case for Kejelcha, Tesfay managed to run negative splits and, always running at Abraha’s shoulder, she reached 15km in 45:27 for a 38-second advantage.

Over the closing kilometres, the 28-year-old Tesfay ran at a 3:03 per kilometre pace to reach the finish line in 1:03:57 – the third-fastest performance of her career. It was only her second appearance of the year as she became the quickest marathon debutant in Barcelona in March courtesy of a 2:10:51 time.

Finishing behind her in Buenos Aires was Jepkemboi in 1:05:06, five seconds ahead of Amanang’ole.

“I’m satisfied with my performance,” said Tesfay. “I aimed to run a bit faster, but I felt some discomfort in my leg and I couldn’t run as quick as I wanted.”

Men’s half marathon top 10

Women’s half marathon Top 10