Ruth Chepngetich smashes world half marathon record in Istanbul

World marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich took 29 seconds off the world record to win the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, clocking a stunning 1:04:02 in the Turkish city on Sunday (4 april).

The 26-year-old Kenyan, a winner of this race in 2017 and 2019, broke away from Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw in the final stages to win by 38 seconds. Two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri was third in 1:04:51 – the fastest debut half marathon in history. It’s the first time three women have finished inside 65 minutes in one half marathon.