Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha breaks men’s half marathon world record

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha breaks the men’s half marathon world record in a time of 56 minutes 51 seconds in a World Athletics road race in Buenos Aires.

Yomif Kejelcha celebrates after finishing second in the 2026 London MarathonImage source, Getty Images
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Half-marathon record holder Yomif Kejelcha has also run the second fastest time ever in the men’s marathon

ByCraig NelsonBBC Sport Journalist

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha has broken the men’s half marathon world record, winning a World Athletics road race in Buenos Aires on Sunday in 56 minutes 51 seconds.

The 29-year-old previously held the record with a time of 57:30, set in Valencia in October 2024, but lost that to Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo in March.

Kiplimo ran 57:20 in Lisbon earlier this year but Kejelcha has now knocked 29 seconds off that time to regain the record, subject to official ratification.

The world track silver medallist in the 10,000m also holds the world record for a men’s 10,000m road race.

He also became one of the first men to run a sub-two hour marathon in record-eligible conditions earlier this year when finishing second behind Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe in the London Marathon.

Sawe won the record-breaking race in 1:59:30, beating Kejelcha by just 11 seconds.

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