VALENCIA • Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie smashed the men’s half-marathon world record in Valencia yesterday in 57min 32sec, becoming the first person to go under 58 minutes.
His blistering performance was almost half a minute quicker than the previous record of 58:01 set by compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor last September.
In perfect running conditions, the 24-year-old Kandie was followed five seconds later by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo in a reverse of the world championship result in October, with the first four runners all coming in under the former best mark.
Kenyan duo Rhonex Kipruto and Alexander Mutiso were third and fourth in 57:49 and 57:59.
Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba, on her half-marathon debut, won the women’s race in 1hr 5min 18sec.
On a memorable day for Kenyan athletics, Evans Chebet and Peres Jepchirchir went on to claim both marathons with season best times.
Chebet won the men’s race in 2:03:00 with Jepchirchir victorious in the women’s event in 2:17:16.
For the first time, the top 30 in the men’s marathon came in under 2hr 10min.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE