Half marathon

A half marathon is a road running event of 21.0975 km (13 mi 192½ yd)—half the distance of a marathon.[1] It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish or shortcuts. If finisher medals are awarded, the medal or ribbon may differ from those for the full marathon. The half marathon is also known as a 21K, 21.1K or 13.1 miles, although these values are rounded and not formally correct.

Athletics Half marathon
Runners in the 2008 New York City Half Marathon
World records
Men	Geoffrey Kamworor 58:01 (2019)
Women	world best: Brigid Kosgei 1:04:28 (2019) mixed gender: Joyciline Jepkosgei 1:04:51 (2017) women only: Netsanet Gudeta 1:06:11 (2018)

A half marathon world record is officially recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations.[2][3] The official IAAF world record for men is 58:01, set by Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya in September 2019 in Copenhagen, Denmark,[4] and for women is 1:04:51, set by Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya on October 22, 2017, in Valencia, Spain.[5] Participation in half marathons has grown steadily since 2003,[6] partly because it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a marathon does.[6] In 2008, Running USA reported that the half marathon is the fastest-growing type of race.[6]

All-time top 25

• Correct as of March 2020.[7][8][9][10]

Men Rank Time Athlete Date Location Ref 1 58:01  Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 15 September 2019 Copenhagen [4] 2 58:18* Expunged for Doping  Abraham Kiptum (KEN) 28 October 2018 Valencia [2] 3 58:23  Zersenay Tadese (ERI) 21 March 2010 Lisbon 4 58:33  Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) 17 March 2007 The Hague  Jemal Yimer (ETH) 28 October 2018 Valencia [11] 6 58:40  Abraham Cheroben (BHR) 17 September 2017 Copenhagen 7 58:42  Bedan Karoki Muchiri (KEN) 9 February 2018 Ras al-Khaimah [12]  Eric Kiptanui (KEN) 8 April 2018 Berlin [13]  Stephen Kiprop (KEN) 8 February 2019 Ras al-Khaimah [14] 10 58:44  Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 13 March 2016 Ostia Lido  Abadi Hadis (ETH) 28 October 2018 Valencia [11] 8 February 2019 Ras al-Khaimah [14] 12 58:46  Mathew Kisorio (KEN) 18 September 2011 Philadelphia 13 58:47  Atsedu Tsegay (ETH) 31 March 2012 Prague 14 58:48  Sammy Kitwara (KEN) 18 September 2011 Philadelphia  Jorum Lumbasi Okombo (KEN) 17 September 2017 Copenhagen 16 58:51  Alex Oloitiptip Korio (KEN) 17 September 2017 Copenhagen 17 58:52  Patrick Makau (KEN) 20 February 2009 Ras al-Khaimah 18 58:54  Stephen Kosgei Kibet (KEN) 11 March 2012 The Hague  Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 15 February 2013 Ras al-Khaimah 20 58:55  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 15 January 2006 Tempe 21 58:56  Stanley Biwott (KEN) 15 February 2013 Ras al-Khaimah 22 58:58  Geoffrey Mutai (KEN) 15 February 2013 Ras al-Khaimah  Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) 21 February 2020 Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah [15] 24 58:59  Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 20 February 2009 Ras al-Khaimah 25 59:01  Kenneth Kiprop Kipkemoi (KEN) 19 October 2014 Valencia Notes Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 59:01: Zersenay Tadese also ran 58:30 (2011), 58:59 (2007). Abraham Cheroben also ran 58:48 (2014). Samuel Kamau Wanjiru also ran 58:53 (2007). Patrick Makau Musyoki also ran 58:56 (2007). Sammy Kirop Kitwara also ran 58:58 (2009). Jemal Yimer also ran 59:00 (2018).

Women Rank Time Athlete Date Location Ref 1 1:04:28 a  Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 8 September 2019 Newcastle upon Tyne-South Shields [5] 2 1:04:31  Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 21 February 2020 Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah [15] 3 1:04:51  Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 22 October 2017 Valencia 4 1:04:52  Fancy Chemutai (KEN) 9 February 2018 Ras al-Khaimah [16] 5 1:04:55  Mary Keitany (KEN) 9 February 2018 Ras al-Khaimah [17] 6 1:05:04  Joan Chelimo (KEN) 7 April 2018 Prague [18] 7 1:05:06  Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 10 February 2017 Ras al-Khaimah 8 1:05:07  Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui (KEN) 9 February 2018 Ras al-Khaimah [19] 9 1:05:09  Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 15 February 2015 Barcelona 10 1:05:15  Sifan Hassan (NED) 16 September 2018 Copenhagen [20] 11 1:05:22  Violah Jepchumba (KEN) 1 April 2017 Prague 12 1:05:30  Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 7 April 2019 Istanbul [21] 13 1:05:32  Senbere Teferi (ETH) 27 October 2019 Valencia [22] 14 1:05:34  Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) 21 February 2020 Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah [15] 15 1:05:45  Netsanet Gudeta (ETH) 8 February 2019 Ras al-Khaimah [14] 16 1:05:46  Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 16 September 2018 Copenhagen [20]  Zeineba Yimer (ETH) 8 February 2019 Ras al-Khaimah [14] 18 1:05:52  Edith Chelimo (KEN) 1 October 2017 Cardiff 19 1:06:00  Tsehay Gemechu (ETH) 20 October 2019 Delhi [23] 20 1:06:01  Roza Dereje (ETH) 10 February 2019 Barcelona [24]  Yelamzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 20 October 2019 Delhi [23]  Evaline Chirchir (KEN) 21 February 2020 Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah [15] 23 1:06:04  Cynthia Limo (KEN) 12 February 2016 Ras al-Khaimah 24 1:06:07  Gladys Cherono (KEN) 12 February 2016 Ras al-Khaimah  Degitu Azemiraw (ETH) 8 February 2019 Ras al-Khaimah [14] Notes Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:06:07: Brigid Kosgei also ran 1:04:49 (2020), 1:05:28 (2019), 1:05:50 (2019). Joyciline Jepkosgei also ran 1:04:52 (2017). Florence Jebet Kiplagat also ran 1:05:12 (2014). Mary Jepkosgei Keitany also ran 1:05:13 (2017), 1:05:50 (2011), 1:06:02 (2015). Joan Chelimo also ran 1:05:37 (2018). Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui also ran 1:05:44 (2019). Sifan Hassan also ran 1:05:45 (2019), 1:05:53 (2019). Violah Jepchumba also ran 1:05:51 (2016) and 1:06:06 (2017). Ruth Chepngetich also ran 1:06:06 (2019).

Season's bests

The Chicago Half Marathon is a Chicago Marathon tune-up on Lake Shore Drive in the South Side of Chicago.

Runners taking part in the Bristol Half Marathon

This table lists the best half marathon performances per year since 1970, as recorded by the ARRS.[25]

Year	Mark	Men	Place	Mark	Women	Place
1970	1:03:53	Derek Graham (GBR)	Belfast
1971	1:05:25	Ron Hill (GBR)	Freckleton	1:23:56	Kathy Gibbons (USA)	Phoenix
1972	1:04:23	Víctor Manuel Mora (COL)	Coamo	1:31:55	Nadia Garcia (USA)	San Diego
1973	1:05:07	Mario Cuevas (MEX)	Maracaibo
1974	1:04:45	Vladimir Merkushin (URS)	Wieze	1:23:11	Chantal Langlacé (FRA)	Ay
1975	1:05:08	Paul Angenvoorth (FRG)	Grevenmacher
1976	1:03:46	Rafael Pérez (CRC)	Coamo	1:29:43	Rita Borralho (POR)	Nazaré
1977	1:02:37	Toshihiro Matsumoto (JPN)	Beppu	1:22:05	Silvana Cruciata (ITA)	Milan
1978	1:02:47	Tony Simmons (GBR)	Welwyn Garden City	1:15:04	Marty Cooksey (USA)	San Diego
1979	1:02:32	Kirk Pfeffer (USA)	Las Vegas	1:14:03	Patti Catalano (USA)	Manchester
1980	1:02:16	Stan Mavis (USA)	New Orleans	1:13:59	Marja Wokke (NED)	Den Haag
1981	1:01:47	Herb Lindsay (USA)	Manchester	1:11:16	Joan Samuelson (USA)	San Diego
1982	1:01:36	Michael Musyoki (KEN)	Philadelphia	1:09:57	Grete Waitz (NOR)	Gothenburg
1983	1:01:32	Paul Cummings (USA)	Dayton	1:09:10	Joan Samuelson (USA)	Philadelphia
1984	1:01:52	Alberto Cova (ITA)	Milan	1:08:34	Joan Samuelson (USA)	Philadelphia
1985	1:00:55	Mark Curp (USA)	Philadelphia	1:09:44	Joan Samuelson (USA)	Philadelphia
1986	1:00:43	Michael Musyoki (KEN)	South Shields	1:09:03	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	Drammen
1987	1:01:04	Carl Thackery (GBR)	Barnsley	1:06:40	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	Sandnes
1988	1:01:00	John Treacy (IRL)	South Shields	1:08:49	Grete Waitz (NOR)	South Shields
1989	1:01:10	Matthews Temane (RSA)	Durban	1:08:31	Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)	New Bedford
1990	1:00:34	Steve Moneghetti (AUS)	South Shields	1:09:33	Rosa Mota (POR)	South Shields
1991	1:00:51	Moses Tanui (KEN)	Milan	1:07:59	Elana Meyer (RSA)	East London
1992	1:00:24	Benson Masya (KEN)	South Shields	1:08:42	Liz McColgan (GBR)	Dundee
1993	59:47	Moses Tanui (KEN)	Milan[Note 1]	1:09:35	Valentina Yegorova (RUS)	St Petersburg
1994	1:00:02	Benson Masya (KEN)	South Shields	1:07:59	Uta Pippig (GER)	Kyoto
1995	1:00:26	Simon Lopuyet (KEN)	Lisbon	1:07:59	Uta Pippig (GER)	Kyoto
1996	1:00:31	Paul Koech (KEN)	Ivry-sur-Seine	1:09:15	Nadia Prasad (NCL)	Paris
1997	59:56	Shem Kororia (KEN)	Košice	1:07:36	Elana Meyer (RSA)	Kyoto
1998	59:17	Paul Tergat (KEN)	Milan	1:07:29	Elana Meyer (RSA)	Kyoto
1999	59:22	Paul Tergat (KEN)	Milan	1:06:44	Elana Meyer (RSA)	Tokyo
2000	1:00:30	Kenichi Takahashi (JPN)	Tokyo	1:07:07	Paula Radcliffe (GBR)	South Shields
2001	59:52	Fabián Roncero (ESP)	Berlin	1:06:47	Paula Radcliffe (GBR)	Bristol
2002	59:41	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Lisbon	1:07:19	Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL)	South Shields
2003	1:00:01	Hendrick Ramaala (RSA)	South Shields	1:05:39	Paula Radcliffe (GBR)	South Shields
2004	59:37	Dejene Berhanu (ETH)	South Shields	1:07:55	Benita Johnson (AUS)	South Shields
2005	59:05	Zersenay Tadese (ERI)	South Shields	1:07:33	Derartu Tulu (ETH)	South Shields
2006	58:55	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)	Tempe	1:07:16	Edith Masai (KEN)	Berlin
2007	58:35	Samuel Wanjiru (KEN)	The Hague	1:06:25	Lornah Kiplagat (NED)	Udine
2008	59:15	Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)  Deriba Merga (ETH)	Lisbon New Delhi	1:07:57	Philes Ongori (KEN)	Marugame
2009	58:52	Patrick Makau (KEN)	Ras al-Khaimah	1:06:36	Mary Keitany (KEN)	Birmingham
2010	58:23	Zersenay Tadese (ERI)	Lisbon	1:07:07	Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR)	Ras al-Khaimah
2011	58:30	Zersenay Tadese (ERI)	Lisbon	1:05:50[26]	Mary Keitany (KEN)	Ras al-Khaimah
2012	58:47	Atsedu Tsegay (ETH)	Prague	1:06:49	Mary Keitany (KEN)	Ras al-Khaimah
2013	58:54	Geoffrey Kipsang (KEN)	Ras al-Khaimah	1:06:09	Lucy Kabuu (KEN)	Ras al-Khaimah
2014	58:48	Abraham Cheroben (KEN)	Valencia	1:05:12	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	Barcelona
2015	59:10	Abraham Cheroben (KEN)	Valencia	1:05:09	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	Barcelona
2016	58:44	Solomon Yego (KEN)	Ostia	1:05:51	Violah Jepchumba (KEN)	Prague
2017	58:40	Abraham Cheroben (BHR)	Copenhagen	1:04:51	Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN)	Valencia
2018	58:18	Abraham Kiptum (KEN)	Valencia	1:04:52	Fancy Chemutai (KEN)	Ras al-Khaimah
2019	58:01	Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN)	Copenhagen	1:05:28	Brigid Kosgei (KEN)	Manama

Largest number of participants

In 2014, the largest half marathon in the world was the Göteborgsvarvet, also known as the Gothenburg half marathon, in Sweden with 64,288 announced runners and 47,491 finishers.[27]

The largest half marathon ever held was Broloppet (the Bridge race) between Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmö in Sweden with 79,719 finishers, held in connection with the Øresund Bridge inauguration in 2000.[28][29]

Age records

In 2017 Harriette Thompson became the oldest woman ever to finish a half-marathon, at age 94 at the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon.[30]

See also

• List of half marathon races
• World Athletics Half Marathon Championships
• Mini marathon
• Quarter marathon
• Half marathon world record progression
• One hour run

Notes

1. Published in IAAF documents, including IAAF top lists Archived 2009-02-16 at the Wayback Machine. The ARRS has suggested that the Stramilano half marathon course might have been short in 1993 and lists the best time for 1993 as 1:00:15 by Moses Tanui from Kenya.

References

1. USATF: Course Measurement and Certification Procedures
2. Emeterio Valiente (28 October 2018). "Kiptum breaks world half marathon record in Valencia with 58:18". IAAF. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
3. "Records by discipline: Women's outdoor half marathon". IAAF. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
4. "Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor smashes half marathon world record". bbc.co.uk. 15 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
5. "Great North Run 2014: Mo Farah claims first victory". BBC Sport. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
6. Hanc, John (July 24, 2008). "Sometimes Half Is Better Than Whole". NY Times. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
7. "All-time men's best Half Marathon". IAAF. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
8. "All-time men's best half-marathon". alltime-athletics.com. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
9. "All-time women's best Half Marathon". IAAF. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
10. "All-time women's best half-marathon". alltime-athletics.com. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
11. Emeterio Valiente (28 October 2018). "Kiptum breaks world half marathon record in Valencia with 58:18". IAAF. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
12. "Bedan Karoki Muchiri Ras-Al-Khaimah Half Marathon 2018 Result". premiertiming.com. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
13. "Erick Kiptanui Berlin Half Marathon 2018 Result". mikatiming.net. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
14. Jon Mulkeen (8 February 2019). "Kiprop equals course record, Teferi clocks fastest debut at Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon". IAAF. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
15. "Yeshaneh breaks half marathon world record in Ras Al Khaimah". World Athletics. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
16. "Fancy Chemutai Ras-Al-Khaimah Half Marathon 2018 Result". premiertiming.com. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
17. "Mary Keitany Ras-Al-Khaimah Half Marathon 2018 Result". premiertiming.com. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
18. Bob Ramsak (7 April 2018). "Melly sizzles to 1:05:04 victory at Prague Half Marathon". IAAF. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
19. "Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui Ras-Al-Khaimah Half Marathon 2018 Result". premiertiming.com. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
20. "Hassan smashes European record at Copenhagen Half Marathon". IAAF. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
21. Bob Ramsak (7 April 2019). "Weekend half marathon round-up: Chepngetich sizzles 1:05:30 in Istanbul, Hassan goes sub-1:06 in Berlin, Kimeli and Kipkirui win in Prague". IAAF. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
22. Emeterio Valiente (27 October 2019). "Weekend road round-up: Aiyabei sets Frankfurt Marathon record, Teferi breaks Ethiopian record in Valencia". IAAF. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
23. Eric Roeske (20 October 2019). "Weekend road round-up: course records broken in Amsterdam, Delhi, Toronto and Lisbon". IAAF. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
24. Emeterio Valiente (10 February 2019). "Dereje and Kiptanui take the spoils in Barcelona half". IAAF. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
25. "Yearly Ranking Leaders: Half Marathon". ARRS. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
26. "Keitany smashes half marathon world record in Ras Al Khaimah". IAAF. February 18, 2011. Retrieved 2015-05-03.
27. "Rekordmånga gick i mål i årets varv | Göteborgs-Posten". Gp.se. 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
28. "Bridge Race 2000". Archived from the original on 2004-11-19. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
29. "Senaste". Marathon.se.
30. Boren, Cindy. "At 94, Harriette Thompson becomes the oldest woman to run a half-marathon". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-06-16.

External links

• IAAF list of half-marathon records in XML