Half Marathon World Record: Men's and Women's Fastest Times

Current half marathon world records, full progression history, and the mixed-gender vs women-only distinction that every fan of the event should understand.

2026-06-20 · 8 min read · Rankings & Data

On March 8, 2026, Jacob Kiplimo crossed the finish line of the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon in **57:20** - the fastest ratified **half marathon world record** in history. Running without pacemakers, in a course that met every World Athletics requirement, Kiplimo finally got the record that had slipped away once before.

That backstory matters. In February 2025, Kiplimo ran 56:42 in Barcelona - a number that would have shattered the world record by more than a minute. World Athletics did not ratify it, citing the proximity of the lead vehicle as a drafting concern. So he came back to Lisbon in 2026 and ran a clean, undeniable 57:20 to put the record beyond question.

Current half marathon world records

| Category | Time | Athlete | Date | Location | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Men | **57:20** | Jacob Kiplimo | 8 Mar 2026 | Lisbon | | Women (mixed-gender) | **1:02:52** | Letesenbet Gidey | 24 Oct 2021 | Valencia | | Women (women-only) | **1:05:16** | Peres Jepchirchir | 17 Oct 2020 | Gdynia |

The mixed-gender vs women-only distinction

World Athletics maintains two separate women's records for road events including the half marathon. The difference matters more than most casual observers realise.

**Mixed-gender races** include male runners who can act as de facto pacemakers for elite women throughout the event. Running behind faster men reduces wind resistance and provides pace reference throughout the race. Times in these events tend to be faster as a result.

**Women-only races** have no male field to pace off. Gidey's 1:02:52 in Valencia was set in a mixed-gender event. Jepchirchir's 1:05:16 in Gdynia was set at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships, women-only.

Both are legitimate world records in their respective categories. Most headlines refer to the mixed-gender mark.

Men's half marathon world record progression

| Year | Time | Athlete | Country | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1998 | 59:17 | Paul Tergat | KEN | | 2010 | 59:23 | Zersenay Tadese | ERI | | 2011 | 58:23 | Moses Mosop | KEN | | 2018 | 58:01 | Abraham Kiptum | KEN | | 2021 | 58:01 | Geoffrey Kamworor | KEN | | 2024 | 57:30 | Yomif Kejelcha | ETH | | 2026 | **57:20** | Jacob Kiplimo | UGA |

The men's record crossed the sub-60-minute barrier for the first time officially in 1998 with Paul Tergat's 59:17. It took over a decade to cross sub-59. Then the record fell rapidly in the 2020s as pacing operations, carbon-plated footwear, and deeper East African fields combined to push the ceiling lower almost every season.

Women's half marathon world record progression (mixed-gender)

| Year | Time | Athlete | Country | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1999 | 1:06:44 | Elana Meyer | RSA | | 2012 | 1:05:50 | Mary Keitany | KEN | | 2017 | 1:04:51 | Mary Keitany | KEN | | 2018 | 1:04:02 | Joyciline Jepkosgei | KEN | | 2019 | 1:04:02 | Ruth Chepngetich | KEN | | 2021 | **1:02:52** | Letesenbet Gidey | ETH |

Gidey's 1:02:52 in Valencia cut more than a minute off the previous record and still stands more than four years later. Running at roughly 2:59 per kilometre for the full 21.1 km, she averaged a pace most recreational runners would be pleased to hold for a single kilometre at the end of a race.

From world record pace to your goal

Kiplimo's 57:20 works out to approximately **2:43 per km**. Most first-time half marathoners are aiming somewhere between **5:30 and 7:00 per km** - a completely different physiological experience, and that gap is normal and expected.

What connects world record running to recreational racing is the same discipline: patience in the first half. Records at every level fall apart when athletes go out too fast. The runners who negative split - running the second half faster than the first - tend to produce better times regardless of ability level.

Use the [half marathon pace chart](/blog/half-marathon-pace-chart) for per-km and per-mile splits across finish times from 1:20 to 2:30. Build toward your goal with a [half marathon training plan for beginners](/plans/half-marathon), or predict your finishing time from a recent race with the [race predictor](/tools/race-predictor).

**Find races:** Browse [half marathon races](/races/half) worldwide or search by city - [Valencia](/races/spain/valencia) is one of the fastest certified courses in the world and consistently produces top-end times.