The Africans flew over the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships which took place on Saturday, October 17, 2020 in Gdynia (Poland).
We were expecting Joshua Cheptegei but it was another Ugandan, Jacob Kiplimo, who took the victory in 58'49 '', a new national record. The 19-year-old defeated Kenyan Kandie Kibiwott (58:54) who is the holder of the best world performance of the year and Ethiopian Amedework Walelegn (59:08). For his first foray into the discipline, Cheptegei comes in fourth position in 59'21 ''. For the first time in the 28-year history of this event, a Ugandan athlete was sacred.
Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir improved her own world record in an all-female race in 1h 05'16 '' ahead of Kenyan-born German Melat Kejeta, (1h 05'18 '') and Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw (1h 05'19 ").
In an arena where endurance is king, speed has also proven to be a valuable commodity. Ultimately, Peres Jepchirchir needed both to reign supreme in the women's race.
Jepchirchir breaks women-only world record at World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020
In an arena where endurance is king, speed also proved a precious commodity. In the end, Peres Jepchirchir needed both to reign supreme in the women’s race at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 on Saturday (17), powering to gold in 1:05:16, a world record* in a women-only race.
She led home Germany's Melat Yisak Kejeta, who smashed the European women-only record to take silver in 1:05:18, with Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw a close third in 1:05:19.
