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Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir broke the world record for half a marathon in women’s-only races on Saturday, completing a 21.1 kilometer course in Prague in one hour and 05.34 minutes.
The 26-year-old broke the previous record of 1:06:11, set by Netsanet Gudeta of Ethiopia in the women-only event at the World Half Marathon Championships in 2018.
The overall women’s half marathon record of 1: 04.31 was set by Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia in a mixed race at Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates in February.
Jepchirchir, who held the overall record for two months in 2017, broke away from a small group of nine riders after a 20-minute race at Letna Park and reached the 10-kilometer mark in 30.32 minutes.
He slowed down during the second half of the race, but was still within the previous record.
“I am satisfied with the result, although I thought I could have run 1:04:50,” she said. “I was really tired from the last five kilometers.”