Peres Jepchirchir breaks his own women’s-only half-marathon record

Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir broke the women’s-only half marathon world record when she took gold in a close race at the athletics half marathon world championships in Gdynia, Poland on Saturday.

Jepchirchir, 27, finished in a time of one hour, five minutes and 16 seconds to improve on his own record set in Prague last month, claiming the title for the second time having won it in Cardiff in 2016.

German Melat Yisak Kejeta crossed the finish line two seconds behind to take silver, while Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw was third a second more adrift.

The race was originally scheduled for March but was postponed to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic.