Half Marathon World Record: Kejelcha’s 56:51 in Buenos Aires Awaits Ratification
Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha ran the Buenos Aires Half Marathon on August 23, 2026 in 56:51, the fastest time ever recorded in a record-eligible race. If World Athletics ratifies it, it will be the new half marathon world record, 29 seconds faster than the current record, Jacob Kiplimo’s 57:20 in Lisbon in March. Here is how the race unfolded, where the ratification stands and why two chapters of this story took place in Spain, in Valencia and Barcelona.
How the 56:51 in Buenos Aires happened
According to the World Athletics report, conditions were 6°C at the start with a light breeze and a tailwind section mid-race. Two pacers, Uganda’s Dillon Kipyeko and Kenya’s Brian Kipmwetich Kipkore, set out at 2:45 per kilometer. Kejelcha’s splits:
| Point | Time | Split |
|---|---|---|
| 10 km | 27:19 | 5 to 10 km in 13:34 |
| 15 km | 40:41 | 10 to 15 km in 13:22 |
| 20 km | 54:04 | 10 to 20 km in 26:45 |
| Finish (21.097 km) | 56:51 | last kilometer in 2:32 |
He ran almost alone from 7 km. Compared with Kiplimo’s 57:20 in Lisbon, he was 19 seconds slower at 10 km and 11 seconds faster at 15 km, so the record came from a very fast second half. Runner-up Tadese Worku, also from Ethiopia, finished in 59:20, two and a half minutes back. Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay won the women’s race in 1:03:57.
What is needed for a half marathon world record
No time becomes the half marathon world record until World Athletics ratifies it, and that takes months. The federation checks that the course was measured and certified, that the athlete passed doping control and that the race met its rules for road records. The two conditions that cause the most trouble are elevation, since the overall drop between start and finish cannot exceed one meter per kilometer, and the distance between start and finish, which cannot exceed half the race distance so that a steady tailwind cannot help the whole way.
In the official World Athletics records table, the current record is Jacob Kiplimo’s 57:20 in Lisbon on March 8, 2026, which has been ratified. Kejelcha’s 56:51 is listed just below it with an asterisk: pending ratification.
The recent history of the half marathon world record
In two years the half marathon world record has gone through four marks, two of them set in Spain:
| Date | Athlete | Time | Race | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2024 | Yomif Kejelcha | 57:30 | Valencia Half Marathon | Ratified record |
| February 2025 | Jacob Kiplimo | 56:42 | Barcelona Half Marathon | Not ratified |
| March 2026 | Jacob Kiplimo | 57:20 | Lisbon Half Marathon | Ratified record (current) |
| August 2026 | Yomif Kejelcha | 56:51 | Buenos Aires Half Marathon | Pending ratification |
Barcelona shows why everyone waits for ratification before celebrating. Kiplimo was the first to break 57 minutes there, but World Athletics did not accept the time because the race conditions did not fully comply with its rules. The official record stayed with Kejelcha’s Valencia run until Kiplimo improved it in Lisbon, which is why the 56:51 in Buenos Aires is described as the fastest time in a record-eligible race rather than the fastest time ever.
Kejelcha, from 1:59:41 in London to the half marathon record
Kejelcha has had an extraordinary year. In April, on his marathon debut, he ran London in 1:59:41, the fastest debut in history, in the same race where Sabastian Sawe became the first man to break two hours in a record-eligible race with 1:59:30, a record that has since been ratified.
One athlete holding a pending half marathon world record of 56:51 and 1:59:41 for the marathon says a lot about how fast road running has become. Five years ago the half marathon world record was Kiplimo’s 57:31 in Lisbon and the marathon record was 2:01:39.
What pace is a 56:51 half marathon
It works out to 2:41.7 per kilometer on average, or 22.3 km/h for almost an hour. At that pace a 10K would take 26:57. You can check the math or convert your own goal with the pace converter.
If you are training for a half, the half marathon training plan lays out the weeks, and if you want to race in one of the record cities, the Barcelona Half Marathon guide explains how to enter for February.
Half marathon world record FAQ
What is the current half marathon world record?
The current ratified record is Jacob Kiplimo’s 57:20 in Lisbon on March 8, 2026. Yomif Kejelcha’s 56:51 in Buenos Aires on August 23, 2026 is pending ratification and will become the new record once World Athletics approves it.
Why does Kiplimo’s 56:42 in Barcelona not count?
World Athletics ruled that the race conditions did not fully meet the requirements for a world record.
How long does ratification take?
It depends on the paperwork the organizers send. Sawe’s London marathon on April 26 was ratified on July 23, almost three months later.
