Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich won the women’s half marathon at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen on Sunday, setting a women-only world record of 1:05:15.
The 25-year-old finished 50 seconds ahead of compatriot Veronica Loleo, who took silver in 1:06:05, while Rwanda’s Florence Niyonkuru won bronze in a national record of 1:06:08.
Ngetich took one second off the previous women-only world record of 1:05:16 set by Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir when she won the world half marathon title in Gdynia in 2020.
The Copenhagen victory is Ngetich’s second global title of the year after she won the world cross-country championship in Tallahassee in January.
She now holds three world records, having also set the women-only 10km record of 29:27 and the mixed-race 10km record of 28:46.
Ngetich led from the start, reaching 5km in 15:12 and 10km in 30:39 before extending her lead to more than 50 seconds by the 20km mark.
“I am very happy and very grateful to now hold the world half marathon record, too,” Ngetich said.
Uganda’s Esther Chebet finished 10th in 1:07:38.
Ngetich also led Kenya to the women’s team title alongside Loleo and Daisilah Jerono.
