VALENCIA, SPAIN, October 27 — With a masterful display of front-running, Yomif Kejelcha splashed his way through the streets of Valencia to a 57:30 World Record half-marathon proving that even on the rare occasion that it rains in the Spanish running capitol, it rains WRs. In Kejelcha’s case with a 1-second improvement over Jacob Kiplimo’s 2021 record run in Lisbon.
The lanky 27-year-old Ethiopian was ecstatic. “For me it’s a very special day,” he said. “The half-marathon is my dream, and I try to the break World Record. I told my coach, my management, today is my day, so I’m really very happy.”
In the women’s race, Kenyan Agnes Ngetich bettered the 15K World Record crossing in 44:15, before slowing in the final kilometers to finish the full distance in 63:04, 12 seconds off Letesenbet Gidey’s standard. Ethiopian Fotyen Tesfay finished 2nd in 63:21, Kenyan Lilian Rengeruk 3rd in 63:32 and Ejgayehu Taye 4th in 64:14.
The top 4 in this race moved to 2-3-4, =7 on the all-time performers list.
All this after light rain moved in minutes before the start, turning to steady rain by mid-race. No problem for Kejelcha. “I told myself to do it in 57 minutes and that it was possible despite the rain.”
Committed to that time, it didn’t take long for the World Indoor Record-holder in the mile (3:47.01) to go to the front. “The pacer was not helping me too much,” he said. “I looked at the pace clock and saw 58 zero something, so I decided to go faster.”
Zipping a 2:38 fifth kilometer, Kejelcha crossed 5K in 13:38, back on 57:33 pace, and accompanied by fellow Ethiopians Selemon Barega and Gemechu Dida, and Kenyans Daniel Mateiko, Isaiyah Lasoi and debutant Vincent Langat.
At 7K the pace was 57:41 and Kejelcha sought some assistance. “I asked my friends, ‘Please come and help me, guys,’ but no one is going to help me, so I go to faster.” Kejelcha surged through a 2:37 eighth K that only Mateiko and Lasoi could keep up with.
The trio passed 10K in 27:13 (57:24 pace), then slowed a bit as the rain intensified and Kejelcha ran wide around turns. ”The curves were challenging me because my shoes were sliding in the rain. If I go fast, maybe I will fall down.”
After 15K in 40:45 Kejelcha took off again.
“After 15k, again I decided to go alone,” he said. “I’m going by myself in training, it’s normal for me, so I push myself.” Kejelcha pushed through 2:37 and 2:40 kilometers — and the 2K segment in 5:17 broke open the race and put him on 57:22 pace at 17K.
“When I go at 15 kilometers, I’m very comfortable, so I’m good and I was confident I could get the record,” he said. “But in 18, 19 kilometers, the wind was very challenging. I don’t like wind, I’m tired already, I’m going hard, and it’s a big challenge to me.”
After reaching 20K in 54:32 at 57:31 tempo, Kejelcha admitted afterwards, “I was very nervous because the rhythm changed in the wind, but after 20km, the wind is good and I start again. I improve my speed, going faster and faster, and I got it.”
In a sprint finish reminiscent of Haile Gebrselassie’s mad dash in 2008 to get under 2:04 for the marathon, Kejelcha sprinted vigorously with eyes fixed on the finish clock, “I saw I’m inside the World Record and I’m telling myself I got it.”
A well-earned record, indeed, as Kejelcha drove the pace throughout the race and soloed the final 6K. “I told myself, I had very hard training, I’m confident, so I’m going to do it alone, I am going to do it myself.”
The good karma of Kejelcha’s efforts was rewarded with the 1-second improvement over Kiplimo’s WR, which in turn was a second better than Kibiwott Kandie’s 2020 record. Kejelcha ends the year in fine standing having run the year’s No. 2 time for 5000 (12:38.95), the list-leading 10,000 (26:31.01) and now the half’s WR.
“Valencia is my special place.” Kejelcha said. “I put my personal best here last year and now the World Record. Maybe next time 56.”
Valencia has also been a special place for Ngetich, who started her year here rocketing to a WR road 10K in 28:46, equaling the 5K record of 14:13 en route.
Deploying a similar ballistic start, Ngetich and a pair of pacers set off at a steady if ever ambitious 2:56 clip through a pair of 14:39 5K segments to hit 10K in 29:18 (61:46 pace), the fourth-fastest road 10K in history.
Uber quick, but not fast enough to drop Taye, the 6th place finisher in the Paris Olympic 5000 with a PR of 14:12.98. Like Ngetich, Taye had the gears and moxie to go crazy in her HM debut. Not so crazy for Ngetich who said later, “It was not an error, I thought about it.”
Ngetich maintained sub-3:00 kilometers through 12K as Taye fell off the pace. After passing 15K at 62:13 pace, the 23-year-old held steady before hitting the wind and rain.
“The pace was good, but the weather was not good so I try my best,” Ngetich said. “From 15K to 17K it was hard because it was a lot of rain and water splashing my legs. The pacers were trying to assist me, but in 19 and 20K I hit the wind.”
A pair of 3:08 and 3:14 Ks into the wind scuttled the record attempt as the HM was left out of Ngetich’s collection of the 5K, 10K and 15K WRs.
“I’m so happy,” Ngetich said. “I’m so proud that I ran the second-fastest ever in my debut. I didn’t know what time I’ll run so this gives me motivation. I think it’s a great achievement for me, graduating from cross country, 10K to half-marathon, everything in a good time and best results. The half marathon is in my dreams and one day we try the record again maybe in Valencia.”
Tesfay and Rengeruk ran together at a more even pace, passing 10K in 29:59, and 15K in 44:44.
Tesfay — 7th in the Paris 10,000 with track PRs of 14:28.53 and 29:47.7 — and Rengeruk — 5th in the Paris 10 and owner of a 29:26.89 PR — are indicative of the wealth of talent moving to the HM. The duo gained ground on Ngetich over the final kilometers in their run up the all-time list, as even a very wet Valencia proved to be super-quick.
VALENCIA MEN’S RESULTS
1. Yomif Kejelcha (Eth) 57:30 WR (old WR 57:31 Jacob Kiplimo [Uga] ‘21) (13:38, 13:34 [27:12], 13:44 [40:56], 13:36 [54:32], 2:58);
2. Daniel Kibet (Ken) 58:17 PR; 3. Isaiyah Lasoi (Ken) 58:21; 4. Gemechu Dida (Eth) 58:39 PR; 5. Vincent Langat (Ken) 58:41 PR; 6. Selemon Barega (Eth) 58:57; 7. Birhanu Balew (Bhr) 59:41 PR; 8. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Spa) 59:42 PR; 9. Etienne Daguinos (Fra) 59:46 PR; 10. Bastien Augusto (Fra) 60:18 PR; … 14. Morgan Pearson (US) 61:08 PR; 15. Hillary Bor (US) 61:20 PR; 16. Edward Cheserek (Ken) 61:28;… 19. Andrew Colley (US) 61:35 PR.
VALENCIA WOMEN’S RESULTS
1. Agnes Ngetich (Ken) 63:04 NR (WL) (2, 2 W) (14:39.0, 14:39.0 [29:18], 14:57.0 [44:15 WR old WR—44:20 Letesenbet Gidey /Eth/ ’19], 15:27.0 [59:42], 3:22.0);
2. Fotyen Tesfay (Eth) 63:21 PR (3, 3 W); 3. Lilian Rengeruk (Ken) 63:32 PR (4, 4 W); 4. Ejgayehu Taye (Eth) 64:14 PR (=7, =7 W);
5. Tsige Gebreselama (Eth) 65:18; 6. Sheila Chelangat (Ken) 66:06 PR; 7. Jesca Chelangat (Ken) 66:13 PR; 8. Viola Chepngeno (Ken) 66:55; 9. Konstanze Klosterhalfen (Ger) 67:07; 10. Eva Dieterich (Ger) 68:26 PR; 11. Moira Stewartová (CzR) 68:44 NR; 12. Boulaid Kaoutar (Mor) 68:47 PR; 13. Laura Luengo (Spa) 68:50 NR; 14. Clara Evans (GB) 69:00 PR; 15. Irene Sánchez-Escribano (Spa) 69:10 PR.
