The world record in the half marathon has been officially recognised since 1 January 2004 by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the international governing body for the sport of athletics. A total of five men's world records and six women's world records have been officially ratified since that date. The IAAF officially recognised the fastest times prior to that date as a "world best" from 1 January 2003 onwards. Before that date, the IAAF did not recognise any road running world records, though the concept of a world record was recognised by other organisations, such as the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS).
The current world record for the half marathon are 58:23 minutes for men, set by Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese on 21 March 2010 at the Lisbon Half Marathon, and 64:51 minutes for women, set by Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya at the Valencia Half Marathon on 22 October 2017. The IAAF has since 2011 also kept records for the fastest time run by women in women-only races (i.e. without male pacemakers). The best time for that category is held by Kenyan-born Dutchwoman Lornah Kiplagat, who ran 66:25 minutes at the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships in Udine on 14 October. There was some criticism of this change, as the IAAF originally intended to downgrade world records set in mixed gender races to "world best" status, but in response the organisation agreed to maintain historic marks as official.
Races close to the official half marathon distance of 21.0975 kilometres (13.1094 mi) had taken place throughout the early 20th century, and athletes had also been timed at the midpoint of full marathons, but the first half marathon races proper emerged in the 1960s. Some of that era, such as the Route du Vin Half Marathon and San Blas Half Marathon (which both took the official distance in 1966) are extant today. The earliest half marathon world record accepted by the Association of Track and Field Statisticians is that of 67:01 minutes ran by Englishman Brian Hill-Cottingham in Romford in 1960. For women, the earliest ARRS-recognised time is that of American Kathy Gibbons, who finished the distance in 83:56 on 7 March 1971 in Phoenix, Arizona. The earliest men's and women's marks recognised as world records by the IAAF are 65:44 set by Ron Hill in 1965 and 75:04 set by Marty Cooksey in 1978.
Video Half marathon world record progression
World record progression
Key:
Listed by the IAAF as a world best prior to official acceptance
Ratified by the IAAF as a world best (since January 1, 2003) or world record (since January 1, 2004)
Recognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians
Men
Women
Maps Half marathon world record progression
Notes
References
External links
- Association of Track and Field Statisticians website
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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