Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha broke the half-marathon world record on Sunday in the streets of Buenos Aires becoming the first man to run under 57 minutes.
The 29-year-old, who in April became the second man to run under two hours for the marathon, clocked a winning time of 56 minutes 51 seconds.
His time carved almost 30 seconds off the existing record of Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo who ran 57:20 in March in Lisbon.
WORLD RECORD!!!!🤯🤯
— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) August 23, 2026
Yomif Kejelcha 🇪🇹 breaks the Half Marathon World Record (WR) in 56:51 at the Buenos Aires Half Marathon. pic.twitter.com/bSG7O3PYgM
Kejelcha, already the 10km world record holder, therefore regains the world record he held before Kiplimo bettered his previous time of 57:30.
The record, however, still needs to be ratified by World Athletics.
In February 2025, Kiplimo completed the half in 56:42, but the world record was not ratified, as World Athletics ruled the Ugandan runner had benefited from the slipstream of a car driving ahead of him during the race.
World silver medallist on the track over 10 000m behind Jimmy Gressier in September 2025, Kejelcha became the second man to break the mythical two-hour barrier in the London marathon in April.
In his debut over the distance, he posted an incredible 1:59:41 only to be beaten by 11 seconds by the Kenyan Sabastian Sawe.