Joyciline Jepkosgei claims silver in Valencia

What you need to know:

  • The Ethiopian's winning time of 66:11 was a new women’s only World Record and a Championship Record.

Ethiopian Gudeta Kebede won the World Half Marathon in a Championship Record time beating Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei and Pauline Kaveke to second and third respectively in the race held in Valencia, Spain.

Kebede clocked 1 hour, 06 minutes and 11 seconds to erase Lorna Kiplagat’s 1:06:25 set during the 2007 World Half Marathon Championships in Udine, Italy.

Kenya’s Jepkosgei, who is the World Half Marathon record holder (1:04:52), settled for silver in 1:06:54 as Kaveke went for bronze in a personal best of 1:06:56.

It was the first time Kenya was losing the title since 2012 when Meseret Hailu triumphed. Kenyans Gladys Cherono won in 2014 with Peres Jepchirchir going for victory in 2016.

"The wind was too strong for me today. I am very happy with my second place," said Jepkosgei.

The victory was particularly sweet for Gudeta as she had been denied medals by the Kenyans in the past; in each of the past two editions, she finished as the top non-Kenyan (4th in 2016, 6th in 2014) but could not crack the podium.

Gudeta took home at least $80,000 (Sh8 million) in prize money — $30,000 (Sh3 million) for the win, $50,000 (Sh5 million) for breaking Lornah Kiplagat’s women’s-only world record.

Jepkosgei took home US$ 15,000 (Sh 1.5 million).

1. Netsanet Gudeta Kebede ETH 1:06:11 WRwo

2. Joyciline Jepkosgei KEN 1:06:54

3. Pauline Kaveke Kamulu KEN 1:06:56 PB

4. Eunice Chebichii Chumba BRN 1:07:17 SB

5. Zeineba Yimer ETH 1:08:07 PB