Three-time world half-marathon champion clocks 58:01 in Copenhagen

Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor stormed to a world half-marathon record in Copenhagen on Sunday, taking 17 seconds off the previous record mark with his impressive time of 58:01.

The 26-year-old won the first of his three world half-marathon titles in the Danish capital and returned there with an aim of improving the 58:18 global mark set by Abraham Kiptum in Valencia last year.

Kamworor was just outside world record pace through 5km, which he passed as part of a large group in 13:53.

But he picked up the pace and clocked 27:34 for 10km.

Soon after, he was running solo and went on to pass the 15km mark in 41:05, a time which was 11 seconds inside sub-58 minute pace and the quickest ever recorded for that distance.

There was another world best at 20km, which he passed in 55:00 before crossing the finish line just a second over 58 minutes.

“Finally I could go for a fast time, and what a time it is!” said Kamworor.

A total of six athletes finished inside the hour, with Kamworor followed by his compatriot Bernard Kipkorir in 59:16 and Ethiopia’s Berehanu Wendemu Tsegu in 59:22 ahead of Kenyans Edwin Kiprop Kiptoo (59:27), Amos Kurgat (59:37) and Philemon Kiplimo (59:57).

Norway’s Sondre Nordstad Moen was seventh in 60:20 and Britain’s Charlie Hulson 28th in a PB of 65:19.

Kamworor now aims to regain the TCS New York City Marathon title on November 3, which he won in 2017.

The women’s title in Copenhagen was claimed by Tokyo Marathon champion Birhane Dibaba of Ethiopia in an almost two-minute PB of 65:57 as she won by 25 seconds.

Kenya’s Evaline Chirchir was second in 66:22 and Dorcas Tuitoek third in 66:36.

They were all part of the group which passed 5km in 15:48 and 10km in 31:15, before the trio reached 15km in 46:55.

Dibaba moved away to pass 20km in 62:31, ahead of Chirchir’s 62:49 and Tuitoek’s 62:59.