Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor is the new record holder in the Men’s Half Marathon race. The 26-year-old achieved the feat on Sunday in Copenhagen at the IAAF Gold Label race.
Kamworor broke the tape in a time of 58:01 to eclipse Abraham Kiptum’s previous record of 58:18 with a clean 7 seconds.
He ran half the race alone after distancing his rivals and survived a sudden deluge of rain to lead home five other men under 60 minutes. Compatriot Bernard Kipkorir (59:16) and Ethiopia’s Berhanu Wendemu Tsegu (59:22) finished second and third.
“It is very emotional for me to set this record,” said Kamworor. “And doing it in Copenhagen, where I won my first world title, adds something to it.”
Kamworor, a three-time half marathon world champion, will not compete at the IAAF World Championships later in September. Outside of his appearances at the World Half Marathon Championships, it was Kamworor’s first 13.1-mile race since November 2014. His goal of breaking the world record was such an important target that he passed up the opportunity to compete at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019.
Kenyans were impressed by Kamwaror’s feats and took to social media to congratulate him for making history.
Congratulations Geoffrey Kamworor 🇰🇪 pic.twitter.com/34rKaBNQ5J
— Oliver Mathenge (@OliverMathenge) September 15, 2019
Move over people, the world is my stage. Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor smashes the World Half Marathon record after a barnstorming 57:59 run #KOTLoyals pic.twitter.com/dl9LFBQ9Dk
— The African Voice (@teddyeugene) September 15, 2019
Is your mind just ever blown by a sports performance? Look no further than Geoffrey Kamworor’s half marathon world record- 57:59! 4:25 average per mile, on the roads. That’s a 66 second lap on the track, done 52+ times in a row. It’s a 13:45 average 5k repeated 4 times in a row.
— Eli Kaczinski (@EliKaczinski) September 15, 2019
Congratulations Geoffrey Kamworor for setting the new Half Marathon World Record in Copenhagen.#KOTLoyals are proud of you
— Alice Diana (@AliceDiana14) September 15, 2019
Human capability is unlimited..Congratulations Geoffrey Kamworor #KOTLoyals #SundayMotivation#FuryWallin #WARARS
— Abel Kemboi W (@abel_k_w) September 15, 2019
CONGRATULATIONS Geoffrey Kamworor who smashes the World Half Marathon record in a time of 57 min 59 seconds in Copenhagen#SundayMotivation
— MuthuiMkenya 🇰🇪 (@MuthuiMkenya) September 15, 2019
Our very own Geoffrey Kamworor has set a new world half marathon record in a dazzling time of 58.01!
Congratulations Geoffrey! #KOTLoyals— KOT 🇰🇪 (@KOT_Loyals) September 15, 2019