Jepchirchir, Hassan and Farah World records ratified by World Athletics

Just five days before Netherlands Sifan Hassan and Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya clash at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020, their recent world record-breaking feats have been ratified.

Jepchirchir’s 1:05:34 women-only world half marathon record and the one-hour world records from Hassan (18,930m) and Mo Farah of Great Britain (21,330m) are now official.

Jepchirchir produced her record-breaking run on September 5, 2020, at the Prague 21.1KM, an invitational-only elite half marathon held on a 16.5-lap course in Letna Park in the Czech capital.

The 26-year-old Kenyan, who won the world half marathon title in 2016, was paced through the first five kilometres in about 15:20. She broke away from the rest of the lead pack just a few minutes later and reached 10km in 30:32.

Meanwhile, Hassan and Farah stormed into the record books at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Brussels on September 4, the night before Jepchirchir’s race in Prague.

Hassan’s record came after a titanic battle with Kenya’s world marathon record-holder Brigid Kosgei, although it later transpired the latter had been disqualified for stepping on to the infield in the closing stages.

The Dutch 2019 Doha world 1500m and 10,000m champion reached 18,930 metres as the hour elapsed, beating the previous mark of 18,517m set by Ethiopia’s Dire Tune in Ostrava on June 12, 2008.

The British distance of 21,330m broke the previous mark of 21,285m set by Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie in Ostrava on June 27, 2007.