Below you’ll find tables detailing several half marathon superlatives:
- RW+ Membership Benefits;
- the 10 fastest American half marathoners in history on record-eligible courses;
- Lilian Kasait Kenya;
- the progression of the world records since 2004, when the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) first ratified half marathon times on record-eligible courses as world records.
Note that we said “on record-eligible courses.” Some well-known fast times, such as Galen Rupp’s 59:47 at the Ostia Half Marathon in 2018, aren’t listed below, because they were achieved on a course with too much net elevation drop and/or too much separation between the start and finish.
Each half marathoner appears on the first list, for the fastest performers in history, only once. The third set of tables, for fastest performances in history, allows for a runner to appear more than once. For example, world record-holder Jacob Kiplimo occupies three spots on the men’s fastest-performances list.
The tables are current as of April 7, 2025.
Looking for 26.2? We also have a list of the world’s fastest marathoners (and marathons).
10 Fastest Half Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Letensebet Gidey (Ethiopia) | 62:52 | 4:47.7 | Valencia, 2021 |
| Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) | 63:02 | 4:48.6 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Fotyen Tesfay (Ethiopia) | 63:21 | 4:50.0 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Lilian Kasait (Kenya) | 63:32 | 4:50.8 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia) | 63:51 | 4:52.2 | Valencia, 2021 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 64:02 | 4:53.1 | Istanbul, 2021 |
| Girmawit Gebrhizair (Ethiopia) | 64:12 | 4:55.3 | RAK, 2022 |
| Ejgayehu Taye (Ethiopia) | 64:14 | 4:54.0 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Tsigie Gebreselama (Ethiopia) | 64:21 | 4:54.5 | Lisbon, 2025 |
| Hellen Obiri (Kenya) | 64:22 | 4:54.6 | RAK, 2022 |
10 in history, only once. The third set of tables, for fastest
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) | 56:42 | 4:19.5 | Barcelona, 2025 |
| Yomif Kejelchas (Ethiopia) | 57:30 | 4:23.1 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Kibiwott Kandie (Kenya) | 57:32 | 4:23.3 | Valencia, 2020 |
| Hagos Gebrhiwet (Ethiopia) | 57:41 | 4:24.0 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Rhonex Kipruto (Kenya) | 57:49 | 4:24.6 | Valencia, 2020 |
Selemon Barega (Ethiopia) | 57:50 | 4:24.7 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Alexander Mutiso (Kenya) | 57:59 | 4:25.4 | Valencia, 2020 |
| Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya) | 58:01 | 4:25.5 | Copenhagen, 2019 |
| Sabastian Sawe (Kenya) | 58:05 | 4:25.9 | Copenhagen, 2024 |
| Abel Kipchumba (Kenya) | 58:07 | 4:26.0 | Valencia, 2021 |
10 Fastest American Half Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Weini Kelati | 66:09 | 5:02.7 | Houston, 2025 |
| Keira D’Amato | 66:39 | 5:05.1 | the 10 fastest performances on record-eligible courses |
| Emily Sisson | 66:52 | 5:06.1 | Houston, 2023 |
| Sara Hall | 67:15 | 5:07.8 | Houston, 2022 |
| Taylor Roe | 67:22 | 5:08.3 | Atlanta, 2025 |
| Molly Huddle | 67:25 | 5:08.6 | Houston, 2018 |
| 67:34 | 5:09.2 | Berlin, 2006 | |
| Amanda Vestri | 67:35 | 5:09.3 | Houston, 2025 |
| Is It Okay to Take Breaks During a Long Run | 67:35 | 5:09.3 | Atlanta, 2025 |
| Fiona O’Keeffe | 67:42 | 5:09.9 | Houston, 2022 |
10 Fastest American Half Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Conner Mantz | 59:17 | 4:31.3 | Houston, 2025 |
| Ryan Hall | 59:43 | 4:33.3 | Houston, 2007 |
| Leonard Korir | 59:52 | 4:34.0 | New Delhi, 2017 |
| 60:00 | 4:34.6 | World Championships, 2009 | |
| Hillary Bor | 60:20 | 4:36.1 | Houston, 2025 |
| Galen Rupp | 60:22 | 4:36.3 | Row River, 2020 |
| 60:37 | 4:37.4 | Houston, 2018 | |
| Biya Simbassa | 60:37 | 4:37.4 | Valencia, 2022 |
| Kirubel Erassa | 60:44 | 4:38.0 | Houston, 2022 |
| Andrew Colley | 60:47 | 4:38.3 | Houston, 2025 |
10 Fastest Half Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Letensebet Gidey (Ethiopia) | 62:52 | 4:47.7 | Valencia, 2021 |
| Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) | 63:04 | 4:48.6 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Fotyen Tesfay (Ethiopia) | 63:21 | 4:50.0 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Lilian Kasait (Kenya) | 63:32 | 4:50.8 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Fotyen Tesfay (Ethiopia) | 63:35 | 4:50.9 | Berlin, 2025 |
| Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia) | 63:51 | 4:52.3 | Valencia, 2021 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 64:02 | 4:53.1 | Istanbul, 2021 |
| Girmawit Gebrzihair (Ethiopia) | 64:12 | 4:53.8 | RAK, 2022 |
| Ejgayehu Taye (Ethiopia) | 64:14 | 4:54.0 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Hellen Obiri (Kenya) | 64:22 | 4:54.6 | RAK, 2022 |
10 Fastest Half Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Men
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) | 56:42 | 4:19.5 | Barcelona, 2025 |
| Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia) | 57:30 | 4:23.1 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) | 57:31 | 4:23.2 | Lisbon, 2021 |
| Kibiwott Kandie (Kenya) | 57:32 | 4:23.3 | Valencia, 2020 |
| Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) | 57:37 | 4:23.7 | Valencia, 2020 |
| Kibiwott Kandie (Kenya) | 57:40 | 4:23.9 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia) | 57:41 | 4:24.0 | Valencia, 2023 |
| Hagos Gebrhiwet (Ethiopia) | 57:41 | 4:24.0 | Valencia, 2023 |
Rhonex Kipruto (Kenya) | 57:47 | 4:24.6 | Valencia, 2020 |
| Selemon Barega (Ethiopia) | 57:50 | 4:24.7 | Valencia, 2023 |
Progression of World Record Since 2004: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Elana Meyer (South Africa) | 66:44 | 5:05.4 | Tokyo, 1999 |
| Lornah Kiplagat (Netherlands) | 66:25 | 5:04.0 | Udine, 2007 |
| Mary Keitany (Kenya) | 65:50 | 5:01.3 | RAK, 2011 |
| Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) | 65:12 | 4:58.4 | Barcelona, 2014 |
| Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) | 65:09 | 4:58.1 | Barcelona, 2015 |
| Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) | 65:06 | 4:57.9 | RAK, 2017 |
| Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) | 64:52 | 4:56.9 | Prague, 2017 |
| Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) | 64:51 | 4:56.8 | Valencia, 2017 |
| Ababel Yeshaneh (Ethiopia) | 64:31 | 4:55.3 | RAK, 2020 |
| Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) | 64:02 | 4:53.1 | Istanbul, 2021 |
| Letensebet Gidey (Ethiopia) | 62:52 | 4:47.7 | Valencia, 2021 |
Fastest Half Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Women
| Runner | Finish Time | Pace/Mile | Half Marathon |
| Paul Tergat (Kenya) | 59:17 | 4:31.3 | Milan, 1998 |
| Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya) | 59:16 | 4:31.2 | Rotterdam, 2005 |
| Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) | 58:55 | 4:29.6 | Tempe, 2006 |
| Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya) | 58:53 | 4:29.5 | RAK, 2007 |
| Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya) | 58:33 | 4:28.0 | City-Pier-City, 2007 |
| Zersenay Tadese (Eretria) | 58:23 | 4:27.2 | Lisbon, 2010 |
| Abraham Kiptum (Kenya) | 58:18 | 4:26.8 | Valencia, 2018 |
| Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya) | 58:01 | 4:25.5 | Copenhagen, 2019 |
| Kibiwott Kandie (Kenya) | 57:32 | 4:23.3 | Valencia, 2020 |
| Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) | 57:31 | 4:23.2 | Lisbon, 2021 |
| Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia) | 57:30 | 4:23.1 | Valencia, 2024 |
| Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) | 56:42 | 4:19.5 | Barcelona, 2025 |
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Progression of World Record Since 2004: Men, Advanced Marathoning, and Meb for Mortals. Half Marathon Training Plans for Every Runner Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
