Agnes Ngetich breaks women-only half marathon world record with 1:05:15 in Copenhagen

Agnes Ngetich rewrote the women-only half marathon world record at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, finishing in 1:05:15, exactly one second faster than Peres Jepchirchir's mark from Gdynia 2026. Her victory margin was huge: second-placed Veronica Loleo of Kenya crossed about 50 seconds behind. The women-only distinction is critical. With no male pacemakers in the race, this record measures a female athlete's solo ability. It is not the fastest women's half marathon ever; Letesenbet Gidey's mixed-race mark of 1:02:52 (2026) remains 2:23 quicker. Ngetich ran a front-running, wire-to-wire race, showing precise pacing control throughout. Already the women-only 10 km world record holder, Ngetich now owns two world records in two distances within about a year. Kenyan depth was on display as Loleo's estimated 1:06:05 would have been world-record class in another era. However, media headlines flattening the women-only versus mixed distinction risk misleading readers. A future head-to-head between Ngetich and Gidey would settle the debate of who is the fastest woman over the distance.