by Alfonz Juck
Peres Jepchirchir, 2017 RAK Half marathon, photo by PhotoRun.net
Jepchirchir World record
RAS AL KHAIMAH (UAE, Feb 10): World half marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir eclipsed Florence Kiplagat’s world record in the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, clocking 65:06 to take three seconds off Kiplagat’s two-year-old mark. Jepchirchir’s 20km split of 61:40 was also 14 seconds faster than Kiplgat’s world record set en route to her world half marathon record. Jepchirchir’s splits: 15:40 5K, 31:07 10K (15:27), 46:32 15K (15:25), 61:40 20K (15:08). Jepchirchir’s 10km split of 30:33 between 10-20km was only 12 seconds slower than the world record. New York Marathon champion and former world half marathon record-holder Mary Keitany was second in a 65:13 PB with Joyciline Jepkosgei (66:08) and Jemima Sumgong (66:43) closing out an all-Kenyan top four. Tirunesh Dibaba was fifth in a 66:50 PB, one place ahead of world marathon silver medallist Helah Kiprop (67:48). Bedan Karoki won the men’s race in 59:10 ahead of Ethiopia’s Yigrem Demelash (59:19) while track star Augustine Choge broke the one hour-mark for the first time in third in 59:26.
