Here are the top results from the 2021 N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon which took place in Turkey on Sunday, April 4. The race is a World Athletics Elite Label road race and it saw Ruth Chepngetich from Kenya smashing the world half-marathon record on her way to winning the women’s race.
Chepngetich Smashes WR At Istanbul Half Marathon
The 26-year-old Chepngetich, who was winning her third title, after winning in 2017 and 2019, outpaced Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw over the closing stages of the race to win in a time of 1 hour, 04 minutes, and 02 seconds to shave 29 seconds off the previous world record.
Yehualaw followed home second in a time of 1:04:40, while Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, the two-time world championships 5,000m champion, crossed the line in third place in a time of 1:04:51, as the three women finished inside 65 minutes in the same half marathon for the first time.
Joan Chelimo Melly of Kenya took fourth place in 1:05:09, while compatriot Brigid Kosgei, who was one of the pre-race contenders, dropped the fifth with 1:06:01.
Meanwhile, the men’s race at the 2021 N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon was won by world record holder Kibiwott Kandie of Kenya who raced home in a time of 59:35 to go below the race record, which was set by Amdework Walelegn of Ethiopia in 2018 at 59:50.
Kandie, who set the world record in Valencia last year, took the lead in the final stages of the race and held off a push from his compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor to claim victory by three seconds with the latter crossing at 59:38.
The top four finishers on Sunday all went below the previous race record with Roncer Kipkorir of Kenya taking third place in 59:46 and Ethiopian Amdework Walelegn getting third in 59:48. Leonard Barsoton (KEN) ran 59:59 to also break the one-hour mark.
N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon Selected Results
WOMEN
1 Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 1:04:02 2 Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 1:04:40 3 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 1:04:51 4 Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN) 1:05:09 5 Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 1:06:01 6 Hiwot Gebrekidan (ETH) 1:06:47 7 Bekelech Gudeta (ETH) 1:06:54 8 Alia Saeed Mohammed (UAE) 1:07:31 9 Melat Kejeta (GER) 1:07:33 10 Yasemin Can (TUR) 1:08:32
MEN
1 Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) 59:35 2 Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 59:38 3 Roncer Kipkorir (KEN) 59:46 4 Amdework Walelegn (ETH) 59:48 5 Leonard Barsoton (KEN) 59:59 6 Stephen Kissa (UGA) 1:00:02 7 Benard Ngeno (KEN) 1:00:28 8 Vestus Chemjor (KEN) 1:02:07 9 Getaye Fisseha Gelaw (ETH) 1:03:32 10 Aras Kaya (TUR) 1:03:36
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