Letesenbet Gidey, the world record holder at the 5,000m and the 10,000m on the track just added the half marathon to her list of world records. While many will assess that “it must be the shoes,”, it is quite obvious that an athlete who can run 14:06.62 and 29:01.03, is capable of going under 1:04, and yes, 1:03. Gidey is quite talented, and can run much faster.
Letesenbet Gidey breaks WR at Half in 1:02.52 in Valencia! photo courtesy of NN Running team
Gidey shatters world half marathon record with mesmerising display
Letesenbet Gidey produced a jaw-dropping debut for the NN Running Team by obliterating the world half marathon record, posting a dazzling 1:02:52 on the streets of Valencia.
Letesenbet Gidey, photo courtesy of NN Running team
The Ethiopian, who holds the world 5000m and 10,000m on track, added the half-marathon record with an exhilarating display of distance running to wipe 1:11 from the previous world record.
On a sunny day in “The City of Running” Letesenbet hit the 10km split in an eye-popping 29:45 some 35 seconds on the world record pace of Ruth Chepng’etich.
Letesenbet Gidey en route to her 1:02.52 WR, photo courtesy of NN Running team
By the 15km mark – which she hit in 44:29 – she was a remarkable 1:01 ahead of world record schedule.
Running with her beautifully rhythmic style, the 23-year-old maintained her astonishing pace to re-write the record books and point to a future on the road of infinite possibilities.
Letesenbet: “I’m so happy to break the world record in my first half marathon and my first race for the NN Running Team! Gracias Valencia.”
Letesenbet Gidey, just after setting her WR of 1:02.52 today, photo courtesy of NN Running team
Author
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
View all posts