Below you’ll find tables detailing several half marathon superlatives:

  • the 10 fastest half marathoners in history on record-eligible courses;
  • the 10 fastest American half marathoners in history on record-eligible courses;
  • the 10 fastest performances on record-eligible courses;
  • 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.

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The tables are current as of February 20, 2023.

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

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

4:53.8

RAK, 2022

Hellen Obiri (Kenya)

64:22

4:54.6

RAK, 2022

Ababel Yeshaneh (Ethiopia)

64:31

4:55.3

RAK, 2020

Sheila Chepkirui (Kenya)

64:36

4:55.7

RAK, 2022

Irine Kimais (Kenya)

64:37

4:55.8

Barcelona, 2023

Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya)

64:46

4:56.6

Barcelona, 2023

Brigid Kosgei (Kenya)

64:49

4:56.7

RAK, 2022

10 Fastest Half Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Men

Runner

Finish Time

Pace/Mile

Half Marathon

Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda)

57:31

4:23.2

Lisbon, 2021

Kibiwott Kandie (Kenya)

57:32

4:23.3

Valencia, 2020

Rhonex Kipruto (Kenya)

57:49

4:24.6

Valencia, 2020

Alexander Mutiso (Kenya)

57:59

4:25.4

Valencia, 2020

Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya)

58:01

4:25.5

Copenhagen, 2019

Abel Kipchumba (Kenya)

58:07

4:26.0

Valencia, 2021

Philemon Kiplimo (Kenya)

58:11

4:26.3

Valencia, 201

Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea)

58:23

4:27.2

Lisbon, 2010

Daniel Mataiko (Kenya)

58:26

4:27.4

Valencia, 2021

Kennedy Kimutai (Kenya)

58:28

4:27.6

Valencia, 2021

10 Fastest American Half Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Women

Runner

Finish Time

Pace/Mile

Half Marathon

Emily Sisson

66:52

5:06.1

Houston, 2023

Sara Hall

67:15

5:07.8

Houston, 2022

Molly Huddle

67:25

5:08.6

Houston, 2018

Deena Kastor

67:34

5:09.2

Berlin, 2006

Fiona O’Keeffe

67:42

5:09.9

Houston, 2022

Emily Durgin

67:54

5:10.8

Houston, 2022

Keira D’Amato

67:55

5:10.8

Mortgage Network, 2021

Jordan Hasay

67:55

5:10.8

Prague, 2017

Kara Goucher

68:05

5:11.6

Chicago, 2009

Betsy Saina

68:25

5:13.2

Seville, 2023

10 Fastest American Half Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Men

Runner

Finish Time

Pace/Mile

Half Marathon

Ryan Hall

59:43

4:33.3

Houston, 2007

Leonard Korir

59:52

4:34.0

New Delhi, 2017

Dathan Ritzenhein

60:00

4:34.6

World Championships, 2009

Galen Rupp

60:22

4:36.3

Row River, 2020

Sam Chelanga

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

Diego Estrada

60:51

4:38.5

Houston, 2015

Conner Mantz

60:55

4:38.8

Mortgage Network, 2021

Mark Curp

60:55

4:38.8

Philadelphia, 1985

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

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

Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia)

64:22

4:54.6

Antrim Coast, 2022

Hellen Obiri (Ethiopia)

64:22

4:54.6

RAK, 2022

Ababel Yeshaneh (Ethiopia)

64:31

4:55.3

RAK, 2020

Sheila Chepkirui (Kenya)

64:36

4:55.7

RAK, 2022

Irine Kimais (Kenya)

64:37

4:55.8

Barcelona, 2022

Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia)

64:40

4:56.0

Istanbul, 2021

10 Fastest Half Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Men

Runner

Finish Time

Pace/Mile

Half Marathon

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

Rhonex Kipruto (Kenya)

57:47

4:24.6

Valencia, 2020

Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda)

57:56

4:25.2

RAK, 2022

Alexander Mutiso (Kenya)

57:59

4:25.4

Valencia, 2020

Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya)

58:01

4:25.5

Copenhagen, 2019

Abel Kipchumba (Kenya)

58:07

4:26.0

Valencia, 2021

Rhonex Kipruto (Kenya)

58:09

4:26.1

Valencia, 2021

Kibiwott Kandie (Kenya)

58:1o

4:26.2

Valencia, 2022

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

Progression of World Record Since 2004: Men

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

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Scott Douglas

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 Running Is My Therapy, Advanced Marathoning, and Meb for Mortals. Scott has also written about running for 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.