Mary Keitany of Kenya, the 2007 World Half Marathon silver medallist, sped to a 67mins victory, currently the fastest half marathon in the world this year for a woman, at the Semi-Marathon de Lille Métropole, in Lille, France on Saturday (6).The time of Keitany is the seventh quickest of all-time but not her personal best as that was established when taking the World silver in Udine in 2007 in a time of 1:06:48, a performance run distantly on the heels of Lornah Kiplagat’s World record in the same race (1:06:25).
Also notable was the run of Ethiopia's Teyba Erkesso in second, a 1:08:39 PB. She has been in great form this year running her previous PB of 1:09:37 when coming ninth in Ras Al Khaimah (20 Feb).
Stephen Kibiwott was the winner in 59:37 of a close men’s race in Lille in which three went sub-60. The 29-year-old Kenyan, who was fourth in the World Half Marathon last year, holds a PB of 59:44 from when finishing second in Lille in 2008.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
RESULTS
Men
1 KIBIWOTT Stephen KEN 59:37
2 CHANCHIMA Jairus KEN 59:43
3 KIPLAGAT Evans KEN 59:56
4 TUM Stephen KEN 01:00:58
5 DISI Dieudonne RWA 01:01:11
6 KIPSANG Salim KEN 01:01:20
7 TARUS David KEN 01:01:26
8 CHEPKOK Bernard KEN 01:01:28
Women
1 KEITANY Mary KEN 1:07:00
2 ERKESSO Teyba ETH 1:08:39
3 WANGARI Myriam KEN 1:10:47
4 RIBEIRO Fernanda POR 1:11:18
5 MOHAMMED Merima ETH 1:15:33
6 KIPROTICH Agnes KEN 1:16:14
7 FRANQUET ANNE Charlotte FRA 1:20:59
8 LEFEVRE Stephanie 1:23:17
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