Fastest Half Marathon Debuts In History
by Ken Nakamura
March 30, 2014
Editor’s note: Today Leonard Komon set the record for fastest debut half marathon in Berlin: LRC Leonard Komon Runs Fastest Half Marathon Debut Ever – Wins In 59:14 In Sprint Finish In Berlin
Ace stat man Ken Nakamura has sent us a list of the fastest half marathon debuts in history. They appear below.
Fastest Debut Half marathon – Men
Performances | Time | Name |
Nat |
Place |
Venue | Date | Note |
1 |
59:14 | Leonard Patrick Komon |
KEN |
1 |
Berlin | 30 Mar 2014 | |
2 |
59:20 | Moses Mosop |
KEN |
1 |
Milano | 21 Mar 2010 | |
3 |
59:27 | Eliud Kipchoge |
KEN |
3 |
Lille | 1 Sept 2012 | |
4 |
59:34 | Bernard Kipyego |
KEN |
1 |
Berlin | 5 Apr 2009 | |
5 |
59:36 | Tilahun Regassa |
ETH |
1 |
Lille | 6 Sept 2008 | |
6 |
59:37 | Dejene Berhanu |
ETH |
1 |
Newcastle-South Shields | 26 Sept 2004 | 30.5mDH |
7 |
59:39 | Silas Kipruto |
KEN |
2 |
Milano | 21 Mar 2010 | |
8 |
59:43 | Samuel Wanjiru |
KEN |
1 |
Sendai | 10 July 2005 | |
9 |
59:43 | Ryan Hall |
USA |
1 |
Houston (USATF) | 14 Jan 2007 | |
10 |
59:44 | Lucas Rotich |
KEN |
5 |
Den Haag | 13 Mar 2011 | |
11 |
59:48 | Martin Mathathi |
KEN |
1 |
Sendai | 9 May 2010 |
Note:
Patrick Makau ran 1:03:37 in Bristol on Sept 17, 2006 before running 59:13 in RAK on Feb 9, 2007
Geoffrey Mutai has run 59:30 in his first half marathon in 2009 (Valencia on Nov 22), but in 2007 he made his marathon debut on the short course in Eldoret
Patrick Ivuti DNF at Milano in April of 1999 before his Lisboa half with 59:31 (first completed half)
Fastest Debut Half marathon – Women
Performances | Time | Name |
Nat |
Place |
Venue | Date | Note |
1 |
1:06:57 | Kara Goucher |
USA |
1 |
Newcastle to South Shields | 30 Sept 2007 | 30.5mDH |
2 |
1:07:07 | Elvan Abeylegesse |
TUR |
1 |
Ras Al Khaimah | 19 Feb 2010 | |
3 |
1:07:26 | Kayoko Fukushi |
JPN |
1 |
Marugame | 5 Feb 2006 | |
4 |
1:07:35 | Tirunesh Dibaba |
ETH |
1 |
Newcastle to South Shields | 16 Sept 2012 | |
5 |
1:07:40 | Florence Kiplagat |
KEN |
1 |
Lille | 4 Sept 2010 | |
6 |
1:07:45 | Meseret Defar |
ETH |
1 |
Philadelphia | 19 Sept 2010 | |
7 |
1:07:56 | Susie Power |
AUS |
1 |
Newcastle to South Shields | 6 Oct 2002 |