Women · World record

Half Marathon

The current record and its documented progression: 15 ratified records from 1999 to 2021, with 20 listed as world bests before ratification, 7 otherwise annotated shown in place.

Current record

1:02:52

Letesenbet GideyETHValencia · 24 Oct 2021

4 years standing52 s improvementAll-time top 25 →

Record progression

Each step is a documented record; hollow marks were rescinded, not ratified or are pending

1971 · 1:23:56 Kathy Gibbons (Annotated)1974 · 1:23:11 Chantal Langlacé (Annotated)1977 · 1:22:05 Silvana Cruciata (Annotated)1978 · 1:19:45 Marja Wokke (Annotated)1978 · 1:18:44 Silvana Cruciata (Annotated)1978 · 1:18:30 Jean Abare (Annotated)1978 · 1:15:04 Marty Cooksey (World best)1978 · 1:17:48 Daniele Justin (Annotated)1978 · 1:15:58 Miki Gorman (World best)1979 · 1:15:01 Ellison Goodall (World best)1979 · 1:14:50 Kathy Mintie (World best)1979 · 1:14:04 Patti Catalano (World best)1980 · 1:13:59 Marja Wokke (World best)1981 · 1:13:26 Joan Benoit (World best)1981 · 1:11:16 Joan Benoit (World best)1982 · 1:09:57 Grete Waitz (World best)1983 · 1:09:14 Joan Benoit (World best)1984 · 1:08:34 Joan Benoit (World best)1987 · 1:06:40 Ingrid Kristiansen (World best)1989 · 1:08:32 Ingrid Kristiansen (World best)1991 · 1:07:59 Elana Meyer (World best)1994 · 1:07:59 Uta Pippig (World best)1995 · 1:07:58 Uta Pippig (World best)1997 · 1:07:36 Elana Meyer (World best)1998 · 1:07:29 Elana Meyer (World best)1999 · 1:06:44 Elana Meyer2001 · 1:05:44 Susan Chepkemei (World best)2003 · 1:05:40 Paula Radcliffe (World best)2007 · 1:06:25 Lornah Kiplagat2011 · 1:05:50 Mary Keitany2014 · 1:05:12 Florence Kiplagat2015 · 1:05:09 Florence Kiplagat2017 · 1:05:06 Peres Jepchirchir2017 · 1:04:52 Joyciline Jepkosgei2017 · 1:04:51 Joyciline Jepkosgei2018 · 1:06:11 Netsanet Gudeta2020 · 1:04:31 Ababel Yeshaneh2020 · 1:05:34 Peres Jepchirchir2020 · 1:05:16 Peres Jepchirchir2021 · 1:04:02 Ruth Chepngetich2021 · 1:03:44 Yalemzerf Yehualaw2021 · 1:02:52 Letesenbet Gidey 1:02:521:23:56

19711979 · Mintie 1:14:501994 · Pippig 1:07:592015 · Kiplagat 1:05:092021 · Gidey 1:02:52

Documented records

15 ratified · 20 world bests · 7 annotated · most recent first · Wikipedia (EN) revision 1372025709, imported 2 Sep 2026

MarkAthleteNationVenueDateStood
1:02:52 Letesenbet Gidey ETH Valencia 24 Oct 2021 4 yrs
1:03:44 Yalemzerf Yehualaw ETH Larne 29 Aug 2021 56 d
1:04:02 Ruth Chepngetich KEN Istanbul 4 Apr 2021 147 d
1:05:16 Peres Jepchirchir KEN Gdynia 17 Oct 2020 169 d
1:05:34 Peres Jepchirchir KEN Prague 5 Sep 2020 42 d
1:04:31 Ababel Yeshaneh ETH Ras al-Khaimah 21 Feb 2020 197 d
1:06:11 Netsanet Gudeta ETH World HM Champs, Valencia 24 Mar 2018 1 yr
1:04:51 Joyciline Jepkosgei KEN Valencia 22 Oct 2017 153 d
1:04:52 Joyciline Jepkosgei KEN Prague 1 Apr 2017 204 d
1:05:06 Peres Jepchirchir KEN Ras al-Khaimah 10 Feb 2017 50 d
1:05:09 Florence Kiplagat KEN Barcelona 15 Feb 2015 1 yr
1:05:12 Florence Kiplagat KEN Barcelona 16 Feb 2014 364 d
1:05:50 Mary Keitany KEN Ras al-Khaimah 18 Feb 2011 2 yrs
1:06:25 Lornah Kiplagat NED World RR Champs, Udine 14 Oct 2007 3 yrs
1:05:40 Paula Radcliffe World bestListed by the World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptanceNoted by the IAAF as set on an uncertified or aided course which does not fulfill the criteria specified in IAAF Rule 260.28.b or 260.28.c. GBR South Shields 21 Sep 2003
1:05:44 Susan Chepkemei World bestListed by the World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptanceNoted by the IAAF as set on an uncertified or aided course which does not fulfill the criteria specified in IAAF Rule 260.28.b or 260.28.c. KEN Lisbon 1 Apr 2001
1:06:44 Elana Meyer RSA Tokyo 15 Jan 1999 8 yrs
1:07:29 Elana Meyer World bestListed by the World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance RSA Kyoto 8 Mar 1998
1:07:36 Elana Meyer World bestListed by the World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance RSA Kyoto 9 Mar 1997
1:07:58 Uta Pippig World bestListed by the World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance GER Kyoto 19 Mar 1995

Showing 20 of 42 · Show all · Rows link to a profile only where the athlete appears on a published list. Struck marks were rescinded or never ratified, and A marks a performance at altitude; both come from the source article's own key and markers, and eras are kept as it lists them. Nothing is inferred.