Historic victory in Buenos Aires
Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha made history on Sunday by winning the Buenos Aires Half Marathon and setting a new world record for the 21-kilometer distance. The 28-year-old crossed the finish line in 56 minutes and 51 seconds, improving the previous mark of 57:20 set by Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon on March 8. The race started at 8 a.m. from the intersection of Figueroa Alcorta and Dorrego avenues and drew more than 31,000 participants.[S1][S2][S3][S4]
Kejelcha, one of the leading figures in international running, had already shown his potential by holding the second-best marathon time in history. In his marathon debut at the London Marathon, he finished second with 1:59:41, behind Kenya's Sabastian Sawe, who won in 1:59:30. His performance in Buenos Aires marks a return to the top of the half-marathon rankings, a position he last held in October 2024 with a time of 57:30 in Valencia.[S1][S2][S3][S5]
A record-breaking event
The Buenos Aires Half Marathon, now in its 37th edition, set a new participation record for the fifth consecutive year, with 31,500 registered runners, including about 6,000 foreign athletes. The event, organized by Carreras y Maratones Ñandú and sponsored by Adidas, is part of the World Athletics Label Race calendar. The course record was also broken, as Kejelcha's time surpassed the 58:29 set by Kiplimo in the previous edition.[S2][S3][S5]
Among the women, Ethiopia's Fotyen Tesfay Haiylu won with a time of 1:03:57, followed by Turkish runners Nevin and Selin Can. In the men's category, Ignacio Erario was the top Argentine finisher, placing sixth overall with a time of 1:00:59. Erario, who holds the second-best Argentine mark, expressed satisfaction with his performance, calling it a brave race.[S3][S6]
Emotional reaction and future implications
After crossing the finish line, Kejelcha was visibly emotional, telling TN that he was very happy and that it was a dream. His record is subject to ratification by World Athletics, but it already stands as a historic achievement on Argentine soil. The race also saw strong participation from runners from Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, and other countries, as well as elite athletes from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Turkey.[S1][S2][S6]
