World marathon champion Ruth Chepng'etich smashed the world half marathon record on her way to victory at the Istanbul Half Marathon on Sunday morning.
Chepng'etich clocked 1:04:02 to snatch the title of 'world's fastest half marathoner female athlete' from Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh who timed 1:04:31 at last year's Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates.
Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw finished second in 1:04:40 ahead of Hellen Obiri, making her debut in half marathon, who finished third in 1:04:51.
World marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei finished fifth in 1:06:01, behind Joan Chelimo, who clocked 1:05:09.
In the men's category, men's world half marathon record holder Kibiwott Kandie held off a strong challenge from former world record holder over the distance, Geoffrey Kamworor, to cross the finish line in a course record time 59:35 while the Police runner 59:38.
Another Kenyan, Roncer Kipkorir finished third in 59:46.
The race, billed as the battle of the titans started in a lacklustre pace with another Kenyan, Bernard Ng'eno racing into an early lead.
Ng'eno established a wide gap between him and the others, including Kandie and Kamworor, who initially struggled to keep up.
However, halfway through the race, he lost the momentum, allowing the chasers to catch up with him and eventually subdue him.
The last kilometre was a neck-to-neck race between Kandie and Kamworor as the latter fought to claim top honours in his first international competition after a motorcycle accident kept him out of action for most of last year.
Despite the late surge, however, Kandie held on to breast the tape and add another victory to his already bulging reputation as one of the world's best upcoming long distance runners.
