Running News Daily

Kenya’s Simon Maywa and Ethiopia’s Yismaw Dillu are among the leading contenders for the men’s title at the 2026 Cardiff Half Marathon, with a fiercely competitive race expected when the action gets underway in Cardiff, Wales, on Sunday, October 4.

The men’s field is headed by Kenya’s Gideon Kiprotich, who arrives as the fastest entrant on paper with a personal best of 58:49. His sub-59-minute credentials make him one of the athletes to watch as he targets another major half-marathon victory.

Dillu, meanwhile, returns to Cardiff as the defending champion and course-record holder. The Ethiopian produced a superb 59:22 to win the 2025 edition, a mark that remains the official course record. His listed personal best for the 2026 race is 59:23, placing him firmly among the favourites once again.

Kenya’s Maywa will also line up with serious credentials. The 59:44 performer has already demonstrated his ability to compete at the highest level over the distance and will be looking to challenge the leading pair when the race unfolds over Cardiff’s fast and largely flat course.

The field also features Vincent Kipkorir, who owns a 59:30 personal best and won the Malaga Half Marathon earlier this year before finishing third at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon. Kenya’s Boniface Mulwa, Uganda’s Dillon Kipyeko and Denis Kiplangat, Bahrain’s Jonah Rutio and Japan’s Takato Suzuki add further depth to an international men’s field.

With three athletes boasting sub-60-minute credentials, the 2026 Cardiff Half Marathon could develop into a thrilling battle for victory and another assault on the course record. The race is the fourth fixture of the 2026 SuperHalfs Series and carries a World Athletics Elite Road Race Label.

The 23rd edition of the Cardiff Half Marathon will begin on Sunday, October 4, with the elite race forming part of a major weekend of running in the Welsh capital. More than 30,000 participants are expected across the weekend, underlining the event’s growing status on the international road-running calendar.

All eyes will now be on Kiprotich, Dillu, Maywa and the rest of the elite field as they prepare to battle for honours on one of Britain’s most prominent half-marathon stages.

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha produced one of the most extraordinary performances in road racing history on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, reclaiming the half marathon world record with a sensational 56:51 performance at the 2026 Buenos Aires Half Marathon.

The former world record-holder delivered a breathtaking exhibition of speed and endurance to take 29 seconds off the previous pending mark of 57:20, set by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo and takes a huge chunk from his own former official world record. Kejelcha's new performance is pending the standard ratification procedures, but if officially ratified, it will return the world record to the Ethiopian star and mark another remarkable chapter in the evolution of the event. 

Kejelcha's achievement is particularly significant because the 57-minute barrier had already been broken before. Jacob Kiplimo had previously run under 57 minutes, clocking 56:42 that was not ratified demonstrating that the once-unthinkable barrier was possible. Kejelcha, however, has become the second man to run under 57-minute barrier who now returns to the top of the all-time rankings with another historic performance in Buenos Aires.

The Ethiopian's race was remarkable not only for the final time but also for the way he built his performance. He covered the opening five kilometres in 13:44 before reaching 10km in 27:18. Rather than slowing, Kejelcha accelerated through the middle stages, passing 15km in 40:39 and 20km in 54:02 as he continued to push the limits of elite road racing.

By the time he reached the finish line, Kejelcha had completed the race at an extraordinary average pace of approximately 2:42 per kilometre, producing one of the most astonishing sustained efforts ever witnessed in distance running. His stunning run sent a powerful message to the athletics world and further strengthened his status as one of the most formidable distance runners of his generation.

Behind the record-breaking champion, Ethiopia completed a dominant clean sweep of the men's podium. Tadese Worku Gebresilase claimed second place in 59:18, while Bereket Nega Batebo secured third in 1:00:17, giving Ethiopia a memorable one-two-three finish in the Argentine capital.

Kenya’s Jonathan Kipkoech Kamosong finished fourth in 1:00:20, followed by compatriot Simon Maywa in fifth with 1:00:55. Argentina’s Ignacio Erario gave the home supporters plenty to celebrate with an impressive sixth-place finish in 1:00:57, breaking the one-hour barrier in front of an enthusiastic local crowd.

Dillon Kipyeko of Kenya finished seventh in 1:01:07, with Robert Kiprop Koech eighth in 1:02:01. Mexico’s Julio Ortiz Ponce took ninth place in 1:03:17, while Colombia’s Jimmy Gómez completed the top 10 in 1:03:34.

The Buenos Aires Half Marathon will now take its place in the history books as the scene of a truly extraordinary breakthrough. For Kejelcha, this was more than just another victory. It was a spectacular return to the top, reclaiming a world record he had previously held and once again rewriting the limits of the half marathon.

The 56:51 performance remains pending ratification, but Yomif Kejelcha's run has already delivered one of the defining moments in the history of road racing.