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

Article continues below player.

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

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