Runner smashes half-marathon record, heads straight to the football

Yomif Kejelcha has achieved a monumental feat in athletics, smashing the half-marathon world record with an astonishing time of 56 minutes and 51 seconds at the Media Maratón Ciudad de Buenos Aires on Sunday. The Ethiopian athlete shaved 29 seconds off the previous record of 57:20, set by Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo in March. Both Kejelcha's time and Kiplimo's previous record are awaiting official ratification by World Athletics.

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I'm over the moon. I'm super happy and right now I don't feel any tiredness. The travel from Ethiopia was too long and I was tired the first days here, but later I felt better and today I was full of beans.

The race, held under favorable conditions with temperatures around 6 degrees Celsius and a light breeze, saw Kejelcha reclaim a record he previously held. He ran the second half of the race faster than the first, a negative split strategy that proved highly effective. His performance included remarkable splits for each 5km segment, demonstrating incredible stamina and pacing.

"I'm over the moon," Kejelcha told World Athletics. "I'm super happy and right now I don't feel any tiredness. The travel from Ethiopia was too long and I was tired the first days here, but later I felt better and today I was full of beans." He added, "I had planned to run conservatively over the early stages, but I felt good and decided to give it my all. This time is unbelievable. I can't describe it with words."

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I had planned to run conservatively over the early stages, but I felt good and decided to give it my all. This time is unbelievable. I can't describe it with words.

After his record-breaking run, Kejelcha expressed his excitement about experiencing Argentinian culture, stating, "I now hope to try the Argentinian meat, which has a very good reputation, and this afternoon I have been invited to watch the River Plate-Vélez football match. I'm very grateful." He even posed in a new River Plate shirt at the Estadio Monumental, though he likely witnessed a disappointing 2-2 draw for the home team.

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I now hope to try the Argentinian meat, which has a very good reputation, and this afternoon I have been invited to watch the River Plate-Vélez football match. I'm very grateful.