Sub-2-Hour Marathon Runner’s 10K World Record Finally Recognised After 12 Month Review

• Ethiopian distance star Yomif Kejelcha has finally received an official verdict on his historic 10K performance
• The world-class runner spent more than a year waiting for confirmation after his remarkable road race effort
• A major World Athletics announcement has put one of athletics' biggest achievements back in the spotlight

A record-breaking run by Ethiopian distance star Yomif Kejelcha has finally been recognised more than a year after it was achieved. World Athletics officially ratified Kejelcha's men's 10km road race world record on 1 June 2026, ending a review process that lasted over 12 months.

The governing body confirmed that Kejelcha's time of 26 minutes and 31 seconds, set at the Facsa Castellón 10K in Spain in February 2025, is now the official world record.

Why Yomif Kejelcha's 10K world record was delayed

When Kejelcha crossed the finish line in Spain, his performance was not immediately recognised as a world record because the official mark at the time belonged to Kenyan runner Rhonex Kipruto.

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Kipruto had run 26:24 at the Valencia 10K in January 2020. However, World Athletics later suspended the Kenyan athlete for six years following anti-doping rule violations linked to his Athlete Biological Passport. Irregularities were reportedly found in blood samples dating back to 2018.

In a statement, World Athletics said:

"The ratification of Kejelcha's 10K record follows the disqualification of Kipruto. Kejelcha's 26:31 is the next best ratifiable performance."

The decision elevated Kejelcha's February 2025 run to world-record status, although the official confirmation only arrived in June 2026.

Kejelcha's remarkable running achievements

The recognition adds another milestone to an already impressive career. The Ethiopian has established himself as one of the world's leading distance runners across multiple events. Before the record was ratified, he already owned some of the fastest times ever recorded in the 10K, half marathon and marathon.

Earlier in 2026, Kejelcha also made headlines at the London Marathon 2026, where he became one of the first athletes to break the two-hour barrier in a marathon race setting, clocking 1:59:41. Despite the historic run, he finished second behind Sabastian Sawe.

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Other world records ratified by World Athletics

World Athletics also confirmed five additional world records. American middle-distance runner Josh Hoey set a world indoor 800m record of 1:42.50 in January.

Japanese race walker Toshikazu Yamanishi established a world record of 1:20:34 in the half marathon race walk. Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout broke the U20 men's 200m world record with a time of 19.67 seconds, surpassing a mark previously held by Usain Bolt.

American teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus and Ethiopian athlete Saron Berhe also had U20 world records officially recognised.

One notable performance was excluded. Burundi's Rodrigue Kwizara ran an astonishing 26:01 in Madrid, but the time was not ratified because the course exceeded World Athletics' allowable downhill limits.

Kejelcha's long wait is now over, with his name officially entering the record books as the men's 10km world record holder.

London Marathon sub-two barrier explained

Briefly News previously reported that Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha stunned the athletics world when they both ran the London Marathon in under two hours on 26 April 2026.

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The achievement becomes even more remarkable when broken down into everyday terms. The pair averaged more than 21km/h for the entire 42.195km race, maintaining a pace that many recreational runners, cyclists and even some gym treadmills would struggle to match for extended periods. Sawe later described the historic run as something that "will remain in my mind forever."

Source: Briefly News