Ruth Chepngetich smashes half marathon world record in Istanbul

Reigning world marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich has broken the half marathon world record in Istanbul.

Chepngetich was in a lead group with fellow Kenyan, two-time 5000m world champion Hellen Obiri, and Ethopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw.

Obiri was dropped with 5km to go with Chepngetich kicking clear of Yehualaw with just over 2km left.

And the 26-year-old, in her first race of 2021, kept going all the way to the line to clock 64:01, 29 seconds inside Ababel Yeshaneh's February 2020 world record set in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

It was Chepngetich's third win in the race and a minute and a half inside her previous best time.

Yehualaw was second in 64:40 with Obiri third in 64:51.

World record holder Kibiwott Kandie made it a double for Kenya with victory in the men's race over compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor.

Kandie, who broke Kamworor's world best in Valencia in December, won in a course record 59:35.

Kamworor, in his first international race since being hit by a motorcycle while out running in Eldoret last June, was just four seconds behind.

It is the second world best time in women's athletics this weekend after a stunning performance by Britain's Beth Potter.

Running at a local 5k event in Lancashire, the Rio 2016 Olympian - who has since made a successful switch to triathlon - clocked 14:41, two seconds inside Beatrice Chepkoech's official world record set in Monaco in February.

However, Potter's mark is unlikely to be ratified as an official world record due to a reported lack of drug-testing facilities at the event.