Ethiopian runner sets new 21K world record in Buenos Aires

Ethiopian long-distance runner Yomif Kejelcha made history on Sunday when he set a new 21K world record, clocking in at 56 minutes and 51 seconds en route to winning the Buenos Aires Half Marathon. The 28-year-old athlete broke Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo’s mark of 57 minutes and 20 seconds, set on March 8 of this year in Lisbon. “I’m very happy, it’s a dream,” a visibly moved Kejelcha told the press at the finish line. The Ethiopian distance runner had arrived in Buenos Aires as one of the standout figures in the half marathon, having earned several wins and podium finishes in the 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 meters. He also holds the second-fastest marathon time in history and recently delivered a historic performance at the London Marathon, finishing just 11 seconds behind the winner, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya, who finished in 1:59:30. Kejelcha’s run in London was the fastest marathon debut in history and the second-fastest official marathon ever run. The Ethiopian had previously noted that he selected the Buenos Aires race because of the circuit’s characteristics, the organization, and the date’s fit with his competition schedule. After the win, Kejelcha uploaded a photo of himself drinking mate in bed with the winner’s trophy, a nod to Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi’s picture after winning the 2022 World Cup. The post included the caption “Hermosa mañana, ¿verdad?” (Lovely morning, isn’t it?), a popular Argentine meme taken from a movie scene by actor Guillermo Francella. A record race for Buenos Aires The 2026 Buenos Aires Half Marathon set a new turnout record, with more than 31,000 runners registered, including around 6,000 foreign runners. The field saw strong representation from Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile, alongside elite runners from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Turkey. Among the local runners, Mendoza-born Ignacio Erario finished first in 1 hour and 59 seconds. He was also sixth in the general classification and the first non-African runner to cross the finish line. “Nothing but words of thanks and gratitude to everyone supporting this dream,” Erario wrote on his Instagram account, recalling how he had to miss last year’s race due to injury. The Mendoza runner set a new personal best and finished just 14 seconds shy of the Argentine 21K record, held by Antonio Silio. In the women’s classification, Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay took the win with a time of 1 hour, 3 minutes and 57 seconds. Among the Argentines, Sofía Luna was the top local performer, finishing ninth in the women’s general classification with a time of 1h 11m 16s.