20K run

This article is about the road race. Not to be confused with 20,000 metres, the race run on a track.

"20 kilometres race" redirects here. For the racewalking event, see 20 kilometres race walk.

The 20K run (20 kilometres, or approximately 12.4 miles) is a long distance foot race. It is a rarely held race that is not recognized as an Olympic event. The event held IAAF world championship status in 2006 only, when the existing IAAF World Half Marathon Championships briefly hosted the shorter distance.^[1]

Athletics 20K run
World records
Men	Jacob Kiplimo 53:42+ (2025)
Women	Letesenbet Gidey 59:35 (2021)

The world best for men is held by Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea who ran a time of 56:01 at the 2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.^[2] The women's world best is held by Florence Kiplagat of Kenya who ran a time of 1:01:54 at the 2015 Barcelona Half Marathon in Barcelona, Spain.^[3] IAAF records require the 20 km distance to be run on a course without a significant drop in elevation between the start and finish points and where the birds-eye distance between the start of finish points is less than ten kilometres. The Association of Road Racing Statisticians has an additional criteria in that it requires records to be set in competitions of the given distance, thus it does not recognise Kiplagat's run due to it being recorded en route to a longer distance. The ARRS-recognised world record is 1:03:21 by Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands, who also recorded her time at the 2006 World Championships.^[4]

Road races

The 2012 women's podium from the 20 km of Lausanne, Switzerland.

There are several annual road running competitions over the 20 km distance, mostly based in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan.^[5]

Europe

• 20 van Alphen
• 20 km of Brussels
• 20 Kilomètres de Paris
• 20 km of Tours
• 20 km of Lausanne
• 20 km of Maroilles
• Behobia-San Sebastián
• Friedeslauf 20 km
• Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale
• Zilveren Molenloop

Japan

• Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai
• Takashimadaira 20 km

United States

• New Haven Road Race
• John F Kennedy Memorial 20 km
• Vestal XX^[6]
• Penn Relays 20 km

The Kanaguri Hai Tamana Half Marathon, Dam to Dam Half Marathon and Ogden Newspapers Classic Half Marathon were all previously 20 km races for much of their history.^[5]

All-time top 25

• + = en route to longer performance
• Mx = mixed gender race
• Wo = women only race

Men

• Correct as of February 2025^[7][8]

Men's world best holder (without en route performances) Zersenay Tadese

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Race	Location	Ref
1	53:42+	Jacob Kiplimo	Uganda	16 February 2025	Barcelona Half Marathon	Barcelona	[9]
2	54:32+	Yomif Kejelcha	Ethiopia	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[10]
3	54:36+	Kibiwott Kandie	Kenya	22 October 2023	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[11]
		Hagos Gebrhiwet	Ethiopia	22 October 2023	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[12]
5	54:42+	Selemon Barega	Ethiopia	22 October 2023	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[13]
6	54:50+	Rhonex Kipruto	Kenya	6 December 2020	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[14]
7	54:57+	Alexander Mutiso	Kenya	6 December 2020	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[15]
8	55:00+	Geoffrey Kamworor	Kenya	15 September 2019	Copenhagen Half Marathon	Copenhagen	[16]
9	55:04+	Abel Kipchumba	Kenya	24 October 2021	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[17]
10	55:07+	Philemon Kiplimo	Kenya	6 December 2020	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[18]
11	55:11+	Daniel Mateiko	Kenya	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[19]
		Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi	Kenya	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[20]
13	55:13+	Sabastian Sawe	Ethiopia	15 September 2024	Copenhagen Half Marathon	Copenhagen	[21]
14	55:14+	Kennedy Kimutai	Kenya	24 October 2021	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[22]
15	55:18+	Abraham Kiptum	Kenya	28 October 2018	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[23]
16	55:21+	Zersenay Tadese	Eritrea	21 March 2010	Lisbon Half Marathon	Lisbon	[24]
17	55:24+	Mathew Kimeli	Kenya	24 October 2021	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[25]
18	55:26+	Rodgers Kwemoi	Kenya	19 February 2022	Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon	Ras al-Khaimah	[26]
19	55:30+	Jemal Yimer Mekonnen	Ethiopia	28 October 2018	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia
20	55:31+	Samuel Wanjiru	Kenya	17 March 2007		The Hague
21	55:32+	Muktar Edris	Ethiopia	24 October 2021	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[27]
		Amos Kurgat	Kenya	15 September 2024	Copenhagen Half Marathon	Copenhagen	[28]
23	55:36+	Gemechu Dida	Ethiopia	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[29]
		Vincent Langat	Kenya	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[30]
25	55:39+	Daniel Kibet	Kenya	19 February 2022	Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon	Ras Al Khaimah	[31]

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 55:39:

• Yomif Kejelcha also ran 54:38+ (2023), 55:34+ (2022).
• Jacob Kiplimo also ran 54:29+ (2021), 54:42+ (2020), 54:53+ (2022) and 55:13+ (2024).
• Kibiwott Kandie also ran 54:43+^[a] (2022), 55:08+ (2022).
• Rhonex Kipruto also ran 55:04+ (2021).
• Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi also ran 55:13+ (2024).
• Philemon Kiplimo also ran 55:19+ (2021).
• Daniel Mateiko also ran 55:17+ (2021).
• Sebastian Sawe also ran 55:17+ (2023).

Women

• Updated September 2024^[32][33]

Florence Kiplagat

Rank	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Race	Location	Ref
1	59:35+ Mx	Letesenbet Gidey	Ethiopia	24 October 2021	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[34]
2	59:42 Mx	Agnes Ngetich	Kenya	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[35]
3	59:56 Mx	Fotyen Tesfay	Ethiopia	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[36]
4	1:00:09 Mx	Lilian Kasait	Kenya	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[37]
5	1:00:24+ Mx	Yalemzerf Yehualaw	Ethiopia	24 October 2021	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[38]
6	1:00:41 Mx	Ejgayehu Taye	Ethiopia	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[39]
7	1:00:43+ Mx	Ruth Chepng'etich	Kenya	4 April 2021	Istanbul Half Marathon	Istanbul	[40]
8	1:01:03+ Mx	Joyciline Jepkosgei	Kenya	11 February 2024	Barcelona Half Marathon	Barcelona	[41]
9	1:01:04+ Mx	Girmawit Gebrzihair	Ethiopia	19 February 2022	Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon	Ras al-Khaimah	[42]
		Hellen Obiri	Kenya	19 February 2022	Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon	Ras al-Khaimah	[43]
11	1:01:11+ Mx	Ababel Yeshaneh	Ethiopia	21 February 2020	Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon	Ras Al Khaimah	[44]
12	1:01:16+ Mx	Sheila Chepkirui	Kenya	19 February 2022	Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon	Ras Al Khaimah	[45]
13	1:01:18+ Mx	Sutume Kebede	Ethiopia	14 January 2024	Houston Half Marathon	Houston	[46]
		Senbere Teferi	Ethiopia	11 February 2024	Barcelona Half Marathon	Barcelona	[47]
15	1:01:19+	Irine Jepchumba Kimais	Kenya	19 February 2023	Barcelona Half Marathon	Barcelona	[48]
16	1:01:20+ a	Brigid Kosgei	Kenya	8 September 2019	Great North Run	Newcastle-South Shields	[49]
17	1:01:27+ Mx	Margaret Kipkemboi	Kenya	22 October 2023	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[50]
18	1:01:28+ Mx	Irene Chepet Cheptai	Kenya	22 October 2023	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[51]
19	1:01:41+ Mx	Joan Chelimo	Kenya	4 April 2021	Istanbul Half Marathon	Istanbul	[52]
20	1:01:42+ Mx	Janeth Chepngetich	Kenya	22 October 2023	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[53]
11	1:01:45+ Mx	Vicoty Chepngeno	Kenya	16 January 2022	Houston Half Marathon	Houston	[54]
22	1:01:47+ Mx	Tsigie Gebreselama	Ethiopia	27 October 2024	Valencia Half Marathon	Valencia	[55]
23	1:01:51+ Mx	Tsehay Gemechu	Ethiopia	19 September 2021	Copenhagen	Copenhagen	[56]
24	1:01:54 Mx	Florence Kiplagat	Kenya	15 February 2015	Barcelona Half Marathon	Barcelona
25	1:01:56+ Mx	Sifan Hassan	Netherlands	16 September 2018	Copenhagen Half Marathon	Copenhagen	[57]
		Tsigie Gebreselama	Ethiopia	24 February 2024	Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon	Ras al-Khaimah	[58]

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:01:56:

• Yalemzerf Yehualaw also ran 1:01:05+ Mx (2021), 1:02:04+ Wo (2020).
• Hellen Obiri also ran 1:01:18+ Mx (2021).
• Joyciline Jepkosgei also ran 1:01:22+ Mx (2023), 1:01:25+ Mx (2017), 1:01.28+ (2017).
• Sheila Chepkirui also ran 1:01:26+ Mx (2021).
• Brigid Kosgei also ran 1:01:29+ (2020).
• Margaret Kipkemboi also ran 1:01:42+ Mx (2024).

Notes

1. by official result source, 54:42 by World Athletics source