• Athletics

Farah becomes first Briton to run sub-hour half marathon

ESPN staff
March 22, 2015
Mo Farah holds one world record, the indoor two-mile time set at the Birmingham Grand Prix in February © Getty Images
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Olympic and world 5,000m and 10,000m champion Mo Farah has set a new European half marathon record, winning the Lisbon half marathon in 59 minutes, 32 seconds.

Farah, the first Briton to complete 13.1 miles in under an hour, took 20 seconds off the 14-year-old record previously held by Spain's Fabian Roncero. The world record of 58:23 was set by Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese in Lisbon five years ago.

Farah, whose previous best at the distance was exactly one hour, beat a field featuring six men to have broken the hour mark. including second-placed Micah Kogo of Kenya.

Having trailed the lead group by 12 seconds after eight miles, Farah timed his pursuit to perfection, catching Kogo in the final kilometre to win by a second. Kenya's Stephen Kosgei Kibet was third in 59.58.

"It feels amazing to break the British and European record," Farah said. "I got massive support from the crowd which helped but it wasn't easy, the guys made it tough."

The women's race, meanwhile, was won in 1:08:22 by the Kenyan Rose Chelimo, while there was also British success in the wheelchair race, where David Weir emerged victorious.

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