20K run


The 20K run 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.
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. 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. 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.

Road races

There are several annual road running competitions over the 20 km distance, mostly based in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan.
;Europe
;Japan
  • Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai
  • Takashimadaira 20 km
;United States
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.

All-time top 25

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

    Men

  • Correct as of October 2025
RankTimeAthleteNationDateRaceLocationRef
153:42Jacob KiplimoUganda16 February 2025Barcelona Half MarathonBarcelona
254:32Yomif KejelchaEthiopia27 October 2024Valencia Half MarathonValencia
354:36Kibiwott KandieKenya22 October 2023Valencia Half MarathonValencia
354:36Hagos GebrhiwetEthiopia22 October 2023Valencia Half MarathonValencia
554:42Selemon BaregaEthiopia22 October 2023Valencia Half MarathonValencia
654:50Rhonex KiprutoKenya6 December 2020Valencia Half MarathonValencia
754:57Alexander MutisoKenya6 December 2020Valencia Half MarathonValencia
855:00Geoffrey KamwororKenya15 September 2019Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen
955:04Abel KipchumbaKenya24 October 2021Valencia Half MarathonValencia
1055:07Philemon KiplimoKenya6 December 2020Valencia Half MarathonValencia
1155:11Daniel MateikoKenya27 October 2024Valencia Half MarathonValencia
1155:11Isaia Kipkoech LasoiKenya27 October 2024Valencia Half MarathonValencia
1355:13Sabastian SaweEthiopia15 September 2024Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen
1455:14Kennedy KimutaiKenya24 October 2021Valencia Half MarathonValencia
1555:18Abraham KiptumKenya28 October 2018Valencia Half MarathonValencia
1655:21Zersenay TadeseEritrea21 March 2010Lisbon Half MarathonLisbon,
1755:24Mathew KimeliKenya24 October 2021Valencia Half MarathonValencia
1855:26Rodgers KwemoiKenya19 February 2022Ras Al Khaimah Half MarathonRas al-Khaimah
1855:26Vincent LangatKenya14 September 2025Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen
2055:27Nicholas KimeliKenya14 September 2025Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen
2155:30Jemal Yimer MekonnenEthiopia28 October 2018Valencia Half MarathonValencia
2255:31Samuel WanjiruKenya17 March 2007The Hague
2355:32Muktar EdrisEthiopia24 October 2021Valencia Half MarathonValencia
2355:32Amos KurgatKenya15 September 2024Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen
2555:36Gemechu DidaEthiopia27 October 2024Valencia Half MarathonValencia

Women

  • Updated October 2025
RankTimeAthleteNationDateRaceLocationRef
159:35 Letesenbet GideyEthiopia24 October 2021Valencia Half MarathonValencia
259:42 Agnes NgetichKenya27 October 2024Valencia Half MarathonValencia
359:56 Fotyen TesfayEthiopia27 October 2024Valencia Half MarathonValencia
41:00:09 Lilian KasaitKenya27 October 2024Valencia Half MarathonValencia
51:00:24 Yalemzerf YehualawEthiopia24 October 2021Valencia Half MarathonValencia
61:00:41 Ejgayehu TayeEthiopia27 October 2024Valencia Half MarathonValencia
71:00:43 Ruth Chepng'etichKenya4 April 2021Istanbul Half MarathonIstanbul
81:01:03 Joyciline JepkosgeiKenya11 February 2024Barcelona Half MarathonBarcelona
91:01:04 Girmawit GebrzihairEthiopia19 February 2022Ras Al Khaimah Half MarathonRas al-Khaimah
91:01:04 Hellen ObiriKenya19 February 2022Ras Al Khaimah Half MarathonRas al-Khaimah
111:01:11 Ababel YeshanehEthiopia21 February 2020Ras Al Khaimah Half MarathonRas Al Khaimah
121:01:16 Sheila ChepkiruiKenya19 February 2022Ras Al Khaimah Half MarathonRas Al Khaimah
131:01:18 Sutume KebedeEthiopia14 January 2024Houston Half MarathonHouston
131:01:18 Senbere TeferiEthiopia11 February 2024Barcelona Half MarathonBarcelona
151:01:19Irine Jepchumba KimaisKenya19 February 2023Barcelona Half MarathonBarcelona
161:01:20 Brigid KosgeiKenya8 September 2019Great North RunNewcastle-South Shields
171:01:21 Likina AmebawEthiopia14 September 2025Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen
181:01:27 Margaret KipkemboiKenya22 October 2023Valencia Half MarathonValencia
191:01:28 Irene Chepet CheptaiKenya22 October 2023Valencia Half MarathonValencia
201:01:35 Sharon LokediEthiopia14 September 2025Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen
211:01:41 Joan ChelimoKenya4 April 2021Istanbul Half MarathonIstanbul
221:01:42 Janeth ChepngetichKenya22 October 2023Valencia Half MarathonValencia
231:01:45 Vicoty ChepngenoKenya16 January 2022Houston Half MarathonHouston
241:01:47 Tsigie GebreselamaEthiopia27 October 2024Valencia Half MarathonValencia
241:01:54 Florence KiplagatKenya15 February 2015Barcelona Half MarathonBarcelona
251:01:49 Wede KefaleEthiopia14 September 2025Copenhagen Half MarathonCopenhagen