Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich continued her remarkable 2026 season after storming to victory at the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon in Japan on Sunday, October 18, setting a new course record in the process.
The reigning world half marathon champion clocked 1:04:23 to win the women’s race and lower the previous course mark by more than three minutes, adding another prestigious title to an already impressive year.
Agnes Ngetich’s Dominant Season Continues
Ngetich entered the race as one of the leading contenders after a season that had seen her excel on cross-country courses, the track and the roads.
The victory came only weeks after Ngetich claimed gold at the 2026 World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she won the women’s half marathon and set a women-only world record of 1:05:15.
Earlier this year, Ngetich opened her season by winning the women’s race at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, United States, before claiming victory at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Tour.
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After a rare setback at the New York Half Marathon, she bounced back to win the Lille 10K in France and successfully defended her title at the New York Mini 10K.
Ngetich later switched to the track, winning the women’s 3,000m at the Monaco Diamond League.
The Kenyan star is already regarded as one of the fastest women in half marathon history. Her personal best of 1:03:04, set during her 2024 Valencia victory, remains the second-fastest performance ever recorded over the distance.
Only Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey has run faster.
Before the race, Ngetich had expressed confidence in her preparation and said she was looking forward to delivering a strong performance in Tokyo.
She was among the headline names for the event and was widely viewed as the athlete to beat.
“I’m happy to be back in Tokyo. I’ve prepared well for this race and I’m looking forward to putting in a strong performance,” she said.
Looking ahead, Ngetich could target more major road races before the end of the year, with the Jakarta Half Marathon scheduled for October 24 and the New York City Marathon set for November 1.
Both events are among the most prominent races on the international road running calendar and could offer the Kenyan star another opportunity to extend her impressive 2026 campaign
In January 2024, she made history by setting the women’s 10km world record of 28:46 at the Valencia 10K, becoming the first woman to break the 29-minute barrier over the distance.
During the same race, she also passed the 5km mark in 14:13, a world-best performance at the time.
She later set the women’s-only 10km world record at 29:27 before claiming another global mark in September 2026, when she clocked 1:05:15 to win the women’s half marathon at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26, breaking the previous women-only world record by one second.
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The Kenyan star now holds world records in the women’s 10km mixed race, women’s-only 10km and women’s-only half marathon.
From Elgeyo Marakwet to Global Stardom
Beyond her success on the roads, Agnes Ngetich has also demonstrated her quality on the track.
In July, she won the women’s 3,000 metres at the Monaco Diamond League in a world-class 8:08.95.
Born in Kinamget Tabare village in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Agnes Ngetich overcame a difficult childhood marked by poverty and the loss of her father.
She attended primary school in her home area but had to leave in Form One as the family struggled financially.
Her fortunes changed when coach Ruth Jepchumba Bundotich discovered her talent and guided her into competitive athletics, setting her on the path to becoming one of the world’s most accomplished distance runners.
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