RunCzech Racing’s Joyciline Jepkosgei has been confirmed by the IAAF, the international governing body of athletics, as the official world record holder for 10k, 15k, 20k and the half-marathon, with the times she achieved on April 1 in the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon 2017

From international debutante to world record holder in 10 months. Just days ago, the IAAF ratified Joyciline Jepkosgei’s feat of breaking four world records in one race. Which means that it has only taken a little over 10 months for the 23 year old to grow from an unknown Kenyan runner into the first woman to break the 65 minute barrier for the half marathon.

 

Not only talented, but also confident, with a professional attitude, Jepkosgei is the perfect example of what the RunCzech Racing Team is striving to become at all levels.

 

In early 2016, Joyciline Jepkosgei was showing sufficient promise both in training and racing back home in Kenya, to attract the attention of Ikaika Sports‘ talent scouts. She was invited to become a part of RunCzech Racing and the adidas Marathon Athlete Development Program. “I was a very young athlete who didn’t even know how to run, with no manager and no training facilities,“ says Jepkosgei. “But RunCzech Racing Team and my management (Ikaika Sports) have supported me a lot, to help me get to where I am now. To set four world records is not down to me alone, but the result of teamwork”.

Making her international debut in the 2016 Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon, one of the RunCzech events, she exceeded expectations with her winning margin of one minute, 48 seconds, setting an event record with a  personal best of 1:09:07. “It was my first time to travel to Europe,“ said Jepkosgei. “The people in the Czech Republic were very nice and friendly, so I needed to run well,” she added.

Joyciline continued to race through the summer of 2016. She made the Kenyan team for the IAAF African Championships and earned a bronze medal in the 10,000m, losing only to two compatriots, but improving her personal best to 31:28.28.

Returning to the Czech Republic in September she had her first experience of running at world record pace without intending to do so, when pushed by Violah Jepchumba during the 2016 Birell Prague Grand Prix. Violah won the 10K race in 30:24 missing the world record by only three seconds, while Joyciline finished second with a personal best of 31:08.

The beginning of 2017 was highlighted for Jepkosgei by a podium place in the RAK Half marathon, in the UAE. Another compatriot, Peres Jepchirchir improved the world record by three seconds, but Joyciline managed to stay close behind up to 15km, and finished strongly for third place, improving her personal best by almost three minutes to 1:06:08.

Less than three months later she was a world record holder, becoming the first woman in history to break the 65min barrier. “My training after the RAK half marathon was good. Even my coach, Nicholas Koech, told me, that I will run sub-65, but I didn’t believe him. I still can’t believe I did it”.

“Work hard every day, and eventually you will be a winner“

Multiple world record holder, Joyciline Jepkosgei

 

Joyciline shares her emotions in the video here.

 

Watch the whole online broadcast of the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon 2017 here.