(REUTERS) - Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir bettered the women's-only half marathon world record when she took gold in a closely fought race at the biennial World Athletics half marathon championships in Gdynia, Poland on Saturday (Oct 17).

The 27-year-old finished in a time of 1hr 5min 16sec to improve her own mark set in Prague last month, reclaiming the title having won it in Cardiff in 2016.

Germany's Melat Yisak Kejeta crossed the line two seconds behind to take silver while Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw was third a further second adrift.

Uganda's 19-year-old Jacob Kiplimo won the men's race with a championship record time of 58min 49sec to upset Kenya's Kibiwott Kandie, who took silver. Ethiopia's Amedework Walelegn finished third.

Kandie was the fastest man over the distance this year having run 58:38 in Prague last month.

Kiplimo's compatriot Joshua Cheptegei, who holds both the 5,000m and 10,000m world records, finished in 59:21 on his half marathon debut to earn fourth place.

The race was originally scheduled for March but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.