Joyciline Jepkosgei (born 8 December 1993) is a Kenyan female long-distance runner who competes over distances from 10,000 metres to the marathon. She is the former half marathon world record holder in contests with mixed-gender fields with her personal best of 64:51 minutes, and additionally the former world record holder in the 10 km with 29:43 minutes. She was a bronze medallist over 10,000 m at the African Championships in Athletics in 2016. Jepkosgei ran a world record for the half marathon of 1:04:52 at the Prague Half Marathon in April 2017, becoming the first woman ever to break 65 minutes. She also unofficially broke the IAAF-ratified records for 10 km, 15 km and 20 km along the way, breaking a total of four world records in a single event. She became the first Kenyan ever to break six world records in six months.

Career Jepkosgei emerged as a professional level runner at the 2015 Nairobi Half Marathon, where she finished fifth in 1:14:06 minutes.Joyciline Chepkosgei. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 1 April 2017. She knocked her best down to 1:09:09 minutes at the following year's First Lady's Half Marathon in the Kenyan capital, placing second to Valentine Kipketer.Ayodi, Ayumba (7 March 2016). Kimitei and Kipketer clinch First Lady Half Marathon top honours. The Nation. Retrieved on 2017-04-01. She improved two seconds further in winning the Karlovy Vary Half Marathon,Ramsak, Bob (21 May 2016). Records fall despite difficult conditions in Karlovy Vary. IAAF. Retrieved on 2017-04-01. which placed her in the top 35 runners that year.senior outdoor 2016 Half Marathon women. IAAF. Retrieved on 1 April 2017.

A member of the Kenya Defence Forces, she was twice runner-up at their track championships in 2016 in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres. A third-place finish in the 10,000 m at the Kenyan Athletics Championships led to her first international selection for the 2016 African Championships in Athletics. There she took the bronze medal in a personal best of 31:28.28 minutes.Botton, Wesley (25 June 2016). Aprot takes African 10,000m title. IAAF. Retrieved on 2017-04-01. Jepkosgei ended her breakthrough year with a runner-up finish at the Prague Grand Prix and a win at the Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale.Kiplagat and Jepkosgei prevail in Marseille Cassis 20km. IAAF (30 October 2016)). Retrieved on 2017-04-01.

She competed in her first top level half marathon at the start of 2017 and took nearly three minutes off her personal best, crossing the line in 66:08 minutes to take third at the RAK Half Marathon. This made her the seventh fastest runner ever at that point. The winner, Peres Jepchirchir, broke the world record and Jepkosgei ran the fastest ever time for her placing, as did runner-up Mary Keitany. Both Jepchirchir and Keitany had won world titles for the half marathon distance, thus establishing Jepkosgei among the world's best.Mulkeen, Jon (10 February 2017). Jepchirchir breaks world half marathon record in Ras al-Khaimah. IAAF. Retrieved on 2017-04-01.senior outdoor Half Marathon women. IAAF. Retrieved on 1 April 2017. A month and a half later she returned to the distance and proved herself the fastest ever, winning the Prague Half Marathon. During that race she broke four world records en route, recording 30:05 at 10K, 45:37 at 15K and 61:25 at 20K.

In September 2017, with the aid of a male pacer, she further improved her own 10K world record to 29:43, just ahead of Fancy Chemutai (30:06), and Violah Jepchumba (30:25), at the Prague Grand Prix, thus becoming the first woman ever to run the distance under 30 minutes.

In November 2019, Jepkosgei won the New York City Marathon in her official debut at the distance with a time of 2:22:38, the second fastest time on the course for women.

In 2020, she competed in the women's half marathon at the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships held in Gdynia, Poland.

Jepkosgei won the 2021 London Marathon after taking the lead into the race and becoming the seventh fastest female marathoner in history with 2:17:43.

The next year, the 28-year-old came seventh at the 2022 Boston Marathon in April in a time of 2:24:43. At the 2022 London Marathon in October, Jepkosgei placed second behind only Yalemzerf Yehualaw, clocking 2:18:07 and missing her personal best by 24 seconds.

In November 2025 she ran a personal best of 2:14:00 at the Valencia Marathon, course record and then the 4th fastest time in history.

Personal life Jepkosgei was coached by her husband, Nicholas Koech, until 2019 and has a son, Brandon, born in 2011.

Personal bests 5000 metres (outdoor track) – 15:19.1h (Nairobi 2019) 5 kilometres (road) - 14:32 (Prague 2017) 10,000 metres (track) – 31:28.28 (Durban 2016) 10 kilometres (road) – 29:43 (Prague 2017) Former world record 15 kilometres (road) – 45:37 (Prague 2017) 20 kilometres (road) – 1:01:25 (Prague 2017) World best Half marathon – 1:04:13 (Barcelona 2025) Marathon – 2:14:00 (Valencia 2025)

International competitions 2016African ChampionshipsDurban, South Africa3rd10,000 m31:28.282018World Half Marathon ChampionshipsValencia, Spain2ndHalf marathon66:112019New York City Half MarathonNew York, United States1stHalf Marathon1:10:07World Marathon Majors2019New York City MarathonNew York, United States1stMarathon2:22:382021London MarathonLondon, United Kingdom1stMarathon2:17:432022Boston MarathonBoston, United States7thMarathon2:24:43London MarathonLondon, United Kingdom2ndMarathon2:18:072023Boston MarathonBoston, United States12thMarathon2:24:44Chicago MarathonChicago, United States4thMarathon2:17:232024London MarathonLondon, United Kingdom3rdMarathon2:16:24Chicago MarathonChicago, United States5thMarathon2:20:512025London MarathonLondon, United Kingdom2ndMarathon2:18:442026London MarathonLondon, United Kingdom3rdMarathon2:15:55

Circuit wins Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale (half marathon): 2016 Karlovy Vary Half Marathon: 2016 Prague Half Marathon: 2017 New York City Half Marathon: 2019

Notes

References

External links

All-Athletics profile