Andreas Almgren has done it again.
On a crisp Sunday morning in Valencia, the Swedish distance runner became the first European ever to break 59 minutes for the half marathon, clocking a staggering 58:41 to finish fourth overall in a loaded field. The mark obliterates the previous European record of 59:13, set by Switzerland’s Julien Wanders in 2019.
The race, won by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in 58:02, delivered the kind of fireworks the Medio Maratón Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich has become famous for in recent years. But Almgren’s run, coming off the back of his breakthrough track season, may well go down as the defining performance of his career so far.
After crossing the line, Almgren didn’t celebrate wildly. He’d been hunting this record. And while he acknowledged the windy conditions and a solo effort through the middle of the race, the 30-year-old knew he’d just done something special.
“I had to run in the front between 7–15 km when the pacemaker left,” Almgren told SVT. “The last 3–4 kilometers were into a headwind. I’m very happy with the time under these conditions. It was still a European record by more than half a minute. With optimal conditions, I’m probably in shape for even a little better.”
That’s a bold claim, but one that feels increasingly realistic given his year.
Almgren opened 2025 with a European 10K road record, running 26:53, also in Valencia. In June, he tore apart the European 5000m record with a 12:44.27 in Stockholm, a race that put him among the top five fastest men in history over the distance. Then came the World Championships in Tokyo, where he earned his first senior global medal, bronze in the 10,000m behind Kejelcha and France’s Jimmy Gressier.
But the sting of a surprise exit in the 5000m heats lingered. Almgren later admitted he was looking for “revenge” in Valencia. He got it, and in doing so, carved his name into the sport’s record books.
While Wanders had held the European record since 2019, his form in recent seasons has faded. Almgren’s consistency and range, from 1500m to 10,000m, have made him a clear standard-bearer for European distance running. And with Sunday’s 58:41, he’s now leapfrogged into a league of his own.
Elsewhere in the race, there were promising results across the board. Spanish fans had their eyes on Carlos Mayo and Said Mechaal, the latter making his half marathon debut.
Both clocked 60:48, with Mayo just edging his compatriot at the line. British Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee also impressed in his debut over the distance, finishing 19th in 61:30. For a first go at 21.1 kilometers, it was a commanding effort.
The women’s race also delivered fireworks. Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich, fresh off a 10K world record earlier this year, went out hard and looked to be on world record pace. She eventually faded slightly in the headwind but still clocked 63:08, the third-fastest time in history and a world lead for 2025.
Behind her, Slovenia’s Klara Lukan finished seventh in 68:04, setting a new national record, while France’s Alessia Zarbo followed with a French record of 68:20. Spain’s Carla Gallardo also recorded a big personal best, rounding out the top 10 in 69:14.
But the day belonged to Almgren.
The question now is what’s next. He’s not expected to race at the European Cross Country Championships in December, but is already eyeing a 5000m/10,000m double at next summer’s European Championships in Birmingham. A marathon debut may not be far off either.
For now, Almgren leaves Valencia with his third European record of the year, the admiration of his peers, and a new milestone for the continent: the first man from Europe to go sub-59.
And by the looks of it, he’s not done yet.
