2024 European half marathon champion Yemaneberhan Crippa clocked 59:01 to not only win the Naples City Half Marathon on Sunday (22) morning but he also broke his course record and Italian record and ran the second fastest time ever by a European.
It was a busy start-line but Crippa made a clean break away and settled within a leading pack of 10 athletes comfortably and quickly before finding his place right behind the pacer.
Eventually the Italian and Andrea Kiptoo pulled away from the leading pack but remained side-by-side, that is until around 52 minutes in where Crippa started to pull away.
Instead of racing Kiptoo to the finish-line, Crippa kicked and put a large gap between himself and the Kenyan in his determination to lower the course record.
However, his impressively strong kick came just ever so slightly too late for Crippa to finish under 59 minutes, narrowly missing the magical mark. However, Crippa moves up to second on the European all-time half marathon list behind Sweden's Andreas Almgren who clocked 58:41 in Valencia last October.
🚀 Crippa record italiano: 59:01 nella mezza!
— Atletica Italiana (@atleticaitalia) February 22, 2026
Torna a volare Yeman Crippa: a Napoli vince con 59:01, migliora il suo primato nazionale della mezza maratona di quasi mezzo minuto dopo 4 anni (59:26 nel 2022) e diventa il secondo europeo di sempre
📷 PhotoToday#atleticaitaliana pic.twitter.com/O45oPlzvJE
Crippa had previously set the course record at 59:26 in 2022 and held the honour alongside Kenya’s Brian Kwemdi Kiru who equalled the record in 2024.
"I'm truly so happy because I've achieved one of my dreams, a new Italian record. I'm very happy, incredibly satisfied because the crowd and the atmosphere helped me so much; everything was perfect. I've come prepared for many races, but the conditions have to be right, and that happened here. When you keep pushing, never give up, sooner or later the results come," said Crippa as quoted by FIDAL.
On just missing the 59 minute-barrier, he said: "It's a shame I was a second off, but I'll be able to try again next year."
Kiptoo finished in second place 26 seconds later, massively lowering his PB from 61:30 down to 59.27, while 2024 European half marathon silver medallist Pietro Riva was fourth in 60:32.
Saapunki sets a big lifetime best in the race
The women’s race was won by Kenya’s Lucy Ndambuki in 68:48 who dominated the race throughout, while her compatriot Nelly Cheptoo finished in second with 69:26.
Finland’s Susanna Saapunki stormed to a three minute PB, clocking 70:35 to take third and complete the podium. She becomes the fourth fastest Finnish half marathoner in history with the national record standing to Alisa Vainio at 69:30.
Saapunki had previously been an Olympic combined skier before switching to professional mountain running in spring of 2020.
Last year she placed second in the women’s 6km uphill World Mountain Running Championships in Canfranc but had not yet raced this year.
Updated European all-time half marathon list
58:41 Andreas Almgren (SWE) - Valencia 2025
59:01 Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA) - Naples 2026
59:13 Julien Wanders (SUI) - Ras Al Khaimah 2019
59:26 Dominic Lobalu (SUI) - Barcelona 2026
59:31 Amanal Petros (GER) - Berlin 2025
59:32 Mo Farah (GBR) - Lisbon 2015
59:37 Emmanuel Roudolff (FRA) - Barcelona 2026
59:39 Carlos Mayo (ESP) - Valencia 2023
59:40 Morhad Amdouni (FRA) - Gdynia 2020
59:40 Samuel Barata (POR) - Valencia 2023