Slovenia’s Klara Lukan made a big advancement in just the second half marathon of her career at the TotalEnergies Malaga Half Marathon on Sunday (15) morning.
Uganda’s Esther Chebet surged away in the last kilometre for victory in 66:33 but Lukan was still rewarded with a very fast time, crossing the finish-line in the runner-up position with a national record of 66:43.
Lukan slashed more than one minute from her national record of 68:04 which she set in the Valencia Half Marathon last October and the 25-year-old, who won the European U20 5000m title ahead of Nadia Battocletti in 2019, moves to ninth on the European all-time list.
"Today was a lovely day. The conditions were perfect, there was a little bit of wind but we are used to all conditions and the conditions are the same for all.
"I’m not that experienced at this distance because this is just my second half marathon - I did my first in Valencia last October - so it was a new experience and I enjoyed the course and the cheering from the runners.
"That motivated me to push even more so I’m really happy to break my own national record. For the winter season, I have achieved my goal," said Lukan in her post-race interview.
Lukan's focus will begin to turn to the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships from 10-16 August. She just missed out on a medal in the 10,000m in Rome two years ago, finishing fifth having led in the early-to-mid stages of the race.
40-year-old Marta Galimany was the leading Spanish finisher in the women's race, finishing fifth in a lifetime best of 69:22.
Kenya’s Vincent Kipkorir won the men’s race in 59:30.
Updated European all-time half marathon list
65:15 - Sifan Hassan (NED), Copenhagen 2018
65:18 - Melat Kejeta (GER), Gdynia 2020
65:41 - Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER), Valencia 2022
65:43 - Eilish McColgan (GBR), Berlin 2023
66:09 - Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (ISR), Prague 2019
66:20 - Yasemin Can (TUR), Gdynia 2020
66:25 - Lornah Kiplagat (NED), Udine 2007
66:40 - Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR), Sandnes 1987
66:43 - Klara Lukan (SLO), Malaga 2026
66:47 - Paula Radcliffe (GBR), Bristol 2001