COPENHAGEN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan long-distance runner Geoffrey Kamworor made a triumphant return to the Copenhagen Half Marathon on Sunday with a devastating win in a pending world record time of 58:01 miuntes.

The result smashed the previous year's record set by another Kenyan Abraham Kiptum of 58:23 in Valencia, Spain.

Despite the rain and windy weather, the omens were still in Kamworor's favor.

The 26-year-old knew the track well having already won the first of his world championships at the inauguration of this event in 2014.

And Kamworor, a three-time world half marathon champion, and one of 11 athletes in the field to have run under the hour mark knew the race was set-up for him to make a challenge at the world record.

Also, members of his Kenyan team were with him at the race, whose specific task was to act as Kamworor's personal pacemakers in this world record bid.

The race started under a light autumn shower and some wind at a confident world record pace.

Kamworor was looking restless in second place. The challenger was either struggling or wanting to run faster than the pacemakers.

Swatting the bad weather aside while soaking up the applause from the crowd, Kamworor crossed the finishing line a triumphant 22 seconds under the previous record.

Exhausted, the new world champion fist-pumped the air and addressed racegoers to express his feelings.

"It was very emotional," said the pending world record holder on his victory at the finish line.

Decisions of world records need to be exhaustively ratified before being officially confirmed.

Meanwhile, the women's race was won by Ethiopia's Mergetu Alemu Kebede who crossed the finish line at 1:06:23. Enditem

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