The 29-year-old clocked a lightning quick time of 58min 18sec at the Medio Maratón de Valencia Trinidad Alfonso race today.

Subject to ratification, he has taken five seconds off the mark set by Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese in 2010.

"I can't believe it, I'm over the moon," said Kiptum. 

"Obviously I knew I was in good shape because I set a PB last month in Copenhagen but I was eager to run in Valencia because it's one of the flattest circuits I've ever run and I was confident of improving on my best.

"I realised the race slowed down between the ninth and 10th kilometre so I decided to step up the pace and go for everything."

Conditions in the Spanish city were described as "perfect" for distance running.

A 15-man lead pack went through the first 10km in 28.02 before Kiptum made his decisive charge.

Valencia has now hosted all three half marathon world records.

Joyciline Jepkosgei, another Kenyan, set the women's mark of 1:04.51 there while Ethiopia's Netsanet Gudeta ran 1:06.11 to set the women's only - meaning no male pacesetters - record of 1:06:11.