Three 50km world records have been ratified by World Athletics ©Getty Images

Performances by three athletes in 2021 have been officially recognised as the inaugural 50 kilometres world records by World Athletics.

Ethiopian Ketema Negasa's time of 2 hours 42min 7sec, set in Port Elizabeth in South Africa in May at the Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50K, is now the official men's 50km world record following the conclusion f the ratification process.

South Africa's Irvette van Zyl, who was also competing in Port Elizabeth, set the women-only 50km world record in the women's race in 3:04:24.

American Desiree Linden holds the overall women's world record, having run 2:59:54 at Dorena Lake in Oregon in a mixed race.

Desiree Linden, winner of the 2018 Boston Marathon, holds the women's 50km world record ©Getty Images
Desiree Linden, winner of the 2018 Boston Marathon, holds the women's 50km world record ©Getty Images

Linden's performance came at the Brooks Running 50km and Marathon in April.

The 2018 Boston Marathon winner became the first woman to run the distance in fewer than three hours.

At July's 225th meeting of the World Athletics Council in Tokyo, it was decided that the distance would be added to the list of events for which world records are recognised.