By Frank Kamuntu
Ugandan distance runner Jacob Kiplimo delivered a historic performance on Sunday, reclaiming the world half marathon record with a remarkable victory at the Lisbon Half Marathon.
The 25-year-old crossed the finish line in 57 minutes and 20 seconds, slicing 10 seconds off the previous world record set by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in Valencia in 2024. The feat marked a triumphant return to the Portuguese course where Kiplimo first claimed the record in 2021 with a time of 57:31.
Racing without pacemakers, Kiplimo managed the contest tactically. He covered the opening 5km in 13:28, maintained a controlled pace through the middle section, and surged in the closing kilometres to seal the record-breaking win.
“I’m so happy to break the world record,” Kiplimo said after the race. “After the first 10 kilometres, I thought the world record was possible. I tried to keep pushing the pace in the final two kilometres.”
Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir finished a distant second in 58:08, while compatriot Gilbert Kiprotich secured third place in 58:59.
Kiplimo, the Olympic bronze medallist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, had previously appeared to break the world record in Barcelona last year with a blistering 56:42 performance. However, the time was not ratified by World Athletics after officials determined that the race conditions did not fully comply with competition regulations.
His Lisbon triumph now officially restores him to the top of the half marathon record books, further cementing his status as one of the world’s leading long-distance runners.
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