Ugandan runner sets new half-marathon world record in Lisbon
Jacob Kiplimo sets new half-marathon world record in Lisbon, Portugal
According to a report by BBC Sport on March 8th, Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo reclaimed the world record in the half-marathon after winning the race in Lisbon, Portugal, on the same day.
The 25-year-old distance runner completed the race in 57 minutes and 20 seconds, setting a new world record and improving the previous record by ten seconds. That earlier mark had been set by Ethiopian athlete Yomif Kejelcha in Valencia, Spain, in 2024.
Kiplimo had previously held the world record himself. In 2021, he ran a time of 57:31 on the same Lisbon course, making Sunday’s performance a return to the top of the record books for the Ugandan athlete.
The victory adds another major achievement to the career of the three-time world cross-country champion.
Although Kiplimo had run 56:42 in Barcelona last year, that time was not officially recognised by World Athletics.
The governing body ruled that the attempt involved pacing assistance that did not comply with regulations.
After crossing the finish line in Lisbon, Kiplimo expressed his satisfaction at reclaiming the record. He explained that the possibility of breaking the world best time became clear during the early stages of the race.
According to the runner, he realised after the first ten kilometres that the record was within reach and focused on maintaining a strong pace during the closing stages.
The Ugandan athlete gradually built momentum throughout the race. He passed the 5-kilometre mark in 13 minutes and 28 seconds, before reaching 10 kilometres in 27 minutes.
By the 15-kilometre checkpoint, he had clocked 40:52, putting him firmly on course for a record-breaking finish.
In the final stretch of the competition, Kiplimo increased his pace further, completing the next five-kilometre section in 13:31 and securing the new world record.
Behind him, Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir finished second with a time of 58:08, while fellow Kenyan Gilbert Kiprotich came in third after completing the race in 58:59.
Kiplimo’s victory in Lisbon reinforces his reputation as one of the leading long-distance runners of his generation.
The Ugandan athlete has already achieved major successes on the international stage, including winning the 2025 Chicago Marathon and finishing second at the 2022 London Marathon.
With his latest performance, Kiplimo once again holds the fastest officially recorded half-marathon time in the world.
BBC Sport, Maghrebi.org
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