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Ugandan long-distance sensation Jacob Kiplimo has rewritten the history books, becoming the first person to run a half marathon in under 57 minutes.
The 24-year-old stunned the world on Sunday, February 16, 2025, by clocking an extraordinary 56 minutes and 42 seconds at the Barcelona Half Marathon, obliterating the previous world record by a staggering 48 seconds.
The previous record of 57:30, set by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in October 2024 in Valencia, Spain, stood as the benchmark until Kiplimo’s breathtaking run.
His record-breaking performance represents the most significant single-time improvement on the men’s world half-marathon record, cementing his place among the greatest distance runners of all time.
Speaking to BBC Sport after his historic achievement, Kiplimo expressed his surprise and joy at the feat.
“I am very excited about what I did today. I wanted to have a great race, but I didn’t expect to break the world record,” said the former Olympic and World Championships bronze medallist.
Kiplimo’s strategy was evident from the start, as he set a blistering pace in the first two kilometers to shake off his competitors.
“I started very strong in the first two kilometres to get away from my rivals.”
As the kilometres passed and I saw that I was going at record pace, I told myself that I had to maintain that pace no matter what it took,” he added.
The young Ugandan’s meteoric rise in distance running has been nothing short of remarkable.
From his dominance in junior competitions to his gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and World Cross Country Championships, Kiplimo has consistently demonstrated his prowess on the track and road.
His latest triumph only solidifies his reputation as a generational talent capable of pushing the boundaries of human endurance.
With this record-breaking performance, Kiplimo has set a new benchmark in long distance running, and the world will be keenly watching to see what he accomplishes next.
