Jacob Kiplimo breaks world half-marathon record in Lisbon

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo set a new world half-marathon record at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday, breaking the former record set by Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie by only one second. The world half-marathon champion won the race by more than two minutes, breaking the tape in 57:31.

Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo is now the new world record holder for the men's half marathon, after running an incredible 57:31!! pic.twitter.com/LVMfSWSn8u

— Justin Lagat?? (@LagatJustin) November 21, 2021

Cheptegei misses 3K WR in Ostrava, Kiplimo blazes to 7th-fastest 10,000m run in history

Kiplimo has been having a big year, coming off a bronze-medal finish in the 10,000m at this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. He dropped the rest of the field early in the race, and ran most of the first 5K on his own in 13:40. By the 10-kilometre mark, he was already a minute ahead of the rest of the pack. He kept up the pace, clocking 40:27 for 15K, the fastest time ever recorded for the distance. He was on pace to be the first person to run under 57 minutes for the half-marathon, but with no other runners to work with, he fell slightly off the pace but still managed to eke out a new world record (although it has yet to be ratified by World Athletics).

While the chase pack was far behind Kiplimo, it was still a very deep field, with nine men finishing in under 60 minutes. Esa Huseyidin Mohamed of Ethiopia finished more than two minutes behind Kiplimo in 59:39 for second place, just barely ahead of his fellow countryman Gerba Beyata Dibaba, who was also given third place in the same finishing time.

Just in; Jacob Kiplimo wins gold medal in a half marathon in Lisbon. #Uganda
Rise News Uganda https://t.co/N6W8uhYsCh pic.twitter.com/ZcW5sL84Og

— Rise News Uganda (@RiseNewsUganda) November 21, 2021

Tsehay Gemechu of Ethiopia won the women’s race in 1:06:06, followed by Kenya’s Daisy Cherotich and Joyce Chepkemoi in 1:06:15 and 1:06:19, respectively. For the full list of results, click here.