Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo has made history as the first individual to break the 57-minute mark in the half-marathon, achieving a remarkable new world record of 56 minutes and 42 seconds in Barcelona.
The 24-year-old established this record during the World Athletics Gold Label Road race that took place on Sunday.
Kiplimo, a two-time world cross-country champion, had previously held the half-marathon record from 2021 until 2024 and regained it by cutting 48 seconds from the former record of 57:30, which was set by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in Valencia in October.
“I am very excited about what I did today,” said Kiplimo.
“I started strong, I wanted to have a great race, but I didn’t expect to break the world record.
“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.
Competing in perfect weather conditions of 13 degrees Celsius with no wind, Kiplimo also recorded a world best of 39:47 for the 15 kilometres on his way to the half-marathon record.
