The records continue to fall and Jacob Kiplimo has entered the arena, breaking the half marathon world record with a 56:42 stunner in Barcelona on Sunday.
Kiplimo, 24, became the first athlete to dip under the 57 minute mark at the distance and soared through the final stages of the Barcelona Half Marathon with little doubt that a win was in the cards — along with the new record.
“I am very excited about what I did today,” Kiplimo said after the race. “I started strong, I wanted to have a great race, but I didn’t expect to break the world record. I started very strong in the first two kilometers to get away from my rivals. As the kilometers 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.”
Geoffrey Kamworor took second in 58:44, while Samuel Mailu was third in 59:40.
According to World Athletics, Kiplimo pulled off the “greatest single improvement” in the men’s half marathon world record.
Sunday’s feat is a full circle moment for Kiplimo, who reclaims his half marathon record from Yomif Kejelcha, who set the mark last October in 57:30 at the Medio Maraton de Valencia in Spain.
Kiplimo’s previous half world record was 57:31 in Lisbon in 2021.
“It has been the perfect race,” Kiplimo said. “Ideal temperature, no wind at all, fantastic circuit – everything went better than expected. The pacemaker set the agreed 2:45 pace but I found myself full of energy and decided to inject a brisker rhythm from the third kilometre, but I never imagined to perform under the 57 minute barrier. That’s astonishing.”
But he boldly took 48 seconds off of Kejelcha’s time and has likely upped the stakes for a loaded London Marathon in April — his first at the distance — as he prepares to battle Tamirat Tola, Alexander Mutiso, Sabastian Sawe and Eliud Kipchoge.
Following Sunday race and defiantly reclaiming the record he held for three years, Kiplimo made his racing plans extremely clear.
“I won’t compete any more until my marathon debut in London on 27 April,” he said.”
In the women’s field in Barcelona, Joyciline Jepkosgei took the victory in 1:04.11.
