Ugandan athlete Jacob Kiplimo makes history by shattering the half marathon world record in Barcelona, finishing in under 57 minutes. His incredible pace solidified his position as one of the top athletes in the world.
Jacob Kiplimo sets new half marathon record, finishing in under 57 minutes
February 16, 2025
5:19 PM ET
Juliana Kim
A Vengeful Victory
Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda ran with a vengeance in Barcelona on Sunday — masterfully reclaiming the half marathon world record after the title was taken from him last year. The 24-year-old athlete wrote on Instagram, ‘What a day! Today everything has been perfect, the course, the weather and of course myself.’
Jacob Kiplimo is a Ugandan long-distance runner born on September 14, 2000.
He gained international recognition after winning the 2022 World Cross Country Championships in the men's senior category.
At just 21 years old, Kiplimo became the youngest winner of the event since Kenenisa Bekele in 2003.
With a personal best time of 26:40 minutes in the 10,000 meters, Kiplimo is considered one of the top prospects in Ugandan athletics.
His impressive performances have earned him numerous awards and recognition within the athletic community.
A New Benchmark
Kiplimo finished in 56:42 at the 2025 Barcelona Half Marathon — shattering the previous half marathon record of 57:30 set by Ethiopia‘s Yomif Kejelcha last year in Valencia. At the time, Kejelcha had narrowly beaten Kiplimo’s 2021 record by just one second. In Barcelona, Kiplimo significantly outpaced Kejelcha’s record by an impressive 48 seconds, marking the ‘greatest single improvement on the men’s world half marathon record,’ according to World Athletics.
A Record-Breaking Pace
To achieve this feat, Kiplimo was averaging about 13.86 miles per hour, or a mile every 4 minutes and 20 seconds. This incredible pace solidified his position as one of the top athletes in the world.
Competition and Achievements
Kenyan long-distance runner Geoffrey Kamworor took second, finishing nearly two minutes after Kiplimo with a time of 58:44. Samwel Mailu, also from Kenya, secured third, clocking in at 59:40. Kiplimo’s impressive performance is just one aspect of his remarkable career.
A Humble Beginning
Kiplimo is the son of two farmers from Kween, a rural district in eastern Uganda. To get to school, Kiplimo would run over 3 miles at an altitude of 6,200 feet, World Athletics reported. He entered competitive running through his older brothers, who were also athletes. ‘To my mind, I said: ‘I want to be like them,” he told World Athletics.
A Journey to Success
Kiplimo’s first official race was in 2015, where he took first place in a selection trial for the World Mountain Running Championships. Afterward, he moved to Italy to train under a new coach. Two years later, Kiplimo returned to Uganda to compete in the World Cross Country Championships. There, thousands of Ugandans cheered on as he stormed to victory and claimed gold, according to a World Athletics profile.
A Legacy of Excellence
Kiplimo is a two-time world cross country champion. He earned a bronze medal in the men’s 10,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. His marathon debut will be this April in London. On Sunday, Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya won the women’s race in Barcelona, achieving a personal best of 1:04:13.
