Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda set a half-marathon world record, 56 minutes and 41 seconds, in Barcelona on Sunday. His time broke the previous record of 58:01, set by Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia in October, by 49 seconds, the biggest single improvement on the men’s half-marathon record recognized by World Athletics.
Kiplimo, a two-time world cross-country champion, said he was in shock and ecstatic after the race. “I got off to a good start, and I wanted to race well, but I wasn’t expecting to break the world record,” he said. “The kilometres kept going and I realised I was on record pace and I told myself, I cannot lose it.”
At only 15, the Ugandan made his Olympic bow in the 5,000m and has since added yet another historical milestone to his name.
Earlier on Sunday, Japan’s Toshikazu Yamanishi set a world record in the men’s 20km race walk, completing the distance in 1 hour, 16 minutes and 10 seconds in Kobe, breaking the mark set by compatriot Yusuke Suzuki in 2015.
