When did Jacob Kiplimo smash the Half-Marathon World Record?
Ugandan long-distance runner Jacob Kiplimo has made history by breaking the men’s half-marathon world record at the eDreams Mitja Marató Barcelona. On Sunday, February 16, 2025, Kiplimo completed the 21km race in an astonishing 56 minutes and 41 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 57:30 set by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in October 2024.
This remarkable achievement marks the biggest single improvement in the men’s half-marathon record, with Kiplimo shaving 49 seconds off the previous time. Racing under ideal weather conditions with little wind, the 24-year-old champion became the first athlete in history to complete the half-marathon in under 57 minutes.
Who were the challengers at the Record-Breaking Performance?
Right from the start, Kiplimo set a blistering pace, establishing his dominance early in the race. By the 5km mark, he was already on track for a world record, with Kenyan challengers Geoffrey Kamworor and Samwel Mailu trailing about 20 seconds behind. At the 15km mark, Kiplimo clocked an impressive 39:47, setting a world best for that distance as well.
Despite the relentless pace, Kiplimo showed no signs of slowing down. By the time he reached the 20km mark, he had registered an astonishing split of 53:42, making it clear that he was about to reclaim the world record he had first set in Lisbon four years ago.
What did Kiplimo say about the successful marathon?
After crossing the finish line, an elated Kiplimo shared his thoughts on the achievement: “I am very excited about what I did today. 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.” Kiplimo’s record-breaking run is now subject to ratification by World Athletics, but his dominance in long-distance running continues to make headlines.
Another World Record on the Same Day
On the same day, Japan’s Toshikazu Yamanishi set a new world record in the men’s 20km race walk in Kobe, Japan. Yamanishi clocked 1 hour, 16 minutes, and 10 seconds, surpassing the previous record held by his compatriot Yusuke Suzuki since 2015.
With Kiplimo’s phenomenal performance in Barcelona and Yamanishi’s record-breaking feat in Kobe, February 16, 2025, will be remembered as a historic day in athletics.
