Endurance runner Jacob Kiplimo from Uganda has set up a new world record at the half marathon of Barcelona. The 24-year-old literally turns sport upside down.
For the first time in history, the half marathon distance was completed in under 57 minutes on Sunday. The magical border was even clearly cracked by the Ugandian runner Jacob Kiplimo in perfect weather conditions (13 degrees) and route conditions. The Olympic third of 2020 over the 10 kilometers only needed 56:42 minutes.
The previous record by Yomif Kejelcha was 57:30 minutes – Kiplomo’s improvement of 48 seconds is now the biggest leap in the half marathon world regression of men of all time, as World Athletics emphasized. In order to illustrate the scope of the performance, the World Association chose the English word “obliterates” in its press release, in German: “wipe out”.
At the same time: The two-time cross world champion had also set up a new world’s best in the 15 kilometers on the way to his half marathon fabric period (40:07 minutes).
Athletics: Kiplimo now also attacks in the marathon
“It was the perfect race,” said the winner afterwards: “Ideal temperatures, no wind, a fantastic route – everything went better than expected. The Pacemaker made the agreed speed of 2:45 minutes, but I was full of energy and decided , to present a brisk rhythm from the third kilometer, but I never thought that I would get under the 57-minute mark, that’s astonishing. “
Jacob Kiplimo’s paradested route was on the 5,000 and 10,000 meters for a long time, but after his record run over the 21,0975 kilometers, he also wants to attack this year on the twice as long. He announced in Barcelona: “I will no longer compete until my marathon debut in London on April 27th.”
Further world records had only been broken in athletics shortly before: On Thursday, Norwegian Jakob Inbrigtsen had undercut the indoor world records over 1500 m and the mile in a race in France. On Friday, the American Grant Fisher in Boston caused an indoor world record over 5000 m after he had already improved the 3000 m mark a few days earlier. On Saturday morning, the Japanese Toshiku Yamanishi also clearly undercut the world record over 20 km.
In the marathon, the world record is 2: 00.35 hours, set up by Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023. A few months later, the Kenyan died in his home country in a car accident.