The last few days have been for Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo to celebrate, after he regained the half-marathon world record on Sunday, March 8 in Lisbon, when he stormed to an impressive victory in an impressive time of 57 minutes and 20 seconds.
Kiplimo, who last held the record in 2021, when he clocked 57:31 on the same Lisbon course, had it broken by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who set a time of 57:30 in Valencia in 2024.
However, focus for Kiplimo, 25, will turn to the London marathon, which is set for April, where he will have a showdown with his close friend, Joshua Cheptegei (the 10,000 metres record holder), for bragging rights. Abdallah Muhammed, the Athletics Uganda publicity secretary noted that it will be interesting to two Ugandan top athletes contest on the global stage.
“As much as Cheptegei and Kiplimo will definitely be competing, racing together provides a good platform for us as a country to showcase the quality talent that we have. That should bring Uganda more recognition, but also inspire emerging talents,” Muhammed said.
Yet, as the build-up to the London marathon on April 26 continues in earnest, Kiplimo’s recent feat will be a major talking point heading into London. As it is, the young man has set two world records already.
He continues to walk in the footsteps of Cheptegei, who also set the 5000 metres record at 12:35.36 back in August 2020. With that considered, Kiplimo is not only placed in good light as an elite athlete. But he is also building legendary status.
“That is truly inspiring because in the races that are organized in the Sebei region in December and January, the number of children that have taken to running is now in the thousands. Achievements like those of Kiplimo are attracting them to the sport. With a big sample size of runners, the future of running in Uganda is bright,” Muhammed said.
Notably, because of Kiplimo’s impressive displays on the road, he has been earmarked as a big bet to break the world marathon record, too. Considering that he has been doing marathons from the age of 16, Muhammed said that Kiplimo is proving beyond doubt that he is built for the road.
While, normally, athletes his age would be concentrating on track than on road, which is usually taken to in the latter years of one’s career, Kiplimo has been different. And it appears, by concentrating on road races, he is proving unstoppable.
Last year at the London marathon, Kiplimo finished second in 2:03:37, behind Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe, who finished in 2:02:27. Kiplimo said after the race on Sunday that he was delighted upon setting a new world record. But one can bet Kiplimo will have his sights on breaking marathon world record of 2:00:35 set by Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago marathon in 2023.
It will be intriguing to see him and Cheptegei battle for honours, something they have done numerous times at the Olympics, World Athletics Championships and the World Cross- Country events, when they meet at the London marathon!
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