Runner Breaks Half Marathon World Record in 57:20

Jacob Kiplimo proved that second chances are worth the wait. The 25-year-old Ugandan runner crushed the half marathon world record on March 8 in Lisbon, Portugal, crossing the finish line in 57 minutes and 20 seconds.

His time beat the previous record by 10 seconds, set by Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha in 2024. But this victory meant so much more than just shaving seconds off the clock.

Just over a year ago, Kiplimo ran an astonishing 56:42 in Barcelona, the first half marathon ever completed under 57 minutes. World Athletics refused to ratify that record because he ran too close to the lead vehicle, which counts as pacing assistance. The breakthrough moment became a bitter disappointment.

"I'm so happy to break the world record," Kiplimo said after his Lisbon run. "After the first 10km, I thought the world record was possible. I tried to keep pushing the pace in the final two kilometres."

The numbers tell the story of his dominance. He covered the first five kilometers in 13:28 and hit the 10km mark at 27:00, breaking away from the lead pack with a pace that left competitors in the dust. Five runners in the race finished under one hour, showing just how fast the field was running.

Why This Inspires

Kiplimo's journey shows what happens when talent meets resilience. He's accounted for five of only 12 times an athlete has broken 58 minutes for the half marathon. He's a three-time cross country world champion who won Olympic and World Championship bronze medals at 10,000 meters before transitioning to longer distances.

Now he's proving everyone right who predicted he'd become one of the greatest marathoners of his generation. He won the Chicago Marathon in 2025 and finished second in London last April with a personal best of 2:02:23.

He'll race the London Marathon again on April 26, bringing the second-fastest time in the elite men's field. After last year's heartbreak and now this redemption, he's running with nothing left to prove and everything to gain.

The world record is his again, and this time it's official.