Five years after first rewriting history on the streets of Lisbon, Jacob Kiplimo returned to the Portuguese capital and did it again. The Ugandan distance star produced a brilliant run at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday, clocking 57:20 to set a new men’s half marathon world record and reclaim the crown he once held.
Lisbon has become familiar territory for Kiplimo. In 2021, the Olympic bronze medallist stunned the athletics world on the same course with a then record of 57:31. That mark stood until Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha edged it down to 57:30 in Valencia, setting the stage for Kiplimo’s determined return.
Sunday’s race carried an added twist. There were no pacemakers to guide the tempo, which meant the runners had to manage the rhythm themselves. Kiplimo handled the challenge with calm precision.
The Ugandan surged through the opening 5km in 13:28 with Kenyan runners Nicholas Kipkorir and Gilbert Kiprotich close behind. The trio hit the halfway point of 10km in 27:00, but the race soon began to stretch.
Kiprotich faded as the kilometres passed. Kiplimo and Kipkorir continued together, though the pace briefly dipped as they crossed 15km in 40:52.
Then came the decisive move. Sensing the opportunity, Kiplimo accelerated and attacked the final stretch with purpose.
He ran the next 5km in 13:31 and powered through the closing kilometres alone. When he crossed the line in 57:20, the clock confirmed a stunning new world record.
“I’m so happy to break the world record,” Kiplimo said after the race. “After the first 10km, I thought the world record was possible. I tried to keep pushing the pace in the final two kilometres.”
Kipkorir finished second in 58:08, 48 seconds behind the winner. Kiprotich came home third in 58:59, over a minute and a half back.
For Kiplimo, the moment carried extra meaning. Last year in Barcelona he appeared to smash the record with an extraordinary 56:42 run, becoming the first man to dip under 57 minutes. However, World Athletics later ruled that the course conditions did not meet official requirements, meaning the record could not be ratified.
Lisbon finally delivered the official confirmation his performance deserved.
The event also rewards record-breaking brilliance. Winners can earn a €50,000 bonus for a new world mark, with total prize incentives sometimes reaching €150,000.
The women’s race also produced a strong performance, as Ethiopian Tsige Gebreselama retained her title in 1:04:48.
But the day belonged to Kiplimo. On the same roads where he once shocked the running world, the Ugandan did it again, proving that Lisbon remains his perfect stage.
