Uganda’s long-distance star Jacob Kiplimo delivered a historic performance after breaking the men’s half marathon world record at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon in Lisbon on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
The 27-year-old Ugandan produced a remarkable run, crossing the finish line in 57 minutes and 20 seconds, shaving 10 seconds off the previous world record set by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in 2024.
Kiplimo controlled the race from start to finish, setting an aggressive pace that saw him hit impressive split times throughout the race. He passed the 5km mark in 13:28, reached 10km in 27:00, crossed 15km in 40:52, and clocked 54:23 at 20km on his way to the new world best.
Despite the absence of pacemakers, Kiplimo showed composure and strength as he pushed the tempo early.
Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir and Gilbert Kiprotich attempted to keep up during the early stages, with the trio reaching the halfway point together before Kiprotich gradually dropped off the pace.
By the 15km mark, Kiplimo and Kipkorir were still running side by side, but the Ugandan increased the intensity after noticing a slight slowdown in pace. He surged ahead in the final kilometres, running the next 5km segment in 13:31 to firmly take control of the race.
Kiplimo maintained the strong tempo all the way to the finish line to seal the record-breaking victory. Kipkorir finished second in 58:08, while Kiprotich secured third place in 58:59.
Speaking after the race, Kiplimo expressed delight at achieving the milestone.
“I am so happy to break the world record. After the first 10 kilometres, I felt the record was possible, so I kept pushing the pace in the final two kilometres,” he said.
This achievement marks another significant moment in Kiplimo’s career. He previously held the half marathon world record with a time of 57:31, also set in Lisbon in 2021, before Kejelcha improved the mark in Valencia in 2024.
World Athletics praised the performance and confirmed that the time is pending official ratification, noting that the race was conducted without any technical advantages. This contrasts with Kiplimo’s 56:42 run in Barcelona last year, which was not recognised as a world record.
Back home, Uganda Athletics Federation celebrated the performance as another historic achievement for Ugandan athletics, with fans applauding their distance-running hero for reinforcing his dominance on the global stage.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tsige Gebreselama successfully defended her title after winning in 1:04:48, capping another memorable edition of the Lisbon event.
