Jacob Kiplimo runs 57:20 in Lisbon, a half marathon world record with no pacemakers
The Ugandan took ten seconds off Yomif Kejelcha's official mark on the course where he set his own in 2021, passing 10 km in 27:00 and pulling clear at 15 km.
Photograph: Jacob Kiplimo a mile from the finish of the 2025 Chicago Marathon, by Photoguy1212, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsJacob Kiplimo ran 57:20 at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday, a world record subject to ratification. The official mark was Yomif Kejelcha's 57:30 from Valencia in 2024. Before that it was Kiplimo's own 57:31, set on this same course in 2021.
There were no pacemakers. Kiplimo went through 5 km in 13:28 and 10 km in 27:00 with Kenyans Nicholas Kipkorir and Gilbert Kiprotich close behind. Kiprotich faded first. Kipkorir held on to 15 km, passed in 40:52, and then Kiplimo ran the next 5 km in 13:31 and the race was over. Kipkorir finished second in 58:08 and Kiprotich third in 58:59. Benard Langat was fourth in 59:31.
The record has a history. Kiplimo ran 56:42 in Barcelona last year, but that time was never ratified because the pacing car ran too close in front of him. Lisbon was the clean version. He said afterwards he was happy to break the world record, and that he is building toward the London Marathon in April.
Tsigie Gebreselama of Ethiopia won the women's race in 1:04:48, more than two minutes clear of Janeth Chepngetich, 1:06:50. She passed 5 km in 14:55 and 10 km in 30:05, faster than her own bests at both, then tired. It was still the second-fastest winning time in Lisbon, and she is the first woman to win back to back here since Susan Chepkemei in 2002.
Fifty-seven minutes, no rabbits, a bridge over the Tagus in the first mile. The cleanest fast run of the year so far.
Sources: World Athletics; Athletics Weekly; World Athletics.
