Piece of History Jacob Kiplimo Missed Out on After Failure to Break Marathon Record in Chicago

Fresh off a triumphant debut at the Chicago Marathon, Ugandan elite runner Jacob Kiplimo is still celebrating a landmark victory.

The 24-year-old delivered a stunning performance on Sunday, winning his first competitive 42km race in a new national record and personal best time of two hours, two minutes, and 23 seconds.

His victory in Chicago not only made him the first Ugandan to win a World Marathon Major but also positioned him as the seventh-fastest marathoner in history. "To come here to win the race is a big achievement for me," Kiplimo commented after the race.

For a significant portion of the marathon, Kiplimo was on pace to challenge the world record, a feat that would have made him the first man to simultaneously hold both the half-marathon and full marathon world records. Although his pace slowed in the final miles, his dominance in long-distance running remains undeniable.

While his marathon performance was exceptional, another of his incredible achievements is still pending official recognition. On February 16, Kiplimo set a new half-marathon world record, becoming the first athlete to break the 57-minute barrier with a time of 56:42. However, this mark is yet to be ratified by World Athletics.

The record he surpassed, a time of 57:30 set by Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha in Valencia on October 27, 2024, was only recently ratified by the sport's governing body. Kejelcha's performance had briefly erased Kiplimo's previous world record of 57:31, which he had set in Lisbon in 2021.

Demonstrating his remarkable form, Kiplimo reclaimed the world record from Kejelcha just 112 days later. Now, with Kejelcha's time officially on the books, Kiplimo's groundbreaking 56:42 performance is next in line for ratification by World Athletics.

Men's Half-Marathon World Record Progression 56:42, awaiting ratification, Jacob Kiplimo (UGA), Barcelona (ESP), Feb 16, 2025 57:30 - Yomif Kejelcha (ETH), Valencia (ESP), Oct 27, 2024 57:31 - Jacob Kiplimo (UGA), Lisbon (POR), Nov 21, 2021 57:32 - Kibiwott Kandie (KEN), Valencia (ESP), Dec 6, 2020 58:01 - Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN), Copenhagen (DEN), Sep 15, 2019