BARCELONA, February 16 –Ugandan athlete Jacob Kiplimo left an indelible mark on the history of athletics by setting a new world record in the half marathon with an impressive time of 56:41 at the eDreams Mitja Marató Barcelona by Brooks. This World Athletics Gold Label race saw the participation of 30,000 runners.

With this feat, the 24-year-old, two-time world cross-country champion, achieved a spectacular improvement of 49 seconds over the previous record of 57:30, set by Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha at the Valencia Half Marathon. This leap in the record represents the biggest improvement ever recorded in the history of the men’s half marathon world record.

Taking advantage of ideal weather conditions—13°C and no wind, Kiplimo not only became the first athlete in history to break the 57-minute barrier in the distance but also set a new world best for 15 km on the road with a time of 39:47, as he advanced toward his historic record.

This achievement further solidifies Kiplimo as one of the world’s top long-distance runners and opens the door for him to continue pushing the limits of endurance in the future.

Here are his split times every 5 km:

• 5K — 13:34
• 10K — 26:46
• 15K — 39:46
• 20K — 53:09
• Finish — 56:38

Meanwhile, Kenyan athlete Joyciline Jepkosgei set a new personal best in the women’s category of the eDreams Mitja Marató Barcelona by Brooks 2025, clocking 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 15 seconds, surpassing her previous record of 1:04:29. However, this new mark does not constitute a women’s world record in the distance. The women’s half marathon world record is 1:02:52, set by Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey in 2021.

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