Jacob Kiplimo Breaks Silence After World Athletics Reject His Half Marathon World Record

Ugandan star Jacob Kiplimo arrived at the 2025 Barcelona Half Marathon in peak form and with a clear sense of purpose.

He felt so good on race day that a couple of hours before the starting gun, he thought to himself, "It's a beautiful day, there's no wind, and my heart and legs are asking for more."

When the race began, Jacob Kiplimo immediately outpaced the pacemakers. He surged past them just two kilometres in and embarked on a solo exhibition that left spectators stunned.

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Flying alone, he crossed the 5,000m mark in 13:34 and the 10,000m in 26:56, ultimately finishing in an astonishing 57:30. This time was nearly a minute faster than the previous world record of 58:23 set by his compatriot Joshua Cheptegei.

"Honestly, I wasn't thinking about a specific time," Kiplimo said in an interview with La Vanguardia. "I just knew I was feeling good, so I decided to push as hard as I could." When asked if the result surprised him, he simply replied, "No. I felt really good that day."

However, that remarkable performance has since become a source of controversy. World Athletics put the record on hold, suggesting that the lead car was too close to Jacob Kiplimo and may have provided an unfair drafting advantage by reducing wind resistance.

This week, the governing body officially decided not to ratify the time as a world record. In a confusing twist, however, the mark remains at the top of the all-time performance list.

When questioned about the decision, Kiplimo was cautious. "I'd rather not say anything until I read the full report," he stated. "But don't forget: the time may not be an official world record, but it's still at the top of the list."

Organisers of the Barcelona race noted that "no rule specifies the distance a lead car must maintain from the frontrunner. The official report from the World Athletics referee states that the vehicle did not benefit the athlete... We will study all the documentation and, if deemed appropriate, take the necessary steps to prove the validity of the mark."

With that chapter temporarily closed, Jacob Kiplimo is looking ahead. "On April 26th, I will compete in the London Marathon," he confirmed. He finished second there last year and is also a three-time World Cross Country champion.

When asked about the possibility of breaking the elusive two-hour barrier in the marathon, he was pragmatic. "When people talk about two hours, I think about the marathon being a long journey; it's not a half-marathon," he explained. "I don't see myself breaking two hours. My training doesn't suggest it."