by Alfonz Juck
Kiplimo 56:41 WR, Jepkosgei 64:13 WL
BARCELONA (ESP, Feb 16): Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo shattered the world record in the Barcelona Half Marathon (WA Gold Label) with an incredible 56:42 to become the first athlete in history to break the 57 barrier for the distance. The 24-year-old shaved 48 seconds from Yomif Kejelcha’s previous world record of 57:30, for the most significant single improvement on the world half marathon record. “It has been the perfect race. Ideal temperature, no wind, fantastic circuit – everything went better than expected. The pacemaker set the agreed 2:45 pace, but I found myself full of energy and decided to inject a brisker rhythm from the third kilometer, but I never imagined performing under the 57-minute barrier; that’s astonishing,” said Kiplimo, who is targeting the London Marathon in late April. Kiplimo’s 15km split of 40:07 was also faster than his world best, which also meant he covered the 10km section between 5-15km in an astonishing 26:33. Kenyans Geoffrey Kamworor and Samwel Mailu were second and third, respectively, with 58:44 and 59:40 with Italy’s European half marathon champion Yemaneberhan Crippa fourth in 59:52, fourteenth Jacob Sommer Simonsen with Danish NR (61:11). In the women’s race, former world record-holder Joyciline Jepkosgei won in a solo course record and world lead of 64:13, winning by over two minutes from Kenyan teammate Gladys Chepkirui (66:25) and Ethiopia’s Zerihun Alemtsehay (68:19). Jess Warner-Judd was the top European in sixth in 69:37 with Spain’s Carolina Robles eighth on her debut in 69:38. With help from World Athletics.
