Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo has shattered the world half marathon record, finishing with a remarkable time of 56 minutes and 41 seconds during the Barcelona Half Marathon. This record not only surpasses the previous benchmark of 57:30 set by Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha in October but makes Kiplimo the first runner to officially complete a half marathon in under 57 minutes, beating the prior record by 49 seconds. In a statement post-race, Kiplimo expressed his excitement, stating, "I didn’t expect to break the record because I just came here to run a good race," according to Channel News Asia.

The 24-year-old, a two-time world cross-country champion, also set a world best for the 15km distance during his record-setting run, clocking 39:47 during the race, further underscoring his athletic prowess.

Competing in favorable weather conditions of 13 degrees Celsius with no wind, Kiplimo’s performance marks the greatest single improvement on the men's half-marathon record, as confirmed by World Athletics. In his own words, he described the race as “the perfect race” with “ideal temperature, no wind at all, fantastic circuit,” according to Reuters.

Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya finished second with a time of 58:44 while Samwel Mailu completed the podium with a 59:40. Kiplimo, preparing for his marathon debut in London later this year, has quickly risen in elite athletics, confirmed by his bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics.

For more detailed coverage, visit BBC and NPR.