Jacob Kiplimo did not beat a world record, humiliated the chrono. The Ugandés achieved a 56:42 stratospheric mark to be imposed on the half marathon in Barcelona and, incidentally, spray the previous record in the distance, held by the Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha at 57:30. Kiplimo reduced him in 48 seconds. The brand, which had been held as a feat in October, in Valencia, was now reduced to a beautiful memory. It is the greatest improvement in history in the half marathon. And Kiplimo made it appear easy.
The original plan in Barcelona was to roll a rhythm of 2: 45/km, but for Kiplimo that was insufficient. At eight minutes of race he had already made it clear that he was going to something else. Something between science fiction and pure insolence. When the first 5K passed at 13:34, the race was already determined. His rivals were reduced to mere figures in his demonstration.
The weather collaborated: 13 degrees, without wind, idyllic conditions to destroy illusions. Geoffrey Kamworor and Samwel Mailu tried to keep up. It was impossible. At kilometer 10, Kiplimo already took 53 seconds of advantage. To follow him was a fantasy, such as wanting to reach a bullet train by bicycle.
In 15K, the chrono marked 39:47, improving its own world record in that distance, and neither his face nor his legs gave a feeling of fainting. . The 20k passed in 53:42 and three just minutes later crossed the finish line. Smithereens. He did not leave crumbs. Kamworor arrived at 58:44, Mailu at 59:40. When they finished, Kiplimo had already tired of celebrating.
The Ugandés had already written his name in history when he beat the world record in Lisbon in 2021, but this Barcelona 2025 has been another dimension. He is the first man in history to get off 57 seconds, and his rhythm, with two identical partials of 10k at 26:46, he predicts that there is still margin.
Meanwhile, in the female category, Joyciline Jepkosgei also made its share of the work. He held his title with 1:04:13, seventh best brand in history, in an effort that in any other day would have been the great headline. But he had the bad luck of sharing the stage with Kiplimo, who decided to turn the day into his own masterpiece.
Curiosities of destiny. While Kiplimo climbed to Olympus in Barcelona, Yomif Kejelcha, the dethroned king, tried to catch another record. Only two minutes after winning the 10k of Castellón at 26:30, the Ethiopian received the news that his worldwide marathon record had been sprayed. A bad day in the office. Even so, his time allowed him to be placed as the second fastest in history in the distance of 10k, beating the ethiopia record and pending whether the current head of the plusmarca, Rhonex Kipruto (26:24) loses his record for doping . Something is something, but it is not the same.
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