Crossing that marathon or half marathon finish line is an accomplishment for any of us. Even when I return from a short jog around my neighborhood, I have that sense of pride and overall positivity that I did something good for my health. I feel more human and enjoy leveling up my fitness.
Some speedy runners are zooming past the rest and making record time. Recently, one avid runner smashed the world record with the fastest half-marathon time.
A new world record
Last month, Jacob Kiplimo shattered the world record at the eDreams Mitja Marato de Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain. 24-year-old Kiplimo of Uganda shared that everything was perfect, including the weather, as he finished the 2025 Barcelona Half Marathon in just 56 minutes and 42 seconds. Kenyan endurance runner Geoffrey Kamworor finished in second place nearly two minutes after Kiplimo at 58 minutes and 44 seconds.
This time, Kiplimo smashed the previous world record of 57 minutes and 30 seconds set last year by Yomif Kejelcha from Ethiopia. Kiplimo also smashed his own previous 2021 Half Marathon World Record of 57 minutes and 29 seconds, a close call with Kejelcha.
Average miles per hour
When breaking this recent world record for the fastest half-marathon time, Kiplimo averaged around 13.86 miles per hour, which is about one mile every 4 minutes and 20 seconds. While many of us remember traveling in a car or bus to get to school, Kiplimo had to start running. As the son of two farmers from a rural district in Eastern Uganda, Kiplimo put one foot in front of the other for over 3 miles at an altitude of 6,200 feet to go to school.
Kiplimo wanted to be like his older brothers and became extremely interested in running, especially long-distance running. Kiplimo continued running, improving his capabilities over time. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Kiplimo earned the bronze medal in the men’s 10,000 meters. We know this certainly isn’t the last we’ll hear from this young athlete making strides.
