Ugandan athlete sets new world half-marathon record

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo set a new world half-marathon record Sunday at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon, triggering celebrations in the capital Kampala.

“Kiplimo has won the Lisbon Half Marathon that took place today in Portugal. We are proud of our golden boy,” said Uganda’s sports officer in Kampala, Gerald Kafuluma.

Kafuluma said Kiplimo also shaved one second off the world half-marathon record with a time of 57 minutes and 31 seconds. The previous world record was set in 2020 by Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie in Valencia, Spain.

Ugandans in Kampala who were watching the marathon on television went wild when he won and celebrated his victory with shouting and dancing, including at restaurants and clubs.

“At least Kiplimo’s win makes us forget about the poverty which is biting us due to the effects of COVID-19,” said one of his fans, Ken Kyambadde, a shopkeeper in Kampala.

Kiplimo recently clinched a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the men’s 10,000 meters race. Among his other achievements are a silver medal in the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark in 2019 and a silver medal in men’s cross country world title in 2017.