Kiplimo previously ran 56 minutes 42 seconds at the Barcelona half marathon in 2025, becoming the first person to break the 57-minute mark. However, World Athletics deemed this performance invalid because Kiplimo ran behind a pace car for most of the distance, violating pacing support rules.

This decision meant Ethiopian athlete Yomif Kejelcha held the official record with 57 minutes 30 seconds, set in Valencia in 2024.

But in Lisbon on 8/3, Kiplimo returned to the top spot, shaving 10 seconds off Kejelcha's previous mark. Kiplimo had previously held the world half marathon record with 57 minutes 31 seconds, established in 2021, also in Lisbon.

Jacob Kiplimo celebrates after breaking the half marathon record at the Lisbon half marathon on 8/3/2026. Photo: Instagram / jacob_kiplimo

The Lisbon half marathon 2026 did not feature pacers. On the course in Portugal yesterday, Kiplimo completed the first 5 km in 13 minutes 28 seconds. Two Kenyan athletes, Nicholas Kipkorir and Gilbert Kiprotich, closely followed him in the first half of the race. The leading group passed the 10 km mark after 27 minutes, before Kiprotich gradually fell behind.

Kiplimo and Kipkorir continued running alongside each other, reaching the 15 km mark in 40 minutes 52 seconds. Noticing a slight drop in his opponent's pace, Kiplimo increased his speed and pulled ahead in the next 5 km, completing it in 13 minutes 31 seconds.

The Ugandan athlete maintained his pace to the finish line, crossing it in 57 minutes 20 seconds. Kipkorir finished second with 58 minutes 08 seconds, and Kiprotich placed third with 58 minutes 59 seconds.

"I am very happy to break the world record," said Kiplimo, a three-time world cross country champion. "After the first 10 km, I thought the record was possible so I tried to speed up in the last 2 km."

Jacob Kiplimo wins the Lisbon half marathon 2026.

In the women's event, Tsigie Gebreselama defended her title. For most of the race, the Ethiopian athlete ran faster than her own course record of 1 hour 4 minutes 21 seconds, which she set last year.

Gebreselama broke away early, passing the 5 km mark in 14 minutes 55 seconds and the 10 km mark in 30 minutes 05 seconds – both faster than her official personal bests at these distances.

The 2023 world cross country runner-up slowed slightly in the second half, causing the opportunity to break the course record to diminish. Nevertheless, her significant lead allowed her to comfortably cross the finish line in 1 hour 4 minutes 48 seconds – the second fastest winning time in the event's history.

Kenyan athlete Janeth Chepngetich finished second with 1 hour 6 minutes 50 seconds, while Regina Wambui placed third with 1 hour 7 minutes 10 seconds.

"This is my second victory," Gebreselama said, becoming the first female runner to defend the championship in Lisbon since 2002. "The race went well. My goal was to run under 64 minutes, but I am still happy with this result."

Hong Duy