In a remarkable display of speed and endurance, Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo has shattered the world half marathon record. Competing in Barcelona on Sunday, Kiplimo completed the 21.0975 kilometers in an impressive 56 minutes and 41 seconds, surpassing Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha by 49 seconds.
World Athletics highlighted Kiplimo's achievement as the greatest single improvement on the men's half marathon record. The twice world cross country champion described the race as \"the perfect race\" with ideal temperature, no wind, and a fantastic circuit. \"I found myself full of energy and decided to inject a brisker rhythm from the third kilometer, but I never imagined to perform under the 57-minute barrier, that's astonishing,\" Kiplimo remarked. He added, \"I won't compete any more until my marathon debut in London on April 27.\"
Earlier the same day, Japan's Toshikazu Yamanishi also made headlines by setting a new world record in the men's 20-kilometer race walk. Yamanishi clocked in at 1:16:10 in Kobe, breaking his compatriot Yusuke Suzuki's 2015 record by 26 seconds.
Yamanishi expressed his satisfaction with the performance, stating, \"I'm glad 'time' came along with my efforts today.\" He discussed his race strategy, noting, \"The guys made a good rhythm in the first half of the race and I figured I'd make a move in the latter part of the race. My movement didn't really feel right in the beginning, it wasn't easy, but I was able to make the adjustments to find the right rhythm.\" Yamanishi concluded, \"With my performance today, I was able to express my appreciation towards my supporters who stuck along even during the last season when I was struggling.\"
These stellar performances underscore the growing prominence of athletes from Uganda and Japan on the global athletics stage.
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Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo smashes half marathon world record in 56:41
cgtn.com
