Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo has won the World Half Marathon in Gdynia, Poland. The 19-year-old beat favourite world champion Joshua Cheptegei as he posted 58:48 minutes. Kiplimo becomes the first and youngest Ugandan to achieve the feat.
“It was an amazing race and the course was good. I am happy I have run my personal best and Championship record,” Kiplimo said after winning the marathon.
Debutant Cheptegei also put up a good race despite finishing outside the medal bracket. He finished fourth. Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie came second clocking 58:54.Ethiopia’s Amdework Walelign third posting 59:08.
The win was Kiplimo’s second major championship medal after taking the 2017 World junior Cross Country title on home soil here in Kololo, Kampala. The teenager also won the 5000m at the World Athletics Continental Tour meeting in Ostrava with a PB of 12:48.63 and then went on to triumph over 3000m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rome in a world-leading 7:26.64, breaking the Ugandan record and becoming the fastest teenager in history for the distance.