Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo delivered an awe-inspiring performance at the NN Zevenheuvelenloop in Nijmegen, matching the world’s 15km best time with an exceptional 41:05 on Sunday.
Kiplimo equaled the remarkable time set by his compatriot, Joshua Cheptegei, who previously clinched the NN ZevenHeuvenloop in 41:05, then reducing the world record by eight seconds back in November 2018.
This remarkable achievement extends Kiplimo’s strong return from an injury-enforced absence, having missed the World Championships in Budapest and the World Road Running Championships in Riga.
His return was in October with an impressive win at the Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in Atapuerca.
During Sunday’s event, Kiplimo surged ahead, triumphing by a significant 99-second margin over his fellow countryman Rogers Kibet, who finished second with a time of 42:44.
Kiplimo who passed the 8km mark in 22:31 with a 24-second lead needed a final strong push of 2:31 for the last kilometer to secure his finishing time of 41:05, while Kibet held on to second place, ensuring a Ugandan 1-2 victory.
Despite clocking the fastest time ever in a standalone 15km race, it’s worth noting that Kiplimo recorded a 15km split of 40:27 en route to his half marathon world record in Lisbon in 2021.
