Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo sets world 15km record in Netherlands
Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda has set a new world record for the 15km distance by clocking an incredible time of 40:42 at the NN Zevenheuvelenloop race in Nijmegen, Netherlands on November 17.
This time not only establishes a new benchmark but also shatters his previous course record by 23 seconds.
Kiplimo, who is the reigning world cross-country champion, demonstrated his dominance early in the race, establishing a two-minute lead by the 10km mark, as reported by World Athletics.
His victory came amid strong competition, including his half-brother Victor Kiplangat, who finished second with a time of 43:19, and Marc Scott from the UK, who rounded out the podium in 43:21.
Kiplimo’s remarkable achievement at this event adds to an already impressive resume. Earlier this year, he won the NN Zevenheuvelenloop with a time of 41:05, equalling the previous course record.
He also crossed the 15 km mark during the 2021 Lisbon half marathon in 40:27 as part of a record-setting half marathon time of 57:32. This recent performance decisively marks him as the fastest in a standalone 15km race.
In the women’s race, Ethiopian athlete Mizan Alem made a strong debut by winning with a time of 46:51. Alem initially trailed behind the Netherlands’ Diane van Es, who led by nine seconds at the 2Km mark.
However, Alem's tactical approach allowed her to catch up and ultimately finish a full minute ahead of van Es, who clocked 47:52 for second place.
Enyish Mengie, also from Ethiopia, secured third with a time of 49:21. Alem’s winning time ranks among the fastest in the history of the event, with only predecessors like Letesenbet Gidey and Tirunesh Dibaba holding quicker times at the Zevenheuvelenloop.
