Lisbon Half Marathon 2026 Results: Kiplimo Smashes World Record With 57:20 on Stunning Lisbon Return

Jacob Kiplimo did what Jacob Kiplimo does best — he made history. The Ugandan distance running phenomenon returned to the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday, 8 March 2026 and clocked 57:20 to set a new half marathon world record, taking 10 seconds off the previous mark held by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha. It was the kind of performance that demands attention: wire-to-wire, with no pacemakers, on the very course where Kiplimo first rewrote the record books five years ago.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tsige Gebreselama successfully defended her title, crossing the line in 1:04:48 — a strong performance on a day when the spotlight belonged firmly to one man.

Men’s Race: Kiplimo Reclaims What’s His

The backstory made this world record attempt one of the most anticipated in distance running. In 2021, a then-20-year-old Kiplimo produced a sensational 57:31 on these same Lisbon streets to set the world record. That mark stood until October 2024 when Kejelcha ran 57:30 in Valencia. Then came Barcelona in early 2025, where Kiplimo blazed to an astonishing 56:42 — a time that would have shattered every record in the sport. But World Athletics declined to ratify it, ruling that the lead car had positioned itself too close, providing an illegal aerodynamic advantage.

Kiplimo was left as the fastest man to ever run a half marathon with no official record to show for it. The decision to pivot from Barcelona to Lisbon for 2026 was strategic: a World Athletics Elite Label race, a course he knew intimately, and conditions that would leave no room for controversy.

There was none. No pacemakers. No lead car dispute. Just Kiplimo, the road, and a display of relentless front-running that produced world-record splits from start to finish.

Kiplimo’s World Record Splits

The first 5 km set the tone: 13:28, with Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir and Gilbert Kiprotich still tucked in behind. The trio passed through 10 km together in 27:00 before Kiprotich started to fade. Kiplimo and Kipkorir continued side by side through 15 km in 40:52, at which point Kiplimo sensed the pace had slipped slightly and surged. That decisive move — a 13:31 split from 15 km to 20 km — broke Kipkorir and sealed the record.

Kipkorir held on gamely for second place in 58:08, 48 seconds adrift, while Kiprotich completed the podium in 58:59.

Men’s Half Marathon — Top 3

Women’s Race: Gebreselama Defends in Style

While Kiplimo’s world record dominated the headlines, the women’s race delivered its own compelling narrative. Ethiopia’s Tsige Gebreselama, who set the women’s course record of 1:04:21 when winning in 2025, returned to defend her crown and did exactly that — crossing the line in 1:04:48 for back-to-back Lisbon titles.

Gebreselama had faced one of the deepest women’s fields in the race’s history, with more than 10 athletes in the start list boasting personal bests under 1:10. Among the challengers were Kenya’s Janeth Chepngetich and Ethiopia’s Girmawit Gebrzihair, but the defending champion’s tactical experience on the Lisbon course proved decisive once again.

Women’s Half Marathon — Winner

Note: Full women’s podium results were not yet available at the time of publishing. This article will be updated as complete results are confirmed.

The Course: Where World Records Come to Life

The EDP Lisbon Half Marathon has earned its reputation as one of the fastest half marathon courses on the planet. A World Athletics Elite Label race and part of the prestigious SuperHalfs series (alongside Berlin, Prague, Copenhagen, Cardiff, and Valencia), the Lisbon course starts with a dramatic crossing of the Ponte 25 de Abril — the iconic red suspension bridge spanning the River Tagus — before dropping to the north bank and following a flat, fast route along the riverside toward the historic Belém district.

Runners pass the Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries, and the Champalimaud Foundation before finishing near the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. With less than 40 metres of total elevation gain after the initial bridge descent, the course is purpose-built for speed — and it has delivered, hosting world records in 2000, 2010, and 2021 before Kiplimo added another to the list in 2026.

The Kiplimo Era: A Timeline of Dominance

At just 27 years old, Jacob Kiplimo has already built one of the most decorated careers in distance running history. To understand the magnitude of today’s performance, it helps to see the full picture:

• November 2021: Sets the half marathon world record of 57:31 at the Lisbon Half Marathon, aged just 20.
• October 2024: Loses the world record to Yomif Kejelcha (57:30) at the Valencia Half Marathon.
• Early 2025: Runs 56:42 at the Barcelona Half Marathon — the fastest half marathon ever run — but the result is not ratified due to a lead car infringement.
• October 2025: Wins the Chicago Marathon in 2:02:23, confirming his credentials as a multi-distance threat.
• January 2026: Wins the World Cross Country Championships for the third time.
• March 2026: Reclaims the world record with 57:20 in Lisbon — no pacemakers, no controversy, no asterisk.

The 57:20 is subject to the usual World Athletics ratification procedure, but with no lead car controversy and full compliance with Elite Label race conditions, ratification is expected to be a formality. Next on Kiplimo’s agenda is the London Marathon — and on today’s evidence, every record in every race he enters should be considered under threat.

Half Marathon World Record Progression

Key Takeaways from Lisbon Half Marathon 2026

• World record reclaimed: Kiplimo’s 57:20 is the new half marathon world record, pending ratification — 10 seconds faster than Kejelcha’s 57:30 and 11 seconds faster than his own 2021 Lisbon mark.
• No controversy this time: Unlike the unratified 56:42 in Barcelona, today’s record was set with no pacemakers and in full compliance with World Athletics rules. This one will stick.
• Lisbon’s record factory: The EDP Lisbon Half Marathon has now produced world records in 2000, 2010, 2021, and 2026 — cementing its status as the premier speed course in half marathon running.
• Gebreselama’s consistency: Tsige Gebreselama’s back-to-back victories (1:04:21 in 2025, 1:04:48 in 2026) confirm her as one of the top women’s half marathon runners in the world.
• London next: Kiplimo’s form heading into the London Marathon is ominous. A 57:20 half marathon suggests he’s in the shape of his life for the spring marathon season.

Full official results including all finishers are available on the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon official site. This article will be updated with the complete women’s podium once full results are published.