LONDON — Uganda’s half-marathon world record holder Jacob Kiplimo said he was well-prepared and ready to do his best when he makes his full marathon debut in London on Sunday.
Twice world cross country champion Kiplimo, who shattered the half-marathon record by 48 seconds in Barcelona in February, will feature in a stellar field that includes Ethiopia’s Olympic champion Tamirat Tola and marathon great Eliud Kipchoge.
“I am so grateful to be here,” the 24-year-old told a news conference.
“It will present a lot of challenges because the half-marathon is not like the full marathon, but I have prepared myself well and hope on Sunday to do my best.
“I just want to run my own race, so that I can run my personal best,”Kiplimo added according to Reuters.
London Marathon director Hugh Brasher described Kiplimo’s debut as the most fascinating ever.
“We have no idea what he will do on the day,” he said. “Can he be the first athlete to run inside two hours in a race? Yes. But who knows what will happen. We´ll find out on Sunday.”
Kenya’s defending men’s champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao will be running in London for the second time and expected an ‘epic’ day with what he called the strongest field ever.
“I got courage from winning last year’s marathon so I said I would keep on coming here, to try my best again,” he said.
Kipchoge, the former world record holder and four times London winner, is back in the capital for the first time since 2020 but the 40-year-old said this time was all about giving back.
“I am coming here to support London’s good causes,” said the Kenyan. “It is about the charity events being done by London Marathon, that is why I am here.”
The 2016 and 2020 Olympic champion, who suffered back pain and failed to finish at last year’s Paris Games, said he was still hungry to inspire and motivate others.
“Last year was a tough year but sport is built by challenges, by dedication,” he said.
“The proof of good sport is how and when you wake up… I wake up from what happened last year and I am ready for Sunday.”
This year’s London Marathon is expected to break the world record for the most participants with more than 56,000 people set to compete.
Last month, Kiplimo shattered the world record at the Mitja Marato marathon in Barcelona.
The 24-year-old Kiplimo of Uganda shared that everything was perfect, including the weather, as he finished the 2025 Barcelona Half Marathon in just 56 minutes and 42 seconds.
Kenyan endurance runner Geoffrey Kamworor finished in second place nearly two minutes after Kiplimo at 58 minutes and 44 seconds.
This time, Kiplimo smashed the previous world record of 57 minutes and 30 seconds set last year by Yomif Kejelcha from Ethiopia. Kiplimo also smashed his own previous 2021 Half Marathon World Record of 57 minutes and 29 seconds, a close call with Kejelcha.
When breaking this recent world record for the fastest half-marathon time, Kiplimo averaged around 13.86 miles per hour, which is about one mile every 4 minutes and 20 seconds.
While many of us remember traveling in a car or bus to get to school, Kiplimo had to start running.
As the son of two farmers from a rural district in Eastern Uganda, Kiplimo put one foot in front of the other for over 3 miles at an altitude of 6,200 feet to go to school.
