World Athletics declines to ratify Kiplimo's Half Marathon World Record

World Athletics has declined to ratify Jacob Kiplimo’s sensational half marathon time of 56:23 set at the Barcelona Half Marathon in March 2025, citing illegal pacing assistance and a breach of competition rules.

Kiplimo’s performance stunned the athletics world after he crossed the finish line 48 seconds faster than the existing world record.

However, the achievement will not be officially recognized after World Athletics ruled that he gained an unfair advantage from the event’s lead pace vehicle.

Under World Athletics Technical Rule 6.3.1, athletes are prohibited from receiving assistance from individuals not participating in the race or from technical devices.

Reports from Canadian Running Magazine revealed that broadcast footage showed Kiplimo running just 10 to 15 meters behind the lead pace car for a significant portion of the race. This close proximity was deemed to have provided pacing and slipstream benefits. The magazine further suggested that Kiplimo may also have breached regulations by receiving coaching instructions during the race.

Although the rules do not specify an exact minimum distance an athlete must maintain from pacing vehicles, World Athletics concluded that the situation constituted illegal assistance and therefore disqualified the performance from world record consideration.

Athlete and lawyer Seth Akampa has called on World Athletics to strengthen and clarify its technical regulations, particularly those governing vehicle pace-making.

He argues that the rules should define surrounding factors such as the acceptable proximity between athletes and official lead vehicles, to help competitors identify risky situations and take precautionary measures even during competition.

“There is an urgent need to protect athletes from unfair punishment arising from failures by race organizers,” Akampa said. “During a race, it is extremely difficult for an athlete to control the conditions of competition.

“If Jacob had any control over the lead vehicle, he would have acted to avoid the situation that led to his record not being ratified. In a road race, an athlete cannot determine the speed or positioning of the lead car," Akampa Said.

When asked if Kiplimo can appeal , Akampa Said that World athletics laws give Jacob rights to apply for revision of the decision not to ratify his record.

But an appeal always need an athlete to appeal when he has grounds to appeal.

" In this incident Kiplimo has no ground to appeal and actually the decision don't target Kiplimo but it targets to achieve and uphold the the principle of fair competition which is one of the pillars of sports integrity.

So a decision not to ratify Jacob's world record was based on evidence that is so strong to challenge on appeal. So I can say that Jacob has a right to appeal but he may not have that substantial grounds to appeal and succeed in an appeal," Akampa highlighted.

As a result, Kiplimo’s time will remain valid as a race result but will not be recognized as a world record, denying the Ugandan star a historic career milestone.

The official men’s half marathon world record remains held by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who ran 57:30 at the Valencia Half Marathon in 2024.