Kiplimo's marathon debut in London is pure box office

To many, it was the unthinkable. To Jacob Kiplimo, it was "the perfect race".

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

In February, the 24-year-old Ugandan didn't just reclaim the half-marathon world record, he obliterated it: his time of 56 minutes and 42 seconds in Barcelona was 48 seconds faster than the previous mark. World Athletics said it was the greatest single improvement on the men’s half-marathon ever recorded.

And the most impressive part? Kiplimo may have been just warming up. He confirmed shortly afterwards that he would not compete again until his debut over the full distance, at the London Marathon on Sunday. “I never imagined to perform under the 57-minute barrier, that’s astonishing,” Kiplimo said. Do the maths, and a sub-two-hour marathon, once considered the unbreakable record, is in sight.

But it’s not on his mind. This is his debut, after all, and February was also two months ago “I’ve seen a lot of people posting about it, saying I will be the one,” said the world half-marathon champion. “I have to first run a good race, my own race.”