Jacob Kiplimo is one the few Ugandan athletes who won’t call 2020 a failed year.
He became the youngest teenager ever to win over the 3000m race at the Rome Diamond League.
That was nine days after running the second fastest 5000m race by a Ugandan in Czech Republic back in September.
Kiplimo’s wings grew bigger as he sealed his first senior global title by winning the 21km race at the World Half-Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland on October 17.
Now 20, the youngster’s profile is definitely outstanding over the 21km. He will begin next year on the road as one of the elite runners in the field for the Ras Al Khaimah Half-Marathon in UAE.
The event due February 21 comes three months after his second-place finish at the Maratón Valencia Trinidad Alfonso in Spain.
In Valencia, Kiplimo re-set the national record to 57 minutes and 37 seconds but he was beaten by his familiar foe Kenyan Kandie Kibiwott in the final 900 metres who set a world record (WR) of 57:32.
At the Ras Al Khaimah event, Kiplimo will once again meet Kibiwott for the fourth time in the space of 14 months.
Kibiwott is the race defending champion in UAE here. He first beat Kiplimo when the latter celebrated too early before the finish line at the Corrida International 15K in Sao Paulo, Brazil on New Year’s Eve.
Kiplimo’s only win over Kibiwott came in Gdynia when he powered to a strong finish over the last 3km to the gold. Kibiwott took silver.
KIPLIMO AT A GLANCE
Date of birth: November 14, 2000
Major events: 5000m, 10000m
Coach: Iacorpo Brasi
Personal Bests: 7:26.64 (3000m), 12:48.63 (5000m), 27:26.6 (10000m)
Manager: Federico Rosa
Management: Rosa Associati
KIPLIMO AT MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
2020 World Half-Marathon Champs: 1st (Men's 21km)
2019 World Cross-country: 2nd (Senior Men’s 10km)
2018 World Jnr Champs: 2nd (10000m), 6th (5000m)
2018 Commonwealth Games: 4th (10000m)
2017 London World Champs: 22nd (10000m Heats)
2016 Rio Olympics: 26th (5000m Heats)
2016 World Jnr Champs: 3rd (10000m)
RAS AL KHAIMAH HALF-MARATHON
Date: February 21, 2021
Location: Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Event type: Road running
Distance: Half marathon
Established: 2007
Course records: Men, 58:42 by Bedan Karoki (2018) and Stephen Kiprop (2019), Women: 1:04:31 by Ababel Yeshaneh (2020)
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This writer is a global broadcaster and as well scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and sports presenter with Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune