Kiplimo falls short in Copenhagen

Jacob Kiplimo nearly lived up to his favourite-tag billing only to fall short in the home straight of the Copenhagen Half-Marathon in Denmark on Sunday.

The 21km world record holder Kiplimo had been pitted against a quality field comprising world 21km champion Kenyan Sabastian Sawe only for the latter to produce the best finish on the bright morning.

Sawe fell short of the course record by four seconds after he had won in a time of 58 minutes and five seconds.

Kiplimo, who took the left side of the final stretch before coming back right, finished second in 58:09 to another Kenyan Isaia Lasoi.

“It was good,” Kiplimo’s coach Peter Chelangat told this paper. “It is a good thing for him after the Olympic Games. But, it’s a good comeback for him,” he added.

Last month, Kiplimo left France disheartened when he settled for a distant eighth place after the men’s 10000-metre final during the Paris Olympics at the Stade de France.

Sawe had run the fastest time of 2024 over the 21km when he won in 58:24 at the Prague Half-Marathon in Praha, Czech Republic on April 6.

With Kiplimo’s world record mark at 57:31, he was viewed as the favourite, to win a seventh half-marathon in eight attempts.

And with Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi, who had won the 5000-metre Diamond League trophy on Friday night in Brussels, Belgium as one of the pacemakers, Kiplimo, Sawe and company were in great stead.

The lead group was just down to seven men at 8km, with Aregawi as the last pacer. They posted 27:27 for the 10km stage but here, Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who won the 1500-metre in Brussels, began to struggle.

Kiplimo was left in the lead with Sawe, Isala Lasoi and another Kenyan Amos Kurgat after 12km.

At 17km, Sawe led but nearly peeled away only for Kiplimo to crawl back. And with Lasoi the three ran neck-to-neck before the latter dropped off at the start of the final home stretch.

The half-marathon specialist Sawe, 25, got clear with about 200 metres left.

COPENHAGEN HALF-MARATHON

MEN’S 21KM RESULT

1 Sabastian Sawe (KEN)                    58:05

2 Jacob Kiplimo (UGA)                      58:09

3 Isaia Lasoi (KEN)                            58:10

KIPLIMO AT A GLANCE

Date of birth: November 14, 2000

Major events: 5000m, 10000m, Half-Marathon

Coach: Iacorpo Brasi

Personal Bests: 12:40.96 (5000m), 26:33.93 (10000m), 57:31 (21km)

Manager: Federico Rosa

Management: Rosa Associati

KIPLIMO’S 21KM CAREER

Sept 15, 2024: Copenhagen Half-Marathon (2nd, 57:31)

Mar 18, 2023: New York Half-Marathon (1st, 61:31)

Sept 11, 2022: Great North Run (1st, 59:33)

Feb 19, 2022: Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon (1st, 57:56)

Nov 21, 2021: Lisbon Half-Marathon (1st, 57:31)

Dec 6, 2020: Valencia Half-Marathon (2nd, 57:37)

Oct 17, 2020: World Half-Marathon (1st, 58:49)

Nov 24, 2019:  Kampala Half-Marathon (1st, 61:53)