Ugandan World Cross Country Champion Jacob Kiplimo returned to racing in triumph at the NN Zevenheuvelenloop in Nijmegen on Sunday, matching the world best 15km time with a stunning performance of 41:05. After being sidelined by injury, Kiplimo won the Cross Country Tour Gold meeting in Atapuerca and continued his success in Nijmegen, equaling the world best time set by his fellow countryman Joshua Cheptegei five years ago.

Throughout the race, Kiplimo maintained a conservative pace while navigating the challenging 3.5km to 5km incline. Despite starting slower than Cheptegei’s split, Kiplimo took the lead and extended it to 24 seconds at 8km before crossing the 10km checkpoint at 27:49, matching Cheptegei’s split time. Kiplimo fluctuated slightly above and below the course record pace but ultimately finished with a blistering final kilometer of 2:31, securing his victory with a total time of 41:05. His compatriot Rogers Kibet finished second place at 42:44, making it a thrilling finish for Uganda.

In addition to his impressive performance at Nijmegen, Kiplimo also set a new personal best of 40:27 during his half marathon world record run in Lisbon last year. The complete results of the race are as follows:

Women’s Results:

1 Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) – 47:12

2 Lonah Salpeter (ISR) – 47:55

3 Stella Chesang (KEN) – 48:01

4 Isobel Batt-Doyle (AUS) –