KAMPALA, UGANDA | Uganda’s long-distance running star Jacob Kiplimo has announced he will step away from track and field competitions to concentrate solely on marathon racing.
Fresh off his victory at the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Kiplimo told Xinhua on Tuesday that after years of competing on the track, it is time to focus on the road.
“I will not return to track and field races. My focus now is on marathons, although I will defend my World Cross Country title,” Kiplimo said in a phone interview.
The 24-year-old, who recently finished second in the London Marathon before clinching victory in Chicago with a time of 2:02:23, emphasized that breaking world records is not his immediate priority.
“I don’t speak about breaking world records because anything is possible in athletics if you prepare well. I am still learning many aspects of marathon racing, and everything is progressing step by step,” he added.