Uganda continues to make its mark on the global stage after long-distance runner Jacob Kiplimo set a new world record in the half marathon on Sunday.
Kiplimo achieved the milestone after winning the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon in Lisbon, Portugal with an outstanding time of 57 minutes and 20 seconds.
The Ugandan star ran a well-managed and powerful race to break the previous record, once again making history on the same course where he first set the mark in 2021.
In that earlier race, Kiplimo recorded a time of 57:31. His new performance improves the record by 11 seconds. The result will become official once it is ratified by World Athletics.
However, Kiplimo’s achievement is just one of several world records connected to Uganda. The country has produced a number of remarkable feats recognised globally.
Largest Rolex
On 04 November 2021, Ugandan innovator Raymond Kahuma and his team created the largest ever Ugandan Rolex.
The giant street-food delicacy weighed 204.6 kilogrammes and measured 2.32 metres long. The project celebrated one of Uganda’s most popular foods — a rolled chapatti filled with eggs and vegetables that is widely sold on the streets.
Fastest 10,000-metre run (men)
Ugandan distance runner Joshua Cheptegei holds the world record for the fastest men’s 10,000 metres.
He set the record in 2020 in Valencia, Spain with a remarkable time of 26 minutes and 11 seconds, breaking a record that had stood since 2005.
Cheptegei also holds world records in the 5 km and the 5,000 metres and later won gold in the 10,000 metres at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Longest applause
In 2023, Phaneroo Ministries International set the world record for the longest applause.
The event, dubbed “Clap for Jesus”, took place at the UMA Multipurpose Hall in Kampala where 926 participants clapped continuously for 3 hours and 16 minutes.
To qualify for the record, the applause had to remain above 80 decibels throughout the attempt. The group maintained an average of 88.5 decibels, surpassing the previous record of 2 hours and 5 minutes set in the United Kingdom.
Youngest population in the world
Uganda also holds the distinction of having the youngest population globally.
About 78 per cent of Ugandans are under the age of 30, giving the country the lowest median age in the world at just 15.1 years — 15 years for men and 15.2 years for women.
Other global distinctions linked to Uganda
Other notable global records and recognitions associated with Uganda include:
- Most thunder days recorded in a year
- Most physically active country
- Most horns on a giraffe
- Most aggressive butterfly
- First recorded dwarf giraffe
- Youngest reigning monarch
- Shortest hostage rescue operation
