At Samsung’s latest Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday, all eyes were not only on the tech giant’s newest gadgets—but also on Uganda’s long-distance star, Jacob Kiplimo. The World Half Marathon Record Holder made a special appearance to endorse Samsung’s latest wearable, the Galaxy Watch 8.
Taking to the stage, Kiplimo praised the new watch for its comfort and usability. “It’s light, comfortable, and easy to wear,” he said, showing it off on his wrist.
Kiplimo also shared a few words of inspiration for young athletes: “Discipline and being consistent in training is the way to go. Always train harder and get enough rest.”
His presence brought a human touch to the high-tech showcase, reinforcing Samsung’s messaging that their devices are built not just for tech enthusiasts, but also for active, high-performance lifestyles.
The Galaxy Watch 8 introduces a bold new design, moving away from the traditional round case to a new “squircle” shape—while keeping the display itself round. The watch comes in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm, and two colours, Graphite and Silver.
The display sizes are 1.34 inches for the 40mm variant and 1.47 inches for the 44mm variant. The battery capacity is 325mAh for the 40mm version and 435mAh for the 44mm. The watch is powered by the Exynos W1000 chipset. It comes with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. In terms of durability, the Galaxy Watch 8 is rated 5ATM and IP68 for water and dust resistance. It runs on Wear OS 6 with One UI 8 Watch. The starting price is $349.99, which is approximately UGX 1.3 million.
Despite having half the storage of the Classic version, the Galaxy Watch 8 is designed for speed, endurance, and style—much like the athlete who endorsed it.
Jacob Kiplimo’s appearance was a reminder that tech and sport are increasingly intertwined, and tools like the Galaxy Watch 8 are now essential for tracking performance, recovery, and wellbeing.
