Kiplimo wants more than recovery at Beip-Oita Marathon

Abraham Kiplimo

What you need to know:

  • In Lyon, the 28-year-old posted a time of 2:15:35, his second slowest career time but in Asia, he targets better.
  • Key to Kiplimo’s target is his experience. He won this race in 2014 and cane fourth in 2015.

KIPLIMO AT A GLANCE
Date of birth: April 14, 1989
Age: 28 Major Event: Marathon
Personal Best: 2:09:23 Sponsor: Nike
Manager: Jurrie van der Velden
CAREER PROGRESSION
2017: 6th Lyon Marathon (2:15:35)
2015
*DNF Beijing World Champs
*4th Beppu-Oita Marathon (2:12:23)
2014:
*3rd Glasgow Commonwealth Games
(2:12:23)
*1st Beppu-Oita Marathon
(2:09:23)

KAMPALA. About three years ago, Abraham Kiplimo was among Uganda’s top three marathoners. He had elevated to that stage having had consistent performances including winning Commonwealth bronze after being tripped in wet conditions on the streets of Glasgow, Scotland in 2014.

However, Kiplimo’s career started to fade when he failed to finish the 42km race at the Beijing World Championships in 2015. Knee problems forced him out of the Rio Olympics a year later. His road to recovery began with a sixth-place finish at the Lyon Marathon in France last October.

Kiplimo will now hit the road again when elite runners line-up at the Beppu Oita Marathon in Japan today.
“He is in a happy place now,” his manager Jurrie van der Velden said.

In Lyon, the 28-year-old posted a time of 2:15:35, his second slowest career time but in Asia, he targets better.

“He wants to come back to his old level, which means he will fight for a top three finish. I think he needs a time between 2:09-2:11 hours.” Jurrie added.

Key to Kiplimo’s target is his experience. He won this race in 2014 and cane fourth in 2015.