Olympic runner prematurely celebrates near finish line, blows race and chance at record

It's not uncharacteristic for an elite runner to begin celebrating while nearing the finish line following a hard-fought race. 

But it's a big no-no to do so when a challenger is close behind and a new race course record is on the line. 

Enter Olympic runner Jacob Kiplimo, a teenager from Uganda who was closing in on a victory in the 95th San Silvestre de Sao Paulo Road Race Tuesday in Brazil. Having blazed most of the 9.3 mile-race, Kiplimo put his arms up in celebratory fashion — albeit a bit too soon. 

As Kiplimo was putting his arms up, Kibiwott Kandie took full advantage and passed him to the finish line by mere inches to claim the win — and record. It was Kandie who walked away victorious and with the record (previously held by Paul Tergat), while Kiplimo was left, well, in regret. 

Kandie eclipsed the 43-minute mark of the 15-kilometer race, the first to do so, with a winning time of 42.59. Kiplimo, who ran for Uganda in the 2016 Rio Olympics, finished with a time of 43:00. 

Kiplimo is the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Junior champion, and in 2019 he became the World Cross Country Silver medallist at the age of 18.