Sensational Kelvin Kiptum breaks Eliud Kipchoge's marathon record

8th October 2023 - by Stephen Ochieng

The 23-year-old clocked 2:00.35 to break Kipchoge's record by 34 seconds.

SUMMARY

Kiptum clocked 2:00.35 to break Kipchoge's record that stood at 2:01.09.
The time saw him become the first man in history to break 2:01.
It was only his third marathon in his career after his debut last December at Valencia (2:01.53) and then in the London Marathon last April (2:01.25).

Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum set a new world record to win Sunday's Chicago Marathon men's title in an unofficial time of 2:00.35.

The 23-year-old shattered the old world record of 2:01:09 set by Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge in winning the 2022 Berlin Marathon.

It was Kiptum's third victory in as many starts over the 26.2-mile distance as he became the first man in history to break 2:01.

He won on his debut last December at Valencia (2:01.53) and then in the London Marathon last April (2:01.25).

"I feel so happy. I wasn't prepared. I knew I was coming for a course record but fortunately a world record."

"A world record was not in my mind today. I knew one day one time I'd be a world-record holder."

It marked the third time a men's world record had been set on the streets of Chicago but the first time since Morocco's Khalid Khannouchi in 1999.

Before the finish, Kiptum was waving and blowing kisses at spectators before raising his arms in triumph at the finish line.

"I saw the time in front of me," he said. "I felt good inside of me, maybe a little adrenaline."

The old Chicago Marathon record of 2:03:45 was set by Kenyan Dennis Kimetto in 2013.

Kenyan Benson Kipruto, the 2022 Chicago winner, was a distant second in 2:04:02 with Belgium's Bashir Abdi, the European record-holder who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, third in 2:04:32.

In the women's category, Dutch runner Sifan Hassan won in the second-fastest women's time in history.

Hassan won in 2:13:44, shattering the old course record of 2:14:04 by Kenyan Brigid Kosegi in 2019.

The 30-year-old Ethiopian-born runner's time trailed only the women's world record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopian Tigst Assefa at last month's Berlin Marathon.

"I ran so great. I'm so happy," Hassan said. "I ran an amazing time. I never thought I'd run 2:13. It's amazing. It's unbelievable."

Hassan competed only six weeks after taking 5,000m silver and 1,500m bronze at the World Athletics Championships, where she fell while leading the 10,000m final.

She was the Tokyo Olympic champion at 5,000m and 10,000m and won her marathon debut in April at London.

Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich, who was chasing an unprecedented third consecutive women's title, finished second in 2:15:37 -1:53 behind Hassan - with Ethiopia's Megertu Alemu took third in 2:17:09.

Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei, the 2019 New York Marathon and 2021 London Marathon winner, came fourth in 2:17:23.