Athletics: Kelvin Kiptum wins Chicago Marathon in world record time

Athletics Kelvin Kiptum wins Chicago Marathon in world record time

Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum celebrates his victory and the new world record. photo

© Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune/AP/dpa

23-year-old Kelvin Kiptum has become the new world record holder after a phenomenal marathon run in Chicago. He has little experience over this distance.

Kelvin Kiptum won the Chicago Marathon in a world record time. The 23-year-old Kenyan won in 2:00:35 hours, well below the previous record. He was also the first person to run an official marathon under 2:01:00 hours.

The previous world record holder Eliud Kipchoge needed 2:01:09 hours to complete the 42.195 kilometer route in Berlin last year. This year, the 38-year-old Kipchoge won again in Berlin, but was clearly below his peak time. Kiptum, who had already approached the world record in London, was only competing in his third marathon.

“I knew I was going for a course record – but a world record? I’m so happy,” said Kiptum, who cheered enthusiastically in the final meters and gave hand kisses to fans. “I wasn’t thinking about a world record today, but I knew that one day I would be a world record holder.”

In Valencia in December 2022, Kiptum conjured up an unofficial debut world record of 2:01:53 hours, then he sensationally won the London Marathon in 2:01:25 hours and came within 16 seconds of the Berlin time Kipchoge approaches. The miracle runner had already announced back then that he wanted to challenge the world record. Now he has already reached the peak of his young marathon career.

Women’s record recently broken

After Kiptum’s phenomenal performance, both marathon world records fell within two weeks. A fortnight ago, the Ethiopian Tigst Assefa ran to a fabulous women’s world record on the course in Berlin. The 29-year-old needed 2:11:53 hours to complete the fast course in the German capital, more than two minutes below the previous record.

In Chicago, Kiptum, who needed 1:00:48 hours to complete the first half of the route, gave the competition no chance. His compatriot Benson Kipruto crossed the finish line in 2:04:02 hours – a whopping 3:27 minutes behind the celebrated winner. The Belgian Bashir Abdi came third (+3:57 minutes).

In the women’s race, Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands also won in a top time. In 2:13:44 hours, the 30-year-old set a new course record for Chicago and impressed with the second fastest time ever for women. Like Kiptum, Hassan is also a marathon beginner; for her, the appearance in the USA was only her second official run over this distance.

dpa

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