Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum took the marathon world record from his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge this Sunday with a stratospheric time of two hours and 35 seconds in the Chicago Marathonwhere the Dutch Sifan Hassan won the women's title with the second best time in history.
Kiptum, 23 years olddropped below two hours and one minute for the first time, leaving behind the former best mark that Kipchoge had achieved in September 2022 in Berlin (2:01:09).
Kipchoge, who did not compete, and Kiptum, have never faced each other and it is anticipated that both superstars could star in an epic duel in the Paris Olympics in 2024where Kipchoge aims for a third consecutive title.
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For Kiptum, Chicago was just his third race over the 42.195 kilometer distance.
Previously he achieved victories in April, in London, and in December 2022, in Valencia.
In Chicagounder very favorable weather conditions (between 7 and 10 degrees, cloudy sky, light wind), Kiptum He reached the halfway point of the race with a time of one hour and 48 seconds.
As he usually does, the Kenyan accelerated in the second half of the route to leave his compatriot behind Daniel Mateiko at kilometer 33, before flying solo towards the finish line.
I was not prepared for this, but a world record... I am very happy,” Kiptum declared. “I knew that one day I would break this record,” he said.
Chicago is a flat route. I thought I would come and try,” explained the Kenyan, who waved and blew kisses to the spectators before reaching the finish line and celebrating on his knees.
Kenyan Benson Kipruto, winner in Chicago in 2022, was second in 2:04:02 and Belgian Bashir Abdi, European record holder and third at the Tokyo Olympics, completed the podium in 2:04:32.
Kiptumthe new star of the marathon, trains near his hometown, Chepkorioabout forty kilometers from Eldoretthe mecca of Kenyan athletics, led by the Rwandan Gervais Hakizimana.
The former runner, resident in France, met Kiptum while training in Kenya, he explained.
We did hill sessions in the forest near his house. He was small, but he followed us, barefoot, after taking care of the goats and sheep. That was in 2013, he actually hadn't started running yet,” Hakizimana said.
With information from AFP.
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