(Chicago) Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum achieved a feat on Sunday in Chicago by beating his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge’s marathon world record, in 2 h min 35 sec against 2 h 01 min 09 sec (in Berlin 2022).
Already close to breaking the record in London in April, Kiptum, aged 23, was only competing in his third marathon in Illinois, but without Kipchoge, who won in Berlin in September.
Passed in 1 hour and 48 seconds halfway through the race, Kiptum managed as usual to accelerate again in the second half to drop to 33e kilometer his compatriot Daniel Mateiko, before flying towards the finish line, in perfect weather conditions (between 7 and 10 degrees, overcast weather, light wind).
“I wasn’t necessarily ready for that, but a world record, I’m so happy! I knew I would beat this record one day,” declared the winner into the organizer’s microphone.
Less than a year after his first marathon in Valencia (2:01:53 in December 2022), Kiptum becomes the fastest athlete in history over the queen distance, where Eliud Kipchoge, aged 38, had triumphed after a career built step by step, first on the track until he was 27.
Kiptum therefore won his only three marathons contested, in 11 months. He had already come close to the world record in April in London (2:01:25).
The young Kenyan has never run against Kipchoge: a clash is hoped for next year at the Paris Olympics, where his elder will aim for a third consecutive marathon title.