Three marathons have been enough for Kelvin Kiptum to dethrone Eliud Kipchoge as king of the distance and at 23 years old to take the lead in the race to be the first in history to go under two hours. Gervais Hakizimana’s pupil has flown in the Chicago marathon to lower Kipchoge’s time of 2.01.09 to the 2.00.35 that he set when passing under the finish line. Kiptum is the new sensation of distance and an example of what it means to bet on 42,195 kilometers. The Kenyan has not burned stages on the track, he has not wanted to try himself in cross country and has gone directly to commercial marathons, far from the major championships. And so, in one year he has become the monarch of the marathon.
In December 2022, he amazed in his debut in Valencia, where he won with 2.01.53 and ran positively, that is, after passing the half marathon in 1.01.40, he did the second half of the race in 60.13. The next step was taken in London in April. And he repeated the strategy, running the first half marathon in 1h01.40 and the second half in 59.45 (at 2.49). After then remaining 16 seconds behind Kipchoge (2:01.25), Kiptum and his coach got to work for the assault on the throne. He was surprised to be registered by the Kenyan team to compete in the World Championships in Budapest in August, but gave up the possibility of fighting for gold to focus on the big events of the fall. His second rejection came with the call from Berlin, where he avoided a highly anticipated confrontation with Kipchoge to accept his presence in Chicago.
To prepare for the competition, Kiptum alternated the altitude of Chepkorio, near Eldoret, and the plains of Kerio Valley. But despite his great performance in his previous marathons, the Kenyan was very cautious in the days before the race. «My goal is to beat the circuit record that he has held since 2013 [Dennis Kimetto, 2h03:45], and I know that if I compete well I can achieve it. However, his coach made it clear in the Lake Michigan city that they had gone all out. “He is going for the record, he has trained for the world record, but he prefers not to announce things,” announced Hakizimana, who admitted that his pupil had had to overcome some problems prior to the marathon. “He had pain in his thigh, then angina and throat problems, which forced him to rest twice for three days, but he arrived in perfect condition.”
And boy did he prove it. After some problems with the first hares, Kiptum passed the half marathon in 1.00.48 with his compatriot Mateiko. It was at kilometer 33 when he went all out. For the third consecutive marathon he ran positively, making the second half faster than the first (59.47 in the second half). He performed a brutal partial between 30 and 35 with 13.51, and already in 40, which he passed with 1.54.23, he made it clear that the world record was in his power. His frenetic pace did not falter at any point until he reached the final stretch and celebrated in style the time he set at the top of the finish arc. «I came for the circuit record, but fortunately I was able to beat the world record, which I didn’t initially have in my head. “I’m happy,” he admitted after receiving hugs from his coach and his manager.
It was not be for lowerly. Kiptum has become a world record holder at the age of 23 and the great hope to break down the two-hour barrier, from which 35 seconds now separate him. We will have to see what decision she makes for next season, whether she opts for London or adjusts her sights again to the autumn marathons. For now, she celebrates her success with the 200,000 euros she pocketed after winning the Chicago marathon and breaking the world record.
In the women’s category, Sifan Hassan won with the second best time ever in the distance (2.13:44), only behind Assefa’s world record, and after a test where the duel with Ruth Chepngetich led them to run in the first part of the race at world record pace.
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