Mind-blowing and huge. Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum (23) erased the legendary Eliud Kipchoge from the record books when he broke the marathon world record in Chicago. He even allowed himself the luxury of sprinting after celebrating as he raised his arms to stop the clock at 2h 00m 35s, 34s better than the great Kipchoge had managed in Berlin on 25 September 2022 (2h 1m 9s). On a circuit more demanding and with more climbs than the German circuit, Kiptum put on a display for the annals. Considering age and progression, he has plenty of numbers to be the first athlete to complete the distance in under two hours.
The new record holder raced in the negative, and did the second half of the course faster than the first (1m 00m 48s plus 59m 47s). The ride from kilometer 30 was something to behold. The boy does not know the dreaded marathon wall. On the contrary, he jumps it with a graceful stride and with a manual arm to face each repechó.
In his third marathon, Kiptum achieved a goal he had already achieved in London earlier this year, when he won and was very close to Kipchoge's record, exactly 16 seconds. Today, Kiptum is unbeatable at distance. Three marathons, three triumphs. The one in London in April (2h 1m 25s), the one from yesterday, and the one in Valencia in December 2022 (2h 1m 53s).
The new plus brand delighted the 29 neighborhoods of Chicago where the test passed. The fact that they left in a hurry was seen from the beginning, but also that Kiptum was keeping a change of pace in the room. The hare had to resist until kilometer 25, but at the equator of the test he said enough. Kiptum was left alone with the company of fellow Kenyan Daniel Mateiko, who was debuting at the distance and who is Kipchoge's training partner. Mateiko held on until kilometer 30, but then exploded.
What came then was a whirlwind of Kiptum. When in a marathon it seems difficult to accelerate, the young man starred in a change of pace. It was obvious to the naked eye and the times confirmed it. By kilometer 30, Kiptum was 51 seconds slower than Kipchoge on his record day in Berlin. In 35, it was almost in Kipchoge's time, and in 40 he already had a 30-second advantage over his compatriot's mark. He was going at 2m 47s per kilometer, a barbarity, and even more so with that strap on his legs. To give you an idea, he ran the section at 21.66 kilometers per hour.
Already in London, Kiptum had shown that he had the gas to fly faster at the end than at the beginning. "I am very happy for the world record. I was surprised, I didn't expect it. My intention was to set the circuit record, not the world record, but I felt very, very good", he said as Raja. He was asked if his next goal is to be the first man to go under two hours after being the first man to go under 2 hours and 1 minute. He replied that what is on his mind "are the Olympic Games in Paris", nine months from now. Same goal as Kipchoge. A luxury duel is coming.
Kiptum started running regularly in 2016. He has always been training near his village, Chepkorio, about 40 kilometers from Eldoret, the mecca of athletics in Kenya. His coach is the Rwandan Gervais Hakizimana. During the coronavirus lockdown, the trainer spent a year in Kenya working alongside his disciple and escaping to make discreet visits to Kipchoge's camp. While the veteran athlete usually runs about 180 kilometers each week, Kiptum goes up to 250 and even sometimes 300, as he did in preparation for the London race.
In the women's event, the world record, achieved two weeks ago by the Ethiopian Tigist Assefa (2h 11m 53s), was in danger, but in the end the Dutch Sifan Hassan prevailed with the second best mark in history (2h 13m 44s), which is a new European record. Marathon time Sneakers time. Talent time.
