Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum shattered the men’s marathon world record in Chicago as he beat compatriot Eliud Kipchoge’s previous mark by more than 30 seconds.
The 23-year-old finished in a time of two hours 35 seconds.
“I feel so happy. A world record was not in my mind today,” he said after beating Kipchoge’s time of 2:01.09, set in Berlin in September 2022.
Dutch runner Sifan Hassan set the second-fastest women’s time in marathon history as she won the female event.
Her time of 2:13:44 is behind only the record of 2:11.53 set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa in Berlin last month.
Kiptum broke the tape three minutes 27 seconds ahead of countryman Benson Kipruto, with Belgian Bashir Abdi in third.
It was his third victory in as many starts over 26.2 miles. He triumphed on his debut last December at Valencia and then won the London Marathon in a course record in April.
Kelvin Kiptum after setting a new marathon world record
Kiptum sank to his knees after only his third marathon race
He waved and blew kisses at spectators before raising his arms when crossing the finish line.
His extraordinary run shaved more than three minutes off the previous Chicago Marathon record set by Kenyan Dennis Kimetto in 2013 – and brings closer the possibility of the two-hour mark being broken.
“I saw the time in front of me. I felt good inside of me, maybe a little adrenaline. I said let me try – maybe I can run under 2:00,” he said. “I knew one day I would be a world-record holder.”
In the women’s race, Hassan finished one minute 53 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, with Ethiopian Alemu Megertu in third.
BBC News
