Kenyan long-distance runner Kelvin Kiptum on Sunday made history as he broke the world marathon record with a time of 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon 2023. Countryman Benson Kipruto finished second ahead of Belgian Bashir Abdi in third.
Kiptum bettered compatriot and legendary runner Eliud Kipchoge's time of 2:01:09 which he had set at the 2022 Berlin Marathon.
Kiptum is the first athlete to break 2:01 in a record-eligible marathon.
It was his third victory in as many starts over 26.2 miles. Kiptum had triumphed on his debut last December at Valencia and then won the London Marathon in a course record in April.
"I feel so happy. A world record was not in my mind today. In the future I know I can run two hours," the 23-year-old Kiptum said after beating Kipchoge's record by 34 seconds.
"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. I knew one day I would be a world-record holder," he added.
Dutch runner Sifan Hassan set the second-fastest women's time in marathon history as she won the female event ahead of Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich, with Ethiopian Alemu Megertu in third.
