Top five achievements of Kelvin Kiptum

Published at :February 15, 2024 at 12:30 AM

Modified at :March 17, 2024 at 6:49 PM

(Courtesy : Newsroom)

Marathon winner died in car accident

The world of sports was shocked by the news of Kenya’s champion marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum’s death in a car accident on February 12, 2024. Kiptum, aged 24, was a promising contender for winning a medal at the forthcoming Paris Olympics.

He and his coach Gervais Hakizimana, who had guided him to his remarkable achievements, died near the town of Kaptagat in western Kenya. Kiptum had set the world record in the marathon (42.195 km) and had won three major races in less than a year. Here are his top five achievements in the field of sports:

World record in Marathon

On October 8, 2024, Kelvin Kiptum made history at the Chicago Marathon, setting a new world record. He became the first person to run a sub-2:01 marathon in an officially recognized competition.

He clocked an extraordinary time of 2:00:35, breaking the previous world record of 2:01:09, held by fellow Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge from the 2022 Berlin Marathon.

Third man ever to break the two hours two minutes in marathon

In December 2022, Kiptum won the Valencia Marathon in his debut at the classic distance. He used a negative split strategy, running the second half faster than the first, and finished with an impressive time of 2:01:53, the fourth-fastest time in history.

He became the third man to run the marathon in under two hours and two minutes, after his compatriot and then-world record holder Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele, who had run faster times before him.

Gold Medal at 2023 Chicago Marathon

Kiptum achieved another milestone at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, breaking his own world record and winning the gold medal. He ran the race in 2 hours and 35 seconds, surpassing the record set by two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge at the 2022 Berlin Marathon by 34 seconds.

He became the first athlete to run a record-eligible marathon in under 2 hours and 1 minute.

Gold Medal at 2023 London Marathon

Kiptum set a course record at the 2023 London Marathon, running the race in two hours, 1 minute, and 25 seconds. He was nearly three minutes ahead of the second-placed Geoffrey Kamworor. He ran the second half of the race in just 59 minutes and 45 seconds, a stunning performance.

He also won the gold medal at the prestigious event.

Gold Medal at 2022 Valencia Marathon

Kiptum won his first major victory in the marathon at the Valencia Marathon in 2022. His marathon debut was a success, finishing with a time of 2:01:53.

He surged ahead with 10km remaining and recorded the fourth quickest time in history. He also won the gold medal at the Spanish race.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram