Kelvin Kiptum set a world record of 2:00:35 in the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. His blazing fast time shattered fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge’s record by a whopping 34 seconds. Kiptum’s feat—and feet!—revive the question: Will a human ever break two hours for the 26.2-mile distance?
On Sunday, more than 47,000 runners competed in the world class marathon in Chicago, Illinois.
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands took advantage of Sunday’s cloudy, cool conditions. She won the women’s race in 2:13:44. Her marathon time was the second-fastest ever for a woman.
The women’s world record of 2:11:53 belongs to Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia. She smashed the previous record last month in Berlin by more than two minutes.
Hassan’s run was remarkable. But it was 23-year-old Kiptum who captured the racing world’s attention.
In April, Kiptum won the London Marathon in 2:01:25. That was just 16 seconds behind Kipchoge’s world record at the time. Kipchoge is a two-time Olympic champion and the most successful marathoner ever . . . so far.
For years, Kipchoge’s running prowess fueled dreams of breaking the elusive two-hour marathon mark. In fact, Kipchoge did so in 2019 during a specially designed exhibition in Vienna, Austria. That race was completed under idealized conditions—which included pacers, a laser-guided course, and wind protection. It does not qualify for the world record.
Now talk of breaking the two-hour barrier comes roaring back with Kiptum’s recent achievements. Kiptum has entered only three marathons. His first was just in December 2022. He took first place in every marathon he’s entered. Plus, he now holds three of the six world’s fastest marathon times.
On Sunday in Chicago, Kiptum sprinted at an average of 4:36 per mile for each of the 26.2-mile distance.
“I knew I was coming for a course record, but a world record—I am so happy,” Kiptum said after his win. “A world record was not on my mind today, but I knew one day I would be a world record-holder.”
