Kenyan man shatters world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon

For the sixth time in a row, a Kenyan man has set a new world record in the marathon.

Kelvin Kiptum, 23, finished Sunday's Chicago Marathon in two hours, zero minutes and 35 seconds. Kiptum's time shattered the previous world record set by fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge at 2:01:09 in the Berlin Marathon last September. It also brought a sub-two-hour mark clearly within reach in an unbelievable feat of human achievement.

The 23-year-old Kenyan has been smashing records quite literally since he began running marathons. Kiptum set the record for a runner in his marathon debut with a 2:01:53 in the Valencia Marathon in Spain last December. In his next race, the World Marathon Major at London in April, Kiptum fell just short of the previous world record with a time of 2:01:25. It was a new course record for the London Marathon, and he took home a gold medal in the process.

Kiptum's record-breaking time in Chicago was the first time someone had broken the world record outside of Berlin since American Khalid Khannouchi ran a 2:05:38 at the London Marathon in April 2002. Khannouchi was also the last runner to set a world record in Chicago with a 2:05:42 three years prior to his London race.

The new record time is subject to verification by World Athletics (formerly International Association of Athletics Federations, or IAAF) before it becomes official.

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Kelvin Kiptum crosses the finish line in Chicago

Kiptum has brought the marathon record ever closer to the sub-two-hour mark with his fantastic Chicago Marathon. Given his history of marathon times to date, the Kenyan seems likely to become the first person to run all 26.2 miles in under two hours, and soon.

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