23-year-old Kenyan Marathoner Kelvin Kiptum has won the Chicago Marathon, shattering the record held by Eliud Kipchoge after clocking 2:00:35.
In a statement, World Athletics announced that Kiptum becomes the first man in history to break 2:01:09 set by Kipchoge at the 2022 Berlin Marathon.
This means that Kiptum has eclipsed Eliud Kipchoge as the world's best marathoner.
Speaking after breaking his compatriot's record, Kiptum expressed his elation saying he did not expect to win, let alone gazump the best marathoner of all time.
“I knew I was coming for a course record, but a world record – I am so happy. A world record was not on my mind today, but I knew one day I would be a world record-holder.” Kiptum told World Athletics.
So dominant was the win that Kiptum even had enough energy to celebrate his performance on the way to the finish line pointing to the crowds as he approached the finish line.
His dominance in the race was underlined by the fact that he won it by almost three and a half minutes.
In Sunday's race, another Kenyan Benson Kipruto came in second clocking a time of 2:04:02. Rotterdam Marathon champion Bashir Abdi of Belgium finished third after recording a time of 2:04:32.
John Korir, a Kenyan finished fourth clocking a time of 2:05:09.
In the past ten months, Kiptum has participated in 3 marathons. In all these races, he achieved three of the six fastest times in history: 2:01:53 in Valencia, Spain, last December, followed by 2:01:25 in London in April.
Until Kiptum's exploits on Sunday, Kipchoge has been the undisputed best marathoner for the last decade and has set his sights on winning three Olympic marathons, when the competition takes place next year.
What's more, Eliud Kipchoge is the only athlete in the world to have run 26.2 miles in under two hours.
However, this was not achieved in a competitive race. Kipchoge achieved this feat in a special race organised by UK billionaire Jim Ratcliffe through his company, Ineos.
Following Kiptum's win, President William Ruto took to his social media platforms to congratulate the athlete for his remarkable fete describing him as the new king of marathon.
''Kelvin Kiptum has written a new chapter in Marathon history, winning the Chicago Marathon in a majestic, staggering, and mind boggling time of 2:00:35,'' he stated.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua also joined the Head of State in congratulating Kiptum's outstanding victory.
''Lowering the Record set by the legend Eliud Kipchoge is just stupendous. This is superb. Congratulations Kelvin for this amazing achievement,'' the DP stated.
