Kelvin Kiptum creates new world marathon record in Chicago

Kelvin Kiptum created a new men's marathon world record in Chicago on Sunday, clocking 2:00:35 seconds to eclipse Eliud Kipchoge's previous mark by 34 seconds.

Kipchoge's world record mark of 2:01:09s came at the 2022 Berlin Marathon.

Kiptum finished the 35-kilometre mark in windy conditions in Chicago.

Running his third marathon, the 23-year-old from Kenya said, "I knew one day I would be a world record holder but a world record was not in my mind today," he said at the finish line. "I wasn't prepared, but I feel so happy."

The new men's marathon world record came just two weeks after Ethiopia's Tigist Assefa set a new women's marathon world, running the 35m mark in 2:11:53 in Berlin.

In Chicago, Kiptum hit the tape three minutes and 27 seconds ahead of compatriot Benson Kipruto, while Belgian Bashir Abdi finished third in 2:04:32s.

Kiptum separated from the rest of the field by the 10-kilometre mark along with Daniel Mateiko. The pair was more than one and a half minutes ahead of the rest of the field by the halfway point.

Kiptum then made it a one-man race at 35km and took advantage of Chicao's flat course.

"I saw the time in front of me, I said let's try: maybe I can run under 2:00," he said before gliding over the finish line.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands' Sifan Hassan set the course record, clocking a time of 2:13:44. It was Hassan's only second marathon ever. She competed in her first marathon in London in April, clocking 2:18.33 to clinch the top position.