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Kelvin Kiptum: From humble beginnings to world record holder

Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum celebrates winning the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon in Chicago, Illinois, in a world record time of two hours and 35 seconds on October 8, 2023. (Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/ AFP)

By Rama Mohammed | 12 Feb 2024

Kiptum had only recently announced he was hoping to smash the mythic two-hour mark in Rotterdam in April.

The running community mourns the untimely loss of Kelvin Kiptum, a rising star in road racing who had taken the marathon world by storm.

The 24-year-old Kenyan sensation, hailing from Chepsamo village in Chepkorio, had become a household name after his remarkable achievements in the sport.

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Kiptum burst onto the international scene with a bang in December 2022, announcing his arrival with a breathtaking marathon debut in Valencia, where he clocked an astonishing 2:01:53.

Less than a year later, in only his third marathon appearance, he shattered the world record in Chicago with a jaw-dropping time of 2:00:35.

His outstanding performances continued, clinching victory at the London Marathon earlier that year in a course record of 2:01:25.

These accomplishments led to Kiptum being rightfully crowned the 2023 World Athlete of the Year for men’s out-of-stadia events.

The young prodigy's journey began in Chepsamo, where he worked on his family’s cattle farm. Starting running at the tender age of 13, Kiptum's dedication and passion for the sport quickly became evident.

His humble beginnings saw him participating in local races, eventually winning the Eldoret Half Marathon at the age of 18, just five years after his debut in the event.

Reflecting on his early years, Kiptum once said, "I used to follow local marathon runners on the trails and roads near my village. Running was a part of our everyday life, and I just fell in love with it."

Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 2023 Chicago Marathon professional men's division and set a world record marathon time of 2:00.35 on 8 October 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images via AFP)

His transition to international competitions was seamless, and he marked his presence by finishing fifth at the Lisbon Half Marathon in 2019 with a time of 59:54.

Notably, Kiptum consistently broke the 60-minute barrier for the half marathon on six occasions between 2019 and 2021.

Kiptum's signature move became his ability to accelerate in the latter half of marathons. In both his record-breaking runs in Valencia and Chicago, he strategically increased his pace after the 30km mark, leaving competitors trailing behind.

His outstanding performances continued, clinching victory at the London Marathon earlier that year in a course record of 2:01:25.

These accomplishments led to Kiptum being rightfully crowned the 2023 World Athlete of the Year for men’s out-of-stadia events.

The young prodigy's journey began in Chepsamo, where he worked on his family’s cattle farm. Starting running at the tender age of 13, Kiptum's dedication and passion for the sport quickly became evident.

His humble beginnings saw him participating in local races, eventually winning the Eldoret Half Marathon at the age of 18, just five years after his debut in the event.

Reflecting on his early years, Kiptum once said, "I used to follow local marathon runners on the trails and roads near my village. Running was a part of our everyday life, and I just fell in love with it."

His transition to international competitions was seamless, and he marked his presence by finishing fifth at the Lisbon Half Marathon in 2019 with a time of 59:54. Notably, Kiptum consistently broke the 60-minute barrier for the half marathon on six occasions between 2019 and 2021.

Kiptum's signature move became his ability to accelerate in the latter half of marathons. In both his record-breaking runs in Valencia and Chicago, he strategically increased his pace after the 30km mark, leaving competitors trailing behind.