The marathon world record holder at 2:00:35 — set in Chicago 2023 at just 23 years old, breaking Kipchoge's record by 34 seconds. Ran the three fastest marathon debuts in history and was widely expected to break the two-hour barrier before his tragic death in a car accident in February 2024. His loss was mourned across the entire athletics world.
Kelvin Kiptum was a Kenyan marathon runner who set the world record of 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon — the first sub-2:01 marathon by any athlete and one of the most extraordinary performances in distance running history. His acceleration in the final miles of his record-breaking run, delivered in conditions not ideal for records, was breathtaking. Tragically, he died in a road traffic accident in Kenya in early 2024, leaving the running world in mourning.
Marathon world record holder
How They Played
Aggressive front-running marathon style
Lasting Impact
Promising marathon talent whose career was cut short