Kiptum gets big bonus for new marathon record

Kenyan Runner Kelvin Kiptum, 23, received nearly $184,000 from three bonuses after winning the 2023 Chicago Marathon and breaking the world record.

Kiptum poses with the world record board and his time of 2 hours 0 minutes 35 seconds at the Chicago Marathon on October 8. Photo: Chicago Marathon

The Chicago Marathon was founded in 1977 and is a member of the World Marathon Majors, the six largest races in the world, along with races in Boston, New York City, London, Berlin and Tokyo. This year's race has a total prize fund of $560,000, divided equally between men and women.

In the men's event, Kiptum won with 2 hours 35 seconds, 34 seconds faster than the world record of his countryman Eliud Kipchoge - 2 hours 1 minute 9 seconds set at Berlin 2022. Before Kiptum, the Chicago Marathon record belonged to another famous Kenyan runner - Dennis Kimetto - with 2 hours 3 minutes 45 seconds, set in 2013. The last person to set a world record at this major race in Chicago was Moroccan runner Khalid Khannouchi with 2 hours 5 minutes 42 seconds in 1999.

In total, Kiptum received a $150,000 bonus, including $100,000 for winning the 2023 Chicago Marathon men's championship and $50,000 from sponsors for breaking the race record. In addition, according to Kenyan television station Mutembei TV , the 23-year-old runner was also awarded 5 million Kenyan shillings (Kenyan currency), equivalent to $33,880, by his home government for the feat.

When Kiptum returned home on October 10, hundreds of fans and many Kenyan officials were present at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, to welcome him as a national hero.

The East African nation's President William Ruto, in a speech the day before, also praised Kiptum. "Kelvin has written a new chapter in marathon history by winning the Chicago Marathon in a world-shaking 2 hours 0 minutes 35 seconds. He is the first person to break the sub-2:01 mark. Congratulations to Kelvin - the new King of Marathon," the politician said.

Kiptum received a hero's welcome when he returned home to Kenya on October 10. Photo: Athletics Kenya

Including the recent Chicago major, Kiptum has run only three marathons, and currently holds three of the six all-time bests. He won the 2022 Valencia Marathon in 2 hours 1 minute 53 seconds, becoming the fastest marathon debutant in history. Five months later, the 23-year-old improved his PB to win the London Marathon in 2 hours 1 minute 25 seconds, setting a new race record.

Improving his PB with each race, Kiptum is expected to become the first athlete to run a sub-2 marathon in an official tournament. Kipchoge ran a sub-2 marathon when he reached 1 hour 59 minutes 40 seconds in the Ineos 1:59 event in Vienna, Austria in October 2019. However, that achievement was not recognized by World Athletics as a record because the runner born in 1984 competed in controlled conditions, such as no opponents and a rotating team of pacers.

Kiptum, born in Elgeyo, Kenya on 2 December 1999, made an early splash when he won the 2018 Eldoret Half Marathon in 1 hour 2 minutes 1 second. He made his international debut at the Lisbon Half Marathon in Portugal in 2019, finishing fifth in a PB of 59 minutes 54 seconds. Kiptum went on to improve his PB of 58 minutes 42 seconds to finish sixth at the Valencia Half Marathon in December 2020.

In 2021, the Kenyan runner claimed his first title when he won the Lens Half Marathon in 59 minutes and 35 seconds. Later that year, Kiptum achieved a time of 59 minutes and 2 seconds at the Valencia Half Marathon.

In addition to the half marathon and marathon, Kiptum also competes in the 10,000m and 10km road races. He set a PB of 28:27.87 in the 10,000m at Stockholm 2021 and a PB of 28:17 in the 10km road race at Utrecht, Netherlands in 2019.

Hong Duy

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