Kenyan Kiptum sets world record to win Chicago Marathon men’s title

Jordan Gusman sets new Maltese record with 2:13 finish, places 19th

Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum set a world record to win Sunday’s Chicago Marathon men’s title in an unofficial time of two hours and 35 seconds.

The 23-year-old shattered the old world record of 2:01:09 set by Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge to win the 2022 Berlin Marathon.

“I feel so happy,” Kiptum said. “I wasn’t prepared. I knew I was coming for a course record but fortunately a world record.”

It was Kiptum’s third victory in as many starts over the 26.2-mile distance. He won on  his debut last December at Valencia and then in London Marathon last April.

“I’m very happy,” Kiptum said. “A world record was not in my mind today. I knew one day one time I’d be a world-record holder.”

It marked the third time a men’s world record had been set on the streets of Chicago but the first time since Morocco’s Khalid Khannouchi in 1999.

Before the finish, Kiptum was waving and blowing kisses at spectators before raising his arms in triumph at the finish line.

“I saw the time in front of me,” he said. “I felt good inside of me, maybe a little adrenaline.”

The old Chicago Marathon record of 2:03:45 was set by Kenyan Dennis Kimetto in 2013.

“Chicago is a flat course,” Kiptum said. “I thought I’d go and try Chicago.”

Meanwhile, Jordan Gusman finished his full marathon debut in an impressive time of two hours and 13 minutes to set a new Malta national record in this category, crossing the finish line in 19th position.

The previous best time was Charlton Debono’s 2:25:02 back in 2019’s Valencia marathon.

Gusman’s solid time is just five minutes shy from an automatic spot in next year’s Paris 2024 marathon where the required time to qualify automatically is 2:08:10 for men athletes.

By January 30, the Olympic Committee will have filled 80% of the marathon list following the end of the qualification and ranking period.

Member associations, including Malta, wishing to apply for an unqualified entry will be allowed to do so between April 30 and May 2.

The national record in the full marathon is just the latest milestone in Gusman’s career who is the holder of the domestic best times in the 1500m, mile, 3k (both outdoor and indoor), 5k (both track and road, and outdoor and indoor), 10k (both track and road) and half-marathon (1:03:41).

Hassan dominates in women’s race

Dutch star Sifan Hassan won the Chicago Marathon women’s title on Sunday in an unofficial time of two hours, 13 minutes and 44 seconds — the second-fastest women’s time in marathon history.

The 30-year-old Ethiopian-born runner set a course record. Her time was second only to the women’s world record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopian Tigist Assefa at last month’s Berlin Marathon.

Hassan, who won her marathon debut in April at London, is the Tokyo Olympic champion at 5,000m and 10,000m and won medals at 1,500m and 5,000m six weeks ago at the World Athletics Championships.