Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum shattered the men’s world record to win the Chicago Marathon in two hours and 35 seconds, while Dutch runner Sifan Hassan won in the second-fastest women’s time in history on Sunday.

Kiptum crushed the old world record of 2:01:09 set by Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge in winning 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 the 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.”

Kiptum’s run 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.

“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.”

Text from AFP