Two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge believes 2023 London Marathon winner Kelvin Kiptum will be next to break the world record in the marathon.
At a press event in Nairobi last week where a limited edition Kipchoge-themed car was revealed, celebrating the Kenyan runner’s successful 1:59 challenge in 2019 and his other athletic accomplishments over the past few years, the world’s greatest marathoner shared the limelight.
He made a prediction that the world marathon record of 2:01:09—which he currently holds, having broken his initial 2018 world record at the Berlin Marathon in 2022—will soon drop under two hours, and Kiptum is likely to be the one to rewrite the history books.
April’s London Marathon saw the 23-year-old become the second fastest man in marathon history, beating Kipchoge’s 2019 course record of 2:02:37, and missing the world record by just 18 seconds with his 2:01:25 finish. It was only his second marathon, following last year’s Valencia Marathon, which he won in the fastest ever debut in the marathon.
According to the African news site, Nation, Kipchoge described Kiptum’s victory in London as “phenomenal” and “a great performance.”
“I always say records are meant to be broken and I hope Kiptum does that in the near future. He is a man with a big heart,” Kipchoge continued. “The two-hour barrier is there for someone to run under and I have always shown people the way and it can be done.”
Of course, the man’s sportsmanship has no bearing on his competitive spirit. Kipchoge is far from done. He concluded the press event with a reminder that he always comes back stronger, pointing out how after his eighth place finish at the 2020 London Marathon, he went on to successfully defend his Olympic Marathon title at Tokyo in 2021.
He reiterated what his challenging sixth place finish at the Boston Marathon taught him, saying, “Life is actually not always smooth and no one should reach a comfort zone. When one hits a bump by mistake, just stand up, dust yourself and hit the road again.”
Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she's written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner's World, Like the Wind Magazine, The New York Times, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
