Kelvin Kiptum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kelvin Kiptum

Kiptum at the 2023 London Marathon
Personal information
Nationality	Kenyan
Born	(1999-12-02)2 December 1999 Chepsamo, Chepkorio, Kenya
Died	11 February 2024(2024-02-11) (aged 24) Kaptagat, Kenya
Height	1.80 m
Weight	65 kg
Sport
Country	Kenya
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Long-distance running
Coached by	Gervais Hakizimana (2023–2023)
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking	1st (Marathon, 2023)
Personal best(s)	Marathon: 2:00:35 WR (Chicago 2023)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  Kenya World Marathon Majors Gold 2023 London Marathon Gold 2023 Chicago Marathon

Kelvin Kiptum Cheruiyot (born December 2, 1999 – died February 11, 2024) was a famous long-distance runner from Kenya. He was known for holding the marathon world record. He was the only person in history to run a marathon in less than two hours and one minute.

Kelvin Kiptum won all three marathons he competed in. These included two major races called World Marathon Majors. He achieved these wins between December 2022 and October 2023. His times are among the fastest ever recorded. He was the only man to break the 2:02-hour barrier three times.

Kiptum ran his first marathon in Valencia in 2022. He set the fastest debut time ever. Four months later, he ran the second-fastest marathon in history in London. In October 2023, at just 23 years old, he broke the world record in Chicago. He finished the race in two hours and 35 seconds.

Early Life and Running Start

Kelvin Kiptum was born on December 2, 1999. He grew up in a village called Chepsamo in Chepkorio, Kenya. This area is very high up, about 2,600 meters (8,500 feet) above sea level. It is known for its beautiful scenery and for producing many great Kenyan runners.

As a young boy, Kelvin helped herd his family's cattle. He started running barefoot along forest trails, often following older runners. Kiptum began serious training around 2013 when he was 13 years old.

Kelvin Kiptum's Amazing Career

First Races and International Debut

In 2013, at age 13, Kiptum ran his first half marathon race in Kenya. He finished 10th. The next year, he placed 12th. In 2018, he won this same race for the first time. He was coaching himself back then.

Kiptum then raced internationally in March 2019. He ran the Lisbon Half Marathon in Portugal. He finished fifth and set a new personal best time. He raced in several other European cities that year. He also won a tough half marathon back home in Kenya in November.

Around 2020, Kiptum started working with Gervais Hakizimana, a coach from Rwanda. Kiptum had trained with him and other young runners since 2013. By 2020, he was already getting ready for the full marathon distance. In December 2020, he set a new personal best in the half marathon in Spain. He finished sixth with a time of 58 minutes and 42 seconds. In 2021, he ran two more fast half marathons.

2022: Breaking Records in His First Marathon

In December 2022, 23-year-old Kiptum ran his very first full marathon. This was at the Valencia Marathon in Spain. He surprised everyone by winning the race. His time was 2 hours, 1 minute, and 53 seconds. This made him only the third man ever to run a marathon in under two hours and two minutes.

Only two other runners had ever run faster than Kiptum at that time. His win was the fastest marathon debut in history. He also broke the course record by more than a minute.

2023: Becoming a World Record Holder

In April 2023, Kiptum ran his next big race. This was the 2023 London Marathon, a major event. He won easily in rainy weather. His time was 2 hours, 1 minute, and 25 seconds. This was the second-fastest marathon time ever recorded. It was also a new course record for London.

Kiptum made his big move after about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles). He ran the second half of the race faster than the first. This is called a "negative split." He beat the second-place runner by almost three minutes.

His third marathon was the 2023 Chicago Marathon on October 8, 2023. Kiptum was still 23 years old. In this race, he set a brand new world record! He finished in 2 hours and 35 seconds. This was 34 seconds faster than the previous world record. He also broke the Chicago course record by more than three minutes.

Just like in his other races, Kiptum ran the second half of the marathon faster. He ran alone for the last part of the race. He beat the second-place runner by almost three and a half minutes.

Training to Be the Best

After Kiptum broke the world record, his coach shared details about his training. His coach, Gervais Hakizimana, said that Kiptum ran a lot. Before the London Marathon, he ran between 250 to 280 kilometers (155–173 miles) each week.

His training usually included long runs of 25–28 km (15.5-17.4 miles) every morning. He also did special speed workouts on Tuesdays and Saturdays. On Thursdays and Sundays, he ran very long distances, 30–40 km (18.6-24.8 miles), at a fast pace. He trained in both high-altitude areas and lower valleys.

Personal Life and Sad Passing

Kelvin Kiptum was married to Asenath Rotich. They had two children together.

Sadly, Kelvin Kiptum died in a car accident on February 11, 2024. The accident happened near Kaptagat, Kenya. His coach, Gervais Hakizimana, also passed away in the accident.

Achievements and Records

Kelvin Kiptum achieved many great things in his short career.

Personal Best Times

• 10,000 metres (Track): 28:27.87 (Stockholm, Sweden, May 4, 2021)
• 10 km (Road): 28:17 (Utrecht, Netherlands, October 6, 2019)
• Half marathon: 58:42 (Valencia, Spain, December 6, 2020)
• Marathon: 2:00:35 (Chicago, United States, October 8, 2023) - This is the World record!

Marathon Wins

• 2022 Valencia Marathon: 1st place (2:01:53) - This was a course record and the fastest marathon debut ever.
• 2023 London Marathon: 1st place (2:01:25) - This was a course record and the second-fastest marathon time in history.
• 2023 Chicago Marathon: 1st place (2:00:35) - This was a course record and a new World record.

World Marathon Majors Series

Kelvin Kiptum won the 2023 World Marathon Majors Series. He earned this title by winning both the London and Chicago Marathons.

See also

In Spanish: Kelvin Kiptum para niños