Kenyan runner sets a record on his first marathon
The result has just helped Kiptum, 23 years old from Keyna, break into the top 3 current marathon runners in the world - the rare ones who achieved less than 2 hours 2 minutes.
Legendary Eliud Kipchoge has just set a world record with 2 hours 1 minute 9 seconds at the Berlin Marathon 2022 on September 25, breaking the old record set by himself with 2 hours 1 minute 39 seconds also at this major in 2018. Kenenisa Bekele finished second with 2 hours 1 minute 41 seconds when finishing first at Berlin Marathon 2019.
The previous record holder was Guye Adola, Ethiopian runner reached 2 hours 3 minutes 46 seconds at the 2017 Berlin Marathon. Before that, world athletics also witnessed another athlete achieve better results at the first marathon. Moses Mosop, but this Kenyan's record of 2 hours 3 minutes 6 seconds at the 2011 Boston Marathon was later discredited.
The parameter of 2 hours 1 minute 53 seconds Kiptum has just set is also a new achievement record of the Valencia Marathon - the race was born in 1981 and is considered the largest running event in Spain. The old record of the tournament was 2 hours and 3 minutes belonging to Evans Chebet - Kiptum's fellow senior - set in 2020.
"Thank God for my achievement today," Kiptum said after finishing.
On the Valencia Marathon run today, Kiptum chose a negative splits strategy, with 61 minutes 42 seconds on the first half of the distance and then 60 minutes 11 seconds on the other half. He was in the first group for the 32nd kilometer, before breaking away to finish first. Kiptum's two successors were both considerably slower than him. Tanzanian athlete finished second with 2 hours 3 minutes, while Alexander Mutiso - compatriot and also running a marathon for the first time like Kiptum - finished third with 2 hours 3 minutes 29 seconds.
Tamirat Tola finished fourth with 2 hours 3 minutes 40 seconds. This is also the best individual performance of this Ethiopian runner, and is much better than the 2 hours 5 minutes 36 seconds when he won the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA in July.
In the women's race, the race in Valencia today also recorded the third best marathon in the world, when 31-year-old Ethiopian Amane Beriso finished first with a result of 2 hours 14 minutes 58 seconds. Only two other female runners have better results: Brigid Kosgei - the reigning women's record holder - with 2 hours 14 minutes 4 seconds, and Ruth Chepngeich with 2 hours 14 minutes 18 seconds.
Beriso finished first after a fierce speed race with compatriot Letesenbet Gidey. This 24-year-old Ethiopian runner currently holds the world record for running 5,000m, 10,000m and half marathon, but Valencia Marathon 2022 is her first time running a marathon. And despite also setting a record with a female athlete at the first marathon - 2 hours 16 minutes 51 seconds, Gidey did not hide his disappointment when he finished second.
