(Reuters) – Kelvin Kiptum had an incredible 2023, breaking the men’s marathon world record. Now, the Kenyan athlete has set his sights on running the first sub-two-hour marathon in Rotterdam next April.
During the Chicago Marathon in October, Kiptum shattered the previous record by 34 seconds, finishing in two hours and 35 seconds. Prior to that, in April, he won the London Marathon with a time of 2:01:25, which was at the time the second-fastest ever marathon.
When asked about his next goal, Kiptum told Gazzetta dello Sport: “It’s already known, the Rotterdam Marathon on April 14.”
“I would like to grow further, and so, inevitably, break the barrier,” he added.
For his upcoming marathon, Kiptum has chosen Rotterdam for a specific reason. “The organization is linked to my management,” he explained. “In 2022 I was supposed to run it, to make my debut but a slight injury stopped me. This will be the right time.”
Due to the intense training required for chasing these records, Kiptum only sees his family once a week during these periods. “It’s a choice made in full conscience, in agreement with my wife, to focus 100% on my goals,” the 24-year-old said.
One of Kiptum’s major objectives is to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, for which he has been pre-selected as one of 10 Kenyan athletes. “There are three places and I want to be there,” Kiptum said. “As a team we will collaborate, but then everyone looks out for themselves. I could also aim for the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, I saw the race in Budapest which fascinated me.”
His current focus, however, is on the Rotterdam marathon and the dream of breaking the two-hour barrier. “I’ll go there to run fast, the course is ideal and the crowds in the streets push you to give your best. I would love to be a part of the rich history of this marathon,” he said. “If the preparation goes in the right direction, with peaks of 270 kilometers per week, and the weather conditions permit, I will go for it.”
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
