Kiptum leads Kenyan charge in Chicago marathon

If the Berlin Marathon that took place a fortnight ago took away the breath of many, then Sunday’s Chicago Marathon could produce better tidings as some of the world’s best distance runners lock horns.

World records or course records are on the lips of many especially after Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, failed in his attempt to break his own world record of 2:01:09 but ended up winning his fifth Berlin marathon title in 2:02:42.

The women’s marathon world record’s bar was set high at the 49th edition of Berlin Marathon when Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa cruised to a staggering 2:11:53 to smash the women’s record by a mind-blowing two minutes.

The Chicago Marathon is indeed a significant event in the world of athletics known for attracting top athletes from around the world and Kenya has a strong tradition of success in long distance events.

From the 44th edition of the Chicago Marathon, Kenyan men have won 18 times including Evans Rutto (2003, 2004) and the late Samuel Wanjiru (2009, 2010, who claimed victories twice at the American city.

The Kenyan women have won in the city 11 times with Joyce Chepchumba, Catherine Ndereba, Florence Kiplagat, Brigid Kosgei and Ruth Chepng’etich claiming a brace of victories each.

Kenyan athletes have historically been top contenders and have often registered fast times on the course especially women and Sunday could be of no exemption with the country set to defend both titles.

Besides the fine field and good pacesetting, the flat course and good weather conditions could contribute to new records.

Course record

Kelvin Kiptum, who is the second fastest marathoner of all time, having achieved the feat of 2:01:25 in London in April, and third fastest woman in history, Ruth Chepng’etich (2:14:18), have been tipped to take a short at both the men and women’s world records. 

How Kiptum will handle defending champion Benson Kipruto will simply be poetry in motion as they both hunt down Kipchoge’s one-year-old world record.

Kipruto clocked his personal best 2:04:24 to win last year, edging out compatriot John Korir, who clocked his personal best 2:05:01 for second place. Other Kenyans in contention are debutants Daniel Mateiko and Wesley Kiptoo.

Others include Belgium’s Bashir Abdi (2:03:36), Ethiopians Dawit Wolde (2:04:27), Seifu Tura (2:04:29), USA’s Galen Rupp (2:06:07) among others.

It’s left to be known if the Chicago course can produce a world record considering that the last time such a feat was achieved on the course twice was on October 21, 1984 by American Steve Jones in 2:08:05 and October 24, 1999 by Moroccan Khalid Khannouchi in 2:05:42.

Despite not having the best training, Kiptum, who said that he is still fit, could smash Dennis Kimetto‘s 10-year-old course record of 2:03:45.

“I think I'm good to go despite not having had enough build up,” said Kiptum, who is regarded as Kipchoge’s heir. “Training was injury free but rain hindered good progress.”

“Chicago is a flat course and my target here is to run a course record if the weather conditions permits,” he said Kiptum.

Title defence

Kiptum left many tongues wagging when he ran the third fastest time by any debutant when he won in Valencia in 2:01:53, the third fastest time in history, on December 22 last year before reconfirming his form downing the London Marathon course record 2:01:25 on April23, this year.

 “I will be glad to defend my title during the race but we have a fast field that creates a recipe for good times,” said Kipruto.

Chepng'etich missed the world record which was held by Brigid Kosgei of 2:14:04 when she clocked 2: 14: 18 to retain the Chicago Marathon title last year.

“The record will be hard to achieve since it has been lowered further but I believe that one time women will even run faster than that. I will be competing in the race and aiming to record my personal best and defend my title,” she said in a press conference in Chicago.

Her compatriot and former New York Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei is also expecting to run a beautiful race at the streets of Chicago where she is debuting.

Other women in the race are  Sifan Hassan, who will be running her second marathon after winning London Marathon in April in personal best of 2:18:33, Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba (2:18:05), Sutume Kebede (2:18:12), Tigist Girma (2:18:52), Ababel Yeshaneh (2:20:51), USA’s Emily Sisson (2:18:29), Kenya’s Stacy Ndiwa (2:31:53).