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He's back! New marathon record holder Kiptum jets back

New marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum donning traditional plant ornament, Sinendet, is served with traditional fermented milk, Mursik by his wife Asenath Rotich, upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from Chicago on October 10, 2023 where he set the new marathon world record with a new time of 2:00:35.

Photo credit: Ayumba Ayodi | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • The 23-year-old Kiptum landed at 1pm aboard an Ethiopian Airlines plane.
  • At hand to receive Kiptum were his wife, Asenath Rotich, his two children, his father and mother, Samson Cheruiyot and Mary Kangogo.

New marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum jetted back into the country from Chicago, United States of America, to a heroic reception at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Tuesday afternoon.

The 23-year-old Kiptum landed at 1pm aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight.

At hand to receive Kiptum were his wife, Asenath Rotich, his two children, his father and mother, Samson Cheruiyot and Mary Kangogo.

It was song and dance as Kiptum was decorated with Sinendet as his wife served him with traditional fermented milk, Mursik.

Also at the airport to receive Kiptum were Athletics Kenya committee member Barnaba Korir, Golazo Sports management chief executive Bob Berbeek and other family members.

Kiptum shattered Eliud Kipchoge’s marathon world record of two hours, one minute and nine seconds by 34 seconds with a new time of 2:00:09 in the Chicago Marathon on Sunday.

Kipchoge improved his marathon world record of 2:01:39 from Berlin 2018 with a new time of 2:01:09 in Berlin last year.

Kiptum made history as the first man to run a marathon in under two hours and one minute.

Upon arrival, Kiptum was chauffeured straight to Weston Hotel, where he will hold a press conference that was to be attended by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba.