•Kiptum will seek to replicate the monumental feat he accomplished last year when he clocked an astonishing 2:00.35 to smash the world record at the prestigious Chicago Marathon.
•He prefers to burn out in the high-altitude areas of Chepkorio and the surrounding Kerio Valley in the run-up to important competitions.
Image: XINHUA
Reigning world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum has expressed a desire to storm the gold medal at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics later in the year.
Kiptum will seek to replicate the monumental feat he accomplished last year when he clocked an astonishing 2:00.35 to smash the world record at the prestigious Chicago Marathon.
The youngest marathoner to have run under 2:02:00, Kiptum obliterated a star-studded field of elite athletes on his way to the landmark victory.
The glory came hot on the heels of a previous triumph at the 2023 London Marathon — his second marathon ever — where he blazed to victory in 2:01:25, just 16 seconds shy of Eliud Kipchoge’s world record.
Aged only 24, the Kenyan long-distance prodigy has already run three of the seven fastest marathons in history in his stellar career thus far.
“I’ve experienced some great memories after winning in the past and I’ll continue to train and work hard to make some more,” Kiptum remarked.
“I’m looking forward to another brilliant season this year. I’ll be eyeing several races, and yes, the Paris 2024 Games are also in my plan,” Kiptum stated in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
The father of one is expected to engage five-time Berlin Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge in a vicious battle in a highly-anticipated showdown in the French capital.
“I’m aware it won’t be easy winning gold in Paris given the country boasts great marathoners such as Kipchoge. However, I’m ready to work extremely hard in a frantic bid to write another new chapter in history like I did in Chicago last year,” Kiptum said.
The Kenyan contingent must also prepare to fend off the gauntlet likely to be thrown to them by Somali-based Belgian marathoner Bashir Abdi who turned the tables on household names to tuck away the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Other than taking a stab at the coveted premier global quadrennial showpiece in France, Kiptum said he also has his sights firmly trained on the upcoming Rotterdam Marathon scheduled for Sunday, April 14.
In Rotterdam, Kiptum will seek to shatter the glass ceiling on his way to recording a historic sub-two-hour time.
Kiptum’s world record was the sixth set in Chicago, but the first in the men’s race since Khalid Khannouchi in 1999. He came into the race with the second and third fastest times in history.
Kiptum, coached by Gervais Hakizimana, is said to train for 250 to 280km per week. His schedule includes daily morning runs of 25-28 km, track or fartlek sessions on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and intense long runs of 30-40 km at marathon pace on Thursdays and Sundays.
He prefers to burn out in the high-altitude areas of Chepkorio and the surrounding Kerio Valley in the run-up to important competitions.