Kelvin Kiptum delivers acceptance speech in Swahili after clinching World Athlete of the Year award
Kiptum achieved his world record in Chicago back in October which boosted his chances of winning the maiden World Athlete of the Year Outside Stadia award.
World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum delivered his speech in Swahili after winning the World Athlete of the Year for out of stadia events award.
Kiptum achieved his world record in a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, running 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon in October.
Becoming the first athlete to break the 2:01 barrier in a record-eligible marathon, the 24-year-old Kenyan won the race by almost three and a half minutes and took 34 seconds off Eliud Kipchoge’s previous world record.
Just one year on from his marathon debut, Kiptum now has three of the seven fastest times in history to his name having also won the London Marathon in April in 2:01:25.
Speaking in Swahili upon receiving the award, Kiptum thanked his fans for voting for him as the athlete of the year.
“First of all, I would like to thank my fans for voting for me,” Kiptum told World Athletics.
“I have been awarded the World Athlete of the year and I want to thank you all so much.”
At the age of 18, in October 2018, Kiptum won the Eldoret Half Marathon with a time of 1:02:01
He then debuted internationally at the Lisbon Half Marathon in March 2019, finishing fifth with a new personal best of 59:54.
In December 2020, he set a significant consecutive best in the event at 58:42, placing sixth at the Valencia Half Marathon.
In 2021, he ran 59:35 and 59:02 half marathons in Lens, France (first), and Valencia (eighth) respectively.
Kiptum ran his debut marathon in Valencia, Spain, on December 4, 2022.
With what was then the quickest closing half ever (60:15), he finished first with the current Course Record time of 2:01:53, becoming the third man in history to break 2:02.
He beat the 2022 world marathon champion Tamirat Tola, a pre-race favorite, among others.
In his debut at a World Marathon Major on April 23, 2023, Kiptum triumphed decisively at the London Marathon. Falling 16 seconds short of the World Record.
posted Tuesday December 12th
by Mark Kinyanjui