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Kenya: Operating for Kiptum – Kenyans Trying to Dominate Chicago Marathon in Honour of Fallen Champion

Max Victory
By Max Victory
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Nairobi — Kenyan athletes lining up for Sunday night’s Chicago Marathon wish to earn success in dedication to the late World File Holder Kevin Kiptum, who died early this 12 months in a highway accident in Iten.

Kiptum is the defending males’s champion of the Chicago Marathon, having run a world file time of two:00:35 to clinch victory final 12 months. The race will observe a minute’s silence in honour of the defending champion.

The hunt to make sure a Kenyan defends the title can be led by Amos Kipruto, John Korir, Vincent Ngetich and debutant Daniel Simiu who can be working his first ever marathon.

Kipruto, the 2019 world bronze medallist, and Ngetich have matching PBs of two:03:13. Kipruto received the London Marathon in 2022 and trains with Benson Kipruto, who received that 12 months’s Chicago Marathon, whereas Ngetich was second within the Berlin Marathon final 12 months, 5 locations forward of Kipruto. He was additionally third at this 12 months’s Tokyo Marathon.

“I’ve ready nicely for the race and I’m wanting ahead to doing nicely. I had some issues with damage however now I really feel that I’m totally match and I’m able to do nicely,” Kipruto mentioned forward of the race.

Korir ran his PB of two:05:01 when ending third in Chicago in 2022. Trying to be a part of them on the entrance of the sector can be Simiu, the world 10,000m and half marathon silver medallist who makes his marathon debut.

The 29-year-old ran a 59:30 half marathon in Berlin in April, 26 seconds off his PB set in Manama in 2022.

Jepkosgei, Chepngetich conflict in girls’s race

In the meantime within the girls’s race, all eyes can be on an anticipated contest between 2019 World Champion Ruth Chepngetich and Joyciline Jepkosgei.

Chepngetich heads to the race on the hunt for a hattrick. She received in Chicago in 2021 and 2022, and adopted that with a runner-up end to Sifan Hassan final 12 months.

She clocked 2:14:18 on that event, whereas her PB of two:14:18 set in Chicago in 2022 makes her the fourth quickest girls’s marathon runner in historical past.

She ran 2:24:36 for her most up-to-date marathon, in London in April, and positioned ninth, however then clocked 1:05:58 to win the 21k Buenos Aires half marathon in August.

Jepkosgei, who received the London Marathon in 2021 and New York Metropolis Marathon in 2019, completed fourth in Chicago final 12 months in 2:17:23.

She improved by one place when returning to marathon motion in London in April, setting a PB of two:16:24.

Becoming a member of Chepngetich and Jepkosgei on that begin line can be three extra girls with PBs below 2:18 – Ethiopia’s Degitu Azimeraw, Ashete Bekere and Hiwot Gebrekidan – plus Kenya’s Irine Cheptai, who ran 2:18:22 in Hamburg in April.