Kelvin Kiptum in the time of Eliud Kipchoge — how the marathon just got more interesting

Finishing strong: Kiptum is known for his ability to post negative splits — running the second half of a marathon faster than the first. | Photo credit: Getty Images

Tech boost: In Chicago, Kiptum wore cutting-edge carbon-plated trainers, which are designed to reduce the amount of energy lost by an athlete’s movement. These shoes are commonplace among the elite, but it still requires exceptional athletes to make the most of them. | Photo credit: Getty Images

When Eliud Kipchoge celebrated his fifth win in the Berlin Marathon last year, there was an air of invincibility about him. A two-time Olympic champion, he had just set a new world record of 2:01:09. He had broken the mythical two-hour barrier in 2019 when he clocked 1:59:40, but that was achieved with the aid of pacemakers in a project backed by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos in Vienna and consequently not recognised by World Athletics.