Kelvin Kiptum set a world marathon record, blowing kisses to the crowd as he approached the finish line and history.
At 23, Kiptum broke the previous record with his time of 2:00:35 to win the men’s division of the 2023 Chicago Marathon. It was the sixth time in the marathon’s history a world record had been broken in Chicago.
Kiptum broke countryman Eliud Kipchoge’s previous world record of 2:01:09, set at the 2022 Berlin Marathon.
“A world record was not in my mind today ... but I knew one day, one time I would be a world record holder,” Kiptum said at the finish line.
This was Kiptum’s third marathon, and his Chicago debut. Kiptum set out to break the record, saying Friday he would break the record if the weather was right.
Sifan Hassan, in her second-ever marathon, set a course record time to win the women’s division.
She also won the 2023 London Marathon and set the Dutch national record.
Hassan’s course-breaking time of 2:13:44 — breaking her personal record — is also the second-fastest time in history.
The 29-year-old was in tears as she broke the finish line.
“I knew I was doing very well,” Hassan said.
“I was here to learn more about what I can do. ... To run this time is unbelievable.”
During the last five miles, she jokingly said, she was telling herself she was “never doing this again.”
Catherine Debrunner from Switzerland pulled away near the end of the race to win the women’s wheelchair division of the 2023 Chicago Marathon. Her unofficial time of 1:38:44 would top the course record of 1:39:15 in the women’s wheelchair division.
It was her first time racing on American soil.
Debrunner, who also won the Berlin Marathon, narrowly defeated last year’s champion Suzannah Sacroni by seconds. She now holds the course records in London, Berlin and Chicago.
“Once the hill started, she [Suzannah Sacroni] went all out. At first she got a little ahead, but then luckily I could get closer to her and overtake her but it was really tough.”
By the end of the race, she had nothing left.
“Today, I definitely could not go faster,” Debrunner said. “I felt so empty in the finish but I think that’s a good sign when you’re finished.”
Debrunner also gave props to her competitors in the race.
“It’s just amazing how strong the women’s field is right now,” Debrunner said. It’s really pretty amazing.”
Earlier Sunday, Marcel Hug, also from Switzerland, won the men’s wheelchair division, breaking his own course record with a time of 1:22:27.
He said he woke up this morning feeling pretty good about his chances of winning the marathon again.
“I was already feeling great this morning,” Hug said.
“I decided to try to go after the course record and took the lead early in the race,” he added. “It was really tough out there by being alone. Sometimes [there were] rough roads, but it was incredible. The crowds were really really amazing. The people cheering was a great part.”
Hug has also won all six of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Executive race director Carey Pinkowski said he was astounded by the Sunday’s performances.
“The crowds were fantastic,” Pinowski said. “The weather was pretty good, just about perfect. So the good ones, the great ones seize that moment when you have that opportunity and the result is course record and a world record.”
WORLD RECORD: We have a new man in town. Kelvin Kiptum just broke Eliud Kipchoge's World Record with an unofficial time of 2:00:35! UNBELIEVABLE! pic.twitter.com/XfeMEzPveZ
— Chicago Marathon (@ChiMarathon) October 8, 2023
COURSE RECORD: In her U.S. marathon debut, Sifan Hassan takes the @BankofAmerica #ChicagoMarathon course record in an unofficial time of 2:13:38! Amazing performance Sifan! pic.twitter.com/0h7nxb50dy
— Chicago Marathon (@ChiMarathon) October 8, 2023
TWO COURSE RECORDS: A Switzerland sweep in our wheelchair division with Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner, both setting new course records! pic.twitter.com/bJxXcixSaR
— Chicago Marathon (@ChiMarathon) October 8, 2023
