4 Kenyans ranked in Top 5 list of fastest 2023 marathon runners
8th December 2023
Kenyan men completely outshone their East African counterparts in marathon races this year.
- Four of the five fastest times that athletes posted since the start of the year are from Kenyans.
- The fast-rising star Kelvin Kiptum leads the way with one Ethiopian sneaking into the list.
- Kiptum became the new marathon record holder after smashing the record held by the legendary Eliud Kipchoge.
2023 will go down in history as one of the most competitive
and fastest years in the history of road race running.
Athletic fans from different corners of the planet were able to witness some incredible performances from different runners with Kenyans and Ethiopians dominating in both the men’s and women’s categories.
The year also
saw the previous world records smashed in spectacular fashions.
Unlike in the past few years, Kenyan men completely outshone their East African counterparts in marathon races this year.
Play
here to place your bet on the Juventus vs Napoli game on SportPesa
Four of the five fastest times that athletes posted since
the start of the year are from Kenyans, led by the fast-rising star Kelvin
Kiptum, with one Ethiopian sneaking into the list.
Kiptum shocked the universe at the Chicago Marathon when he
produced a compelling display to break the previous world record of 2:01.09 set
by compatriot Eliud Kipchoge in 2023.
The 23-year-old ran the majority of the race on his own,
setting some of the craziest splits ever witnessed to reach the tape in a
record-breaking 2:00.35.
Kiptum’s performance in the streets of the American city was not only a clue that the world would see a sub two hour marathon very soon but also an indication of the resilience and never give up spirit shown by most of the runners this year.
ALSO READ: Bring on Uganda! Junior Stars confident ahead of CECAFA U18
final
Sisay Lemma’s win at the Trinidad Alfonso Valencia Marathon
is the second fastest time of the year.
The Ethiopian, who went quiet for a while before announcing
his return in Spain with a remarkable win clocked 2:01.48 to win the recently
held race.
Some of the other Kenyans who registered the top five
fastest times in 2023 include Kipchoge, Alexander Mutiso and Vincent
Ngetich.
Kipchoge’s fifth triumph at the Berlin Marathon on September
25 is the third fastest time of 2023.
The father of three outpaced his rivals to clinch the title in 2:02.42, and in the process entered his name into history books as the only athlete to have won five titles in Berlin.
ALSO READ: Messi, Argentina to face old foe Chile in Copa America
Mutiso comes in fourth with the lifetime best he set in
Valencia when he turned on the screw in the final stages of the hotly contested
race to finish second in 2:03.11.
Little-known Ngetich completes the top five best male
marathons of 2023 list. The 24-year-old clocked 2:03.13 to finish second behind
Kipchoge at the Berlin Marathon, beating some of the pre-race favorites.
Ngetich’s performance in Germany has earned him a spot in Kenya’s provisional marathon squad for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games that is slated to begin on July 26 and end in August 11.
ALSO READ: Christmas comes early for 27 Million SportPesa Midweek Jackpot
winner
Marathon Ranking
1.
Kelvin Kiptum - 2:00.35
2.
Sisay Lemma - 2:01.48
3.
Eliud Kipchoge - 2:02.42
4.
Alexander Mutiso - 2:03.11
5. Vincent Ngetich - 2:03.13