New course record, PB for sensational Kelvin Kiptum in historic London marathon win

Kenya’s 23-year-old Kelvin Kiptum showed his marathon pedigree to the whole world on Sunday afternoon as he dominantly raced to victory in the 2023 London marathon where he set the second ever fastest time in history and broke the course record after clocking 2:01:25.

After producing one of the biggest road running surprises of the year in 2022 when he won the Valencia Marathon in 2:01:53 - a time that has only bettered by Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele and marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge - the marathon newbie showed the victory was no fluke as he lowered the course record from 2:02.37 to 2:01.25 which also went ahead of Bekele’s previous second fastest time in marathon history (2:01:41).

Kiptum, who just missed Kipchoge'sworld record by 18 seconds, finished ahead of compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor, who set a new personal best time of 2:04:23, with Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola completing the podium places.

Kiptum threw the gauntlet shortly after the 30km mark and never looked back and it only remained a question of whether the athlete could potentially break the London course record (2:02.37) or world record both set by Kipchoge (2:01.09).

While the world record proved just a stretch for the youngster, the course record went down as the athlete finished almost three minutes ahead of Kamworor who himself tapped into the brilliance on display to lower his personal best by exactly one minute.

Amos Kipruto, the defending champion going into the race was unable to defend his title as he was nowhere in the top ten bracket in a race that saw Bekele fail to finish.

Men

1. Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) — 2:01:25

2. Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) — 2:04:23

3. Tamirat Tola (ETH) — 2:04:59

4. Leul Gebresilase (ETH) – -2:05:45

5. Seifu Tura (ETH) — 2:06:38

6. Emile Cairess (GBR) — 2:08:07

7. Brett Robinson (AUS) — 2:10:19

8. Phil Sesemann (GBR) — 2:10:23

9. Mo Farah (GBR) — 2:10:28

10. Chris Thompson (GBR) — 2:11:50

DNF. Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)