Can Kiptum really match Kipchoge’s feat?

Kelvin Kiptum put in another awe-inspiring performance at Sunday’s London Marathon, knocking 12 seconds off the previous course record held by fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge.

The 23-year-old only ran his first marathon in December, clocking 2:01:53 in Valencia - the third-fastest time in history.

There is no doubt he’s turning heads, so just how good can he be? And what is the story behind his success?

Kiptum had an unconventional path to success. While many Kenyans fine-tuned their athletics skills on the track or cross-country course under the eyes of a coach, Kiptum’s introduction to the sport as a self-coached athlete was a local half-marathon in 2018.

His strategy paid off because aged just 23, he is not just a world marathon major winner but the second fastest man over the distance (his time of 2:01:25 was just 16 seconds slower than Eliud Kipchoge’s world record set in Berlin last September).

When he ran fast on his marathon debut in Valencia last year, posting the third fastest time ever, he found a coach who is willing to guide him.

That level of talent and ability obviously has to be guided. But he still ran the third fastest time ever, sort of on his own. That goes to show a level of discipline and a self-awareness.

He may have trained around other athletes so that he figured what work and what would wouldn’t. You understand how your body feels, when you need to rest, when you need to run hard, and you take it from there.

Kenyan athlete-turned-commentator Martin Keino, son of the great Kip Keino, said: “I was analysing his second half of the race and he ran so fast. He was sprinting in the last 400m which is a rarity for marathon runners. And it didn’t take that much out of him that he couldn’t walk afterwards. He could jog. You don’t normally see young athletes like Kiptum making a tremendous impact on the marathon that young without any track pedigree, but for some reason he’s made a huge impression on the long-distance races.”