Kiptum joins Kipyegon in race for Athlete of the Year award

Newly crowned Chicago Marathon champion who managed an astonishing 2:00:35 to break the world record in only his third race in the classic distance, Kelvin Kiptum, has been nominated for this year’s World Athletics Athlete of the Year award.

The 23-year-old who was racing his second marathon this year joins track queen and multiple world record holder Faith Kipyegon who made the women’s list for the same award whose winners will be revealed on World Athletics’ social media platforms on 11 December.

Faith Kipyegon nominated for 2023 World Female Athlete Of The Year award

Kiptum has been on record breaking form since he took the world by storm last year, running the fastest ever marathon debut at the 2022 Valencia Marathon to become only the third man in history to break two hours and two minutes and setting the then fourth-quickest time ever.

His nomination, however comes courtesy of his 2023 exploits where, four months after his debut race, he ran the then second fastest marathon in history at 2:01:25, 16 seconds outside the world record, in a debut at a World Marathon Major at the 2023 London Marathon.

The next race was in Chicago on Sunday 8 October where he broke Eliud Kipchoge’s world record by 34 seconds with a time of 2:00:35. Approaching the 2-hour barrier, Kiptum was only two seconds short of becoming the first man to run this distance at an average speed greater than 21 km/h.

He has good company in the race for the award as the 11-man list has world beaters led by javelin star Neeraj Chopra, shot put maestro Ryan Crouser the awe-inspiring Mondo Duplantis, the man who has wrestled the steeplechase from Kenya’s previously firm grip Soufiane El Bakalli, the fastest man 100m and 200m in this year’s world championships Noah Lyles among others.

Nominees 

Neeraj Chopra, IND, javelin

· World champion

· Asian Games champion

Ryan Crouser, USA, shot put

· World champion

· World record

Mondo Duplantis, SWE, pole vault

· World champion

· Diamond League champion with world record

Soufiane El Bakkali, MAR, 3000m steeplechase

· World champion

· Undefeated in six finals

Jakob Ingebrigtsen, NOR, 1500m/mile/5000m

· World 5000m champion and 1500m silver medalist

· European records for 1500m, mile and 3000m

Kelvin Kiptum, KEN, marathon

· London and Chicago Marathon winner

· Marathon world record breaker

Pierce LePage, CAN, decathlon

· World champion

· World leader

Noah Lyles, USA, 100m/200m

· World 100m and 200m champion

· World leader and undefeated in six finals at 200m

Alvaro Martin, ESP, race walk

· World 20km and 35km race walk champion

· World leader 20km race walk

Miltiadis Tentoglou, long jump

· World champion

· European Indoor champion

Karsten Warholm, NOR, 400m hurdles/400m

· World 400m hurdles champion

· European indoor 400m champion