Kenyan runner to run in honor of late Kelvin Kiptum at 2024 Chicago marathon

 

Kelvin Kiptum

This Sunday, the street of Chicago will be a bustle of activities as athletes put their best feet forward for top honors at the Chicago Marathon.

 

Amongst them is the 2022 London Marathon champion Amos Kipruto who is making a comeback having been away from the global stage following an injury.

 

Kipruto is determined to make a point at the 2024 Chicago marathon on Sunday, October 13 after a year hampered by injuries and personal struggles.

Amos Kipruto in a past race.Photo/courtesy

 He is entering the race not just with a desire to win, but with added emotional motivation, to run in honor of the late world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum.Kiptum passed away last year in a road accident.

 

Kiptum’s death shook the running community, and Kipruto, a close friend and fellow Kenyan, wants to use the race as a tribute.

 

"This race is special for me. I want to honor Kelvin’s memory with a strong performance. He was a friend and an inspiration to many." Said Kipruto.

 

Kipruto who is the 2019 World Marathon Championships bronze medalist revealed that an injury in early 2024 kept him sidelined for much of the season, forcing him to withdraw from races, including the London Marathon, where he had hoped to defend his 2022 title.

 

"Now, I am focused on the next race. I am back and injury-free. “He said.

Kipruto’s journey back to fitness has not been easy and the athlete candidly shared how his physical setbacks also affected him mentally.

 

“In 2020, I got a tendon tear injury and I went through some low moments. I felt like I had more to prove after winning in London, but the injuries and the uncertainty that followed were challenging.”

 

The Chicago Marathon is set to be Kipruto's first major marathon race since his 2023 Berlin Marathon disappointment, where he was unable to reclaim the form that had made him a champion in London.