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Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum who holds the current marathon world record at 2:00:35 will continue on his quest to break the two-hour benchmark. He will attempt the feat next on April 14 in the Rotterdam Marathon.

“I want to return here to run fast,” said Kiptum in a NN Running Media Release. “This course lends itself to fast times. I would like to be a part of the rich history of this marathon. I will try to at least beat my world record here.”

Kiptum ran 2:00:35 during the 2023 Chicago Marathon in October. The 24-year-old busted onto the scene with a 2:01:53 performance during the 2022 Valencia Marathon for the win. In April 2023, he won the London Marathon in the time of 2:01:25. Kiptum has gone three-for-three in the win column. In the process, he has surpassed Eliud Kipchoge as the greatest marathon runner.

On February 6, World Athletics announced that the worldwide governing body had ratified the Chicago performance as the official world record.

Kiptum will be running in the 2024 Paris Olympic Marathon. It will be a showdown between the current and former world record holder. Kipchoge 2:01:09 will be seeking his third Olympic gold medal in the marathon. He earned a 2016 Rio win on a 2:08:44 performance in the heat, then in even warmer temperatures clocked a 2:08:38 win in Sapporo, during the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. In November, he turns 40 years of age.

Rotterdam Marathon

The course of the NN Marathon Rotterdam is known as one of the fastest in the world. In the past, no fewer than three world records have been set. The Dutch record is held by Abdi Nageeye, who crossed the finish line on the heroic Coolsingel in 2022 with a time of 02:04:56. The Dutch record is held by Nienke Brinkman who crossed the finish line in 2022 with a time of 02:22:51.

The course maps will be updated prior to the event.

Course records NN Marathon Rotterdam
Bashir Abdi (M) – 2:03:36 (2021) Belgium (fmr Somalia)
Tiki Gelana (F) – 2:18:58 (2012) Ethiopia