Kelvin Kiptum won the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:00:35, breaking the previous world record set by Eliud Kipchoge by 34 seconds.
As a result, Kiptum will receive a bonus of $50,000 (Sh7.4 million) for setting a new record, which is offered uniformly across all competitive divisions by the Chicago Marathon.
In addition to the bonus, Kiptum will also receive $100,000 (Sh14.8 million) for winning the race.
Overall, Kiptum's total earnings for winning the Chicago Marathon and setting a new world record will be $150,000 (Sh22.3 million).
This is a significant payday for Kiptum, who is only 23 years old and was running in only his third marathon.
Kiptum had not originally targeted the world record, but he knew it was within reach in the final kilometers of the race.
Kiptum's victory and world record at the Chicago Marathon mark a historic achievement in the sport of marathon running, bringing the possibility of a sub-two hour marathon under standard race conditions one step closer.
Eliud Kipchoge broke the sub-two hour time during the Ineos 1:59 challenge on October 12, 2019.
Kipchoge completed the challenge with an official time of 1:59:40.2, an average speed of 5.88 meters per second which translates to 21.2 km/h.
The Ineos Challenge was not an open competition, but rather an event designed with the specific goal of breaking the two-hour mark.
Despite not being an official world record, Kipchoge's achievement was still a historic moment and inspired many people around the world.
In 2022, Kipchoge set an official word record at the Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:01:09, which has now been broken by Kiptum.