Who is Benson Kipruto? Know about the Kenyan marathon runner who shattered Eliud Kipchoge’s record to clinch the Tokyo Marathon title

Benson Kipruto is a Kenyan long-distance runner who recently shattered legendary runner Eliud Kipchoge's record at the Tokyo Marathon.

Kipruto has secured six World Major Marathon medals, including three gold, one silver and two bronze medals. The 32-year-old recently secured the Tokyo Marathon title in the men’s elite race after recording a time of 2:02:16.

He achieved this historic feat after smashing the two-time Olympic gold medalist's previous record of 2:02:40, which Kipchoge set in 2022. Kipruto shaved off 24 seconds from Kipchoge's previous record to secure the title of the 2024 season's first Major Marathon on Sunday, March 3.

In 2021, the Kenyan long-distance runner secured his first Major Marathon title at the Boston Marathon after recording 2:09.51 to finish ahead of two Ethiopian runners, Lemi Berhanu and Jemal Yimer.

Later in April 2022, Kipruto secured third place behind two fellow Kenyan runners, Evans Chebet and Lawrence Cherono, at the Boston Marathon, clocking 2:07.27. In October of the same year, he bettered his time to 2:04.24 to clinch the 44th Chicago Marathon title by finishing ahead of Seifu Tura Abdiwak and John Korir.

During the 2023 season, Benson Kipruto finished on the podium in two World Major Marathons including the Chicago and Boston Marathons. At the Chicago Marathon, he recorded 2:04.02 to finish second behind the late Kelvin Kiptum, who then registered a world record time of 2:00.35. At the Boston Marathon, he finished behind Chebet and Gabriel Geay to clock 2:06.06.

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"I didn’t know that it would be a course record" - Benson Kipruto expresses joy on registering a course record at the 2024 Tokyo Marathon

Benson Kipruto of Kenya reacts after winning the 125th Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.

The Kenyan runners dominated the 2024 Tokyo Marathon, with Benson Kipruto finishing first and Timothy Kiplagat (2:02:55) and Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (2:04:18) finishing in the next two places.

Kipruto, who previously recorded his personal best of 2:04.02 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, expressed delight at recording a course record. Speaking to WorldAthletics.com, he said:

"I didn’t know that it would be a course record but I am so happy with today’s run, I was ready. I knew it was so fast. I trained for it and I was ready for everything that could come."

Kipruto also expressed concern for Kenyan legend, Eliud Kipchoge, saying:

"I don’t know what happened to (Kipchoge) and I haven’t met him up until now."

"I’m so happy for the course record today. It was fast enough for a record and I’m happy about today," he added.