Kibiwott Kandie, the former world half marathon record holder, is setting his sights on breaking the marathon world record held by Kelvin Kiptum. Despite not being among the top 10 fastest marathoners globally, Kandie is confident in his ability to lower the current world record time of 2:00:35, set by Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. This achievement surpassed the previous record of 2:01:09 set by Eliud Kipchoge in the 2022 Berlin Marathon.
Kandie’s personal best in the marathon stands at 2:06:46, which he achieved during the 2024 Berlin Marathon, where he finished 13th. With this as his benchmark, Kandie is now gearing up for an attempt at the world record, choosing the Valencia Marathon as his target event. His decision to focus on Valencia is rooted in his past success on the course, having set a world record in the half marathon there in 2020 with a time of 57:32. While that record was later broken by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo in 2021, and then further lowered by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in 2024, Kandie’s affinity for the Valencia course remains strong.
The Valencia Marathon, while not yet producing a world record, is renowned for its fast times, and Kandie believes his familiarity with the course will give him a competitive edge. He has won the Valencia Half Marathon twice, in 2022 with a time of 58:10 and in 2023 with a time of 57:40. These performances, along with his past success in Valencia, provide him with confidence as he looks to tackle the marathon distance.
Kandie acknowledges that breaking the marathon world record will require significant commitment and dedication. He has expressed his intent to focus on increasing his mileage and training more intensely in preparation for the record attempt. As part of his preparation, Kandie has moved his training base from Iten to Ngong, a shift he believes will be beneficial for building the stamina and strength needed for road races. The terrain in Ngong offers a different challenge compared to Iten, and Kandie is confident that this change will help him improve his endurance.
Kandie’s first marathon of 2025 will be the Seoul Marathon, scheduled for March 16. He views this race as an important step in his journey toward achieving his marathon goals, using it as a build-up to more explosive results later in the year. His ultimate target is the Valencia Marathon, which he hopes will be the stage for his world record attempt.
In the meantime, Kandie has already made a strong start to his 2025 season, securing a dominant victory at the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Cross Country Championships. This victory signals his full transition to road racing, with his track appearances now limited to his obligations with his employer. With his sights firmly set on the marathon world record, Kandie’s preparation and determination will be key to his success in the months ahead.
