Here is all you need to know about Kenyan long-distance runner Benson Kipruto including his age, height, career, bio and more
Under ideal racing conditions on the streets of the Japanese capital, Kenyan Benson Kipruto broke Eliud Kipchoge’s track record on Sunday by winning the men’s Tokyo Marathon in two hours, two minutes, and sixteen seconds.
Who is Kenyan runner Benson Kipruto as he wins the Tokyo Marathon 2024, biography, age, height, family, parents and shoes
Kenya won the first big race since the tragic death of their countrymen and world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, with Kipruto leading the way and Timothy Kiplagat finishing second (2:02:55) and Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich third (2:04:18).
Course records fall in Tokyo 🗼
🇰🇪's Benson Kipruto moves up to 5th on the marathon all time-list with 2:02:16 👏
🇪🇹's Sutume Kebede clocks 2:15:55, which puts her in 8th place on the all-time list. pic.twitter.com/H8ZJIqsor9
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) March 3, 2024
Who is Benson Kipruto?
Benson Kipruto is a long-distance runner from Kenya who was born on March 17, 1991 in Kenya. He is currently 32 years old who stands 5-foot-7 and weighs 125 pounds.
Growing up in Tolilet, a secluded village in Kenya’s North Rift, Kipruto frequently worked on a tiny farm growing maize and beans for his family’s consumption and sale.
He wears the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 “pulse mint” shoe.
A look at Benson Kipruto’s career
Benson set new course records in the 125th Boston Marathon in 2021 (2:09:51), the Chicago Marathon in 2022 (2:04:24), and the Tokyo Marathon in 2024 (2:02:16), when he finished first with his personal best time.
With speeds of 2:07:27 and 2:06:06, respectively, Kipruto came in third at the Boston Marathon in 2022 and 2023. He was 3 minutes behind fellow countryman Kelvin Kiptum, who set a new world record for the Chicago Marathon, in second place in 2023 despite recording a personal best time of 2:04:02. In addition to the 2021 Prague Marathon (2:10:16), he won the 2018 Toronto Waterfront Marathon (2:07:24).
Kipruto won the famous race in October 2021 after breaking away from the lead pack at mile 23 and running unopposed, finishing 46 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Lemi Berhanu.
It all started when Kipruto’s science instructor, who also worked as a gym teacher, urged him to give cross-country running a try when he was sixteen years old. Kipruto joined the squad and quickly established himself as a respectable runner, albeit not particularly exceptional.
His personal bests:
- Half marathon: 1:00:06 (Prague 2020)
- Marathon: 2:02:16 (Tokyo 2024)
His Marathon majors:
- 2021 Boston (Gold)
- 2022 Chicago (Gold)
- 2024 Tokyo (Gold)
- 2023 Chicago (Silver)
- 2022 Boston (Bronze)
- 2023 Boston (Bronze)
Benson Kipruto’s family
Unfortunelty, Benson lost his father at a very young age. At the time of his father’s death, he was a year old. Kipruto was raised by a single mother alongside his four other siblings. Their family initially struggled financially.