Chicago Marathon's Tribute To Late Defending Champion

^{Oct 9, 2024 | Edition #35}

👋 Hey, Speedsters!

Let’s just say track and field never fails to surprise us. A year ago, today, the late Kenyan athlete, Kelvin Kiptum achieved a superlative feat, before a tragic twist in the tale cut short his career. And while his legacy is set to be honored at the Chicago Marathon this Sunday, did you know he wore a 'super shoe,' which turned out to be a game-changer?

That’s not all. Until Monday, we thought it was just Usain Bolt who was rolling with the punches, but now it turns out the whole of IOC is! Yes, a recurring problem has put the International Olympic Committee's reputation in jeopardy.

Let’s dive in!

📜 QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t win’ is you and you don’t have to listen.”

— Jessica Ennis-Hill

In today’s newsletter, we’ll uncover these top stories from Track & Field universe:

🫡 Chicago Marathon Remembers Late Kelvin Kiptum

🫢 Japanese Giants Abandon Olympic Deals!

💪🏻 Shelly-Ann Inspiring Youngsters!

🌟 Track Champion’s Final Win in Nike Shoes

🫡 TRIBUTE TO

Chicago Marathon's Tribute To Late Defending Champion

ON THIS DAY, the 45th edition of the Chicago Marathon took over the Windy City last year. Unfortunately, it was the last Kelvin Kiptum ever ran. In February 2024, Kiptum, 24, and his coach lost their lives in a tragic road accident in Western Kenya after their car veered off into a ditch. Thus, we could not witness what the future of long-distance running would have looked like in Kiptum’s presence. And neither did his ambitious plans for 2024, at the Rotterdam Marathon or the Paris Olympics materialize. But we luckily saw a glimpse of his promising potential.

Until late 2023, no male marathon runner had completed the entire 42+km marathon course in under 2 hours and 1 minute. But Kiptum defied the odds! He made the Chicago run one to remember by clocking a world record in 2:00.35, lowering the all-time great Eliud Kipchoge's bar by 34 seconds! Well, he had looked good throughout the season, starting with a blazing 2:01.23 run in London, the second-fastest in the world then. Thus, in April this year, the London Marathon gave him a tribute with a 30-second applause.

However, this Sunday, the organizers of the Chicago Marathon plan to follow the norm. They plan to give every runner a memorial sticker, which they may place on their bibs. Moreover, before they flag off the race from Grant Park, a moment of silence shall be observed in Kiptum’s memory. Third, a special exhibit at the pre-race expo will showcase pictures and memorabilia from Kiptum’s commendable wins. And finally, the organizers have also documented a tribute video, wherein they say, "This year, we run for him!"

Read Full Article: Chicago Marathon Plans to Honor Late Record-Holder Kiptum

📊 POLL OF THE DAY

Last Poll’s Result: In our last edition, we asked you, Which Country Has Won the Most Medals in Olympic Track and Field Events? And nearly half of you guessed it right, with 47.06% voting for the US. With a whopping 827 medals in Olympic track and field events, the United States tops the charts, beating out all other nations by a landslide!

🗣️DEBATE OF THE DAY

IOC Sponsorship Shock: Japan's Big 3 Withdraw

The exodus continues! 37 years later, Panasonic is finally calling it quits, alongside Toyota and Bridgestone, as 3 of the Top 15 sponsors are now unwilling to renew the contract with the International Olympic Committee. While the Japanese sponsors had once been dominant, their primacy has been questionable ever since the IOC exhibited an interest in Middle Eastern and Asian partners.

The fallout started at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which was an operational blunder. The Games were fraught with corruption (the Dentsu scam), lack of on-site visibility for the brands, no public, and a year-long delay. There were also allegations of contract awarding, cost overruns, and politicians, making it impossible for sponsors to implement their marketing plans. Also, the Olympics having a clean logo policy required corporate logos not to be seen in competition zones. Lastly, speculations of alleged vote-buying go as far back as 2013 when the IOC decided to finalize Tokyo as the host city.

But what have the Big 3 cited? Bridgestone says it wishes to focus more on ‘motorsports.’ Toyota mentioned the IOC's misuse of the sponsorship funds and the increased politicization of the Games. And Panasonic cited that they continually review how sponsorships should evolve with management considerations.

However, now that Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics president, is running for the IOC elections, things may change for the better. He did not mince his words against Russia while hailing the Olympics for being too strong. Also, his prize money announcement for the track Olympic Champions shows a focus on athletes, something that Toyota wants. Moreover, he cleaned the WA's image after President Lamine Diack. Hopefully, he will do the same with Thomas Bach and the IOC.

Read Full Article: Big Sponsors Leaving International Olympic Committee Over Corruption and Lack of Athlete Support

📽️ VIDEO VAULT

Shelly-Ann’s Paris Olympics Humiliation!

At 37, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was ready for her last dance in Paris. But, if anyone had their name written on that gold medal, it was her. However, a last-minute lapse fizzled her momentum or did she really sustain an injury? Here’s what she had to say, putting an end to all the rumors. Spare a few minutes to find out!

🏅BEYOND THE MEDALS

Shelly-Ann's Initiative to Empower Jamaican Youth

Jamaican 'mommy rocket' Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a mother, an Olympic veteran, and a nation builder! We say this because she's quite big on community-focused initiatives. And recently, her SFP 'Pocket Rocket Foundation,' running since 2013 to uplift the Jamaican youth, announced the return of a great initiative.

The foundation is set to hold the 'PeaceThroughSports' Football Competition 2024, registrations for which open this week. Aimed at fostering a sense of camaraderie, teamwork, and discipline among youngsters, this event helps reach the larger goal of community development. Usually hosted in Waterhouse, this event features an opening ceremony, a Dress Parade too, an in-house DJ to set the tone, and delicious snacks for the children. In fact, last year, on the Foundation's 10th anniversary, this football competition returned after a 3-year gap, sponsored by the petroleum giant Fesco.

And again this year, the competition’s primary goal is to drive a larger impact. Well, for more than a decade, Shelly-Ann has worked to provide 73 scholarships to student-athletes across sports like track and field, volleyball, etc. Now she expands the ambit to football too with this outreach step. Truly, it's great to see how Jamaican athletes are channeling their inner philanthropists (Elaine Thompson-Herah through The FastElaine Foundation) and are working relentlessly to give back to the community.

Read Full Article: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Reveals Heartfelt Vision Behind Her Latest Community Project in Jamaica

📈TRENDING NEWS

Kelvin Kiptum's Final Triumph in Nike

Kelvin Kiptum's World Record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon was literally the talk of the town! But what if we tell you an accessory came quite close to stealing that thunder? Well, Kiptum's 'super shoes,' really helped him take flight that afternoon, as though propelled by a booster. He was wearing Nike's Alphafly 3 prototype, which was the most recent addition to the brand's high-performance sneaker collection. And from what is known of the specifications, the pair was infused with cutting-edge innovation.

Unlike the previous versions, say the Zoom Vaporfly 4, the Alphafly 3 took it a notch higher. The upper body was still designed using Nike's AtomKnit fabric, but the sole was revamped to a continuous outsole and midsole version, instead of a split one, which made the heel-to-toe transitions smoother. And the ZoomX foam was given a thicker form, which provided a solid anchor. Even, the rest of the body was more streamlined, making it the lightest Alphafly then. In fact, Kiptum and Sifan Hassan were the first to wear this at the Chicago Marathon, in October 2023, for the sneaker actually released in January 2024, costing around £275.

Although Kiptum's Alphafly 3 did not break the mold, many athletes wearing famous shoes had already been trendsetters in this zone. Say, Tigist Assefa set a new world record at 2:11.53 in the women's marathon running event in Berlin, while she wore Adidas' Adios Pro Evo 1. Also, just two weeks earlier, Eliud Kipchoge had won the men's marathon event at the same Berlin Marathon chapter, wearing the Nike Alphafly NEXT% 3 prototype. But Kiptum was a cut above, for the shoes had helped him glide to a new sub 2:01 world record, proving their impeccable performance quality, tested over 2-hour in real-time conditions. Thus, they were popularly labeled Kiptum's world-record-setting shoes!

Read Full Article: Nike's Alphafly 3 Super Shoe Has Changed the Game

📝 STORIES YOU SHOULDN’T MISS!

1. Noah Lyles Younger Brother Josephus On How Mental Health Focus Improved His Track Performance - Full Story

2. Noah Lyles’s Mom Opens Up on What Accelerated Olympic Gold Medalist Into the Sport - Full Story

3. Allyson Felix’s New Venture Set to Revolutionize Track & Field and Other Sports for Good - Full Story

4. Gabby Thomas Halts Vacation for Track & Field Decision - Full Story

5. Justin Gatlin Sends Special Message to Women Athletes - Full Story

6. Noah Lyles’ Mother Kept Another Diagnosis From Him as a Kid - Full Story

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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