Evan Kim became a sensation in the US after finishing first in the under-19 age group at the Ventura Marathon on February 25th with a time of 2 hours and 58 minutes, and is now aiming for the 2028 Olympics.
Kim, a sixth-grade student standing at 1.52m tall, hasn't decided what she wants to do in the future. She'd like to become a primary school teacher, but she might also pursue a career in sports . Her greatest joy right now is running.
Running seems to be Evan Kim's destiny. He was named after the 2011 Tour de France cycling champion, Cadel Evans. His father, MK, 49, is a former pole vaulter at Duke University. He is now a running coach and holds a marathon time of 2 hours and 51 minutes. This record is very likely to be broken by Kim later this year when he aims for a sub-2 hour and 48 minute time at the California International Marathon in December. Evan's older brother, Cole, and sister, Haven, are also marathon runners.
Kim reached the sub-3 marathon milestone when she was just 12 years old. Photo: LA Times
At just 12 years old, Kim possessed the willpower of a long-distance runner. At the Ventura Marathon, she suffered cramps at kilometer 32 but didn't give up. "Stay strong," she silently chanted to herself and continued her stride. As a result, Kim finished second among the female runners at the Ventura Marathon, with a time of 2 hours and 58 minutes, achieving a pace of 4:13. Her performance was at least an hour faster than any other female runner under 20.
Although Kim's achievement is impressive, she hasn't yet qualified for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. To qualify for this competition, runners need to reach a time of 2 hours and 37 minutes. The time of the 2020 Olympic marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir, was 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 20 seconds. But she aims to compete in the next Olympics, in Los Angeles in 2028.
Numerous statistics highlight Kim's remarkable achievement. Only 21% of female runners worldwide complete a full marathon in under four hours, and only 1% of women run in under three hours. The record for the 12-year-old marathon, regardless of gender, was set by German male runner Manuela Zipse in 1986 with a time of 2 hours and 54 minutes.
Kim's father and coach, MK, said she started running very early. Kim wasn't naturally gifted with exceptional physical abilities. Her lung capacity was smaller than other children's, but it increased over time as she trained seven days a week. MK's children were always inspired to walk every morning and then transition into running. Cole started at age 11, and Kim at six. Initially, she ran a few kilometers, and then at age 10, Kim asked her father to let her run a marathon.
"I want to run a marathon like my brother. Running with him is so much fun, and I want to participate in races like Cole's," Kim said. Cole also participated in the Ventura Marathon and finished one minute faster than his sister. "I'm quite envious, but I hope to surpass his time someday," Kim added.
MK is planning to guide Kim towards breaking the marathon record for the age of 12 later this year. He is also seeking permission from the Boston Marathon organizers for his daughter to participate starting next year, even though the minimum age requirement for the race is 18.
"We feel discriminated against because Evan has proven she is capable of running safely by completing four marathons, including three that earned points for the Boston Marathon," MK said. To qualify for the 2025 Boston Marathon, an 18-year-old female athlete needs to achieve a time of 3 hours and 30 minutes between September 2023 and September 2024. MK argues that the rule prohibiting young athletes from participating in marathons is similar to when women were banned from running marathons before the 1972 Boston Marathon.
Pediatricians say there isn't enough information to definitively say whether marathon running is safe for children, although science has shown that young people's bodies need time to mature before reaching adult athletic capacity. Furthermore, whether children can handle the psychological stress of marathon running is also a matter of debate.
A study conducted from 1982 to 2007 on 310 teenagers aged seven to 17 showed that only four of them experienced medical problems while running marathons. This rate was lower than for adults, and none of those injuries were serious. MK stated that Kim had never suffered any injuries during training and competition.
American sports medicine doctor Brian Krabak said that whether children are at risk when running a marathon depends on many factors, but this can be mitigated with close monitoring and a balanced training plan. "The important thing is that the child themselves is motivated to run a marathon, not pressured by the adults around them," he said.
Kim (center) runs every day with her father and siblings. Photo: LA Times
Before Kim, many children had completed marathons around the world. In 2022, six-year-old Rainier Crawford conquered a marathon in Cincinnati. His parents later filmed it and posted it online, but it drew criticism. At the time, Olympic marathon runner Kara Goucher wrote on Twitter : "A six-year-old won't understand what it means to struggle, and he won't know that when that happens, he always has the right to stop."
In Kim's family, running is like a daily routine. Every weekend, the whole family jogs together for about 11 km at a pace of approximately 6:00 (six minutes per kilometer). This sight has become familiar to the locals. They often wave to Kim's family when they meet them on the street. Mr. MK, a single father, has been documenting these moments for over a year.
Kim candidly admits that she doesn't always enjoy running and sometimes, during races, she feels bad. However, like adult runners, despite the difficulties of training and competing, Kim continues. She enjoys the feeling at the end of each race, when she finishes and cheers on the other runners.
Thuy Hanh (according to the Los Angeles Times )
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