Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich smashes women’s marathon world record

CHICAGO – Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich put on a performance for the ages as she obliterated the women’s marathon world record in Chicago on Oct 13, taking nearly two minutes off the previous best to win in an unofficial time of 2hr 9min 56sec.

Chepngetich ditched the competition by the halfway mark and ran through a chorus of cheers through the final straight as she claimed her third title in Chicago and crushed Ethiopian Tigst Assefa’s previous record of 2:11:53, set in Berlin in 2023.

Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede crossed the line in 2:17:32 for second place, while Kenyan Irine Cheptai (2:17:51) was third.

“This is my dream that has come true,” said the 30-year-old Chepngetich, whose time was originally recorded as 2:09:57 but was later adjusted.

Chepngetich set a blistering pace from the start, running the first 5km in 15min flat and by the halfway mark, she had built a 14sec cushion between herself and Kebede.

Television commentators were astonished as she ground through the course, comparing her attempt at a sub-2:10 marathon to the moon landing, and she seemed to only gain momentum as she sprinted through the final 2km.

Chepngetich, the 2019 world champion, hunched over in utter exhaustion after breaking the tape and dedicated her performance to compatriot Kelvin Kiptum, who broke the men’s world record a year ago in Chicago and

died in a car crash in Kenya four months later.

“World record was in my mind,” she said in televised remarks. “Chicago, as I said in the press, is like home.”

John Korir of Kenya, who won the men’s title after running a personal-best 2:02:44, also paid an emotional tribute to Kiptum.

The 27-year-old claimed his first major marathon victory, finishing ahead of Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa (2:04:39) and another Kenyan, Amos Kipruto (2:04:50).

Korir was part of a seven-man group at the head of the course 30km in before he hit the accelerator and shed his rivals.

Four of the top five were Kenyans, with Vincent Ngetich finishing fourth and Daniel Ebenyo in fifth place.

“It was really nice to run my PB and win in Chicago,” said Korir, adding that he used Kiptum’s world record run at the same event in 2023 as a source of motivation.

“Today I was thinking about Kiptum and I said ‘last year if he could run under 2:01, why not me?’ So I had to believe in myself and try to do my best.”

Kiptum

set the world record in 2:00:35 in Chicago in October 2023

but died at the age of 24 in a car accident in his native Kenya in February.

It came just months before the much-anticipated maiden showdown with compatriot Eliud Kipchoge, the 2016 and 2020 Olympic champion, at the Paris Games in August. REUTERS, AFP