Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya shattered the women’s marathon world record by nearly two minutes on Sunday, winning the Chicago Marathon in 2:09:56 and drawing inspiration from the late Kelvin Kiptum
The 30-year-old Chepngetich, now the first woman to win the Chicago Marathon three times, broke the previous record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa last year in Berlin.
“I’m so happy and proud of myself. This is a dream come true,” said Chepngetich, the 2019 world marathon champion. “I’ve fought hard, thinking about the world record, and now I’ve achieved it.”
Chepngetich, who also won the Chicago Marathon in 2021 and 2022, dedicated her victory to Kiptum, who set the men’s world record at last year’s race before tragically dying in a car accident four months later at the age of 24.
“The world record is back in Kenya, and I dedicate it to Kelvin Kiptum,” she said.
A moment of silence was observed for Kiptum at the start line, and race organizers handed out stickers with his record-breaking time of 2:00:35 for the 50,000 participants to wear on their bibs.
With Olympic champion Sifan Hassan absent, Chepngetich set a blistering pace, reaching the halfway point in 1:04:16, the fifth-fastest half marathon time ever by a woman.
“The weather was perfect, and I was well-prepared. The world record was on my mind,” Chepngetich said.
Ethiopian runner Sutume Kebede, who had previously trained with Kiptum, tried to keep up with Chepngetich but gradually fell behind.
At one point, Chepngetich was on pace to break the world record by more than three minutes. Though she slowed slightly in the final kilometers, she still comfortably beat her personal best by over five minutes.
Kebede finished second with a time of 2:17:32, while Kenya’s Irine Cheptai took third in 2:17:51.
– Korir Wins Men’s Race –
John Korir of Kenya claimed his first major marathon title, running a personal best of 2:02:44 in the men’s race.
The 27-year-old Korir finished ahead of Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa (2:04:39) and fellow Kenyan Amos Kipruto (2:04:50).
Korir was part of a seven-man leading group until the 30-kilometer mark, where he surged ahead, leaving his competitors behind after a steady start.
Four of the top five finishers were Kenyan, with Vincent Ngetich and Daniel Ebenyo missing the podium.
“It was amazing to run my personal best and win in Chicago,” Korir said, adding that Kiptum’s memory also motivated him. “Today, I was thinking of Kiptum, and I said, ‘If he could run under 2:01 last year, why not me?’ I had to believe in myself and do my best.”
Korir’s time is the second-fastest ever recorded in the Chicago Marathon.
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