Kenyan Glory: Ruth Chepngetich Shatters Women’s Marathon World Record
By The the Public Lens
Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya made history at the Chicago Marathon, shattering the women’s world record with a stunning time of 2:09:56.
Chepngetich dominated the competition, taking the lead by the halfway mark and cruising to her third Chicago Marathon title.
Her remarkable performance eclipsed Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa’s previous record of 2:11:53, set in Berlin last year.
Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede finished second, seven minutes and 36 seconds behind Chepngetich.
Kenyan Irine Cheptai secured third place with a time of 2:17:51.
Chepngetich dedicated her victory to Kelvin Kiptum, who set the men’s world record in Chicago last year.
“The world record has come back to Kenya, and I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum,” Chepngetich said.
Runners honored Kiptum’s memory with a moment’s silence and wore stickers displaying his record-breaking time.
Chepngetich’s blistering pace saw her reach the halfway point in 1:04:16, the fifth-quickest half-marathon time in history.
Perfect weather conditions and meticulous preparation fueled her record-breaking achievement.
Chepngetich built a 14-second lead by the halfway mark and continued to gain momentum.
Her exhaustion was evident as she crossed the finish line, but she later expressed her affection for Chicago, calling it “home”.
Compatriot John Korir secured the men’s title with a time of 2:02:44.
Korir edged Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa and Kenyan Amos Kipruto.
Korir credited Kiptum’s memory as motivation, saying, “Today I was thinking about Kiptum, and I said, ‘Why not me?'”.
Korir’s impressive performance marked the second-fastest time ever recorded in Chicago.
Kenyan runners dominated the top five spots, solidifying their nation’s reputation as a distance-running powerhouse.
