Ruth Chepngetich dedicates record-breaking Chicago Marathon victory to Kelvin Kiptum

Ruth Chepngetich dedicates record-breaking Chicago Marathon victory to Kelvin Kiptum

Evans Ousuru 05:45 - 14.10.2024

Ruth Chepngetich has dedicated her record-breaking performance to Kelvin Kiptum after claiming her third Chicago Marathon victory in fine fashion.

Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich took almost two minutes off the world record at the Chicago Marathon by clocking 2:09:56 on Sunday.

Not only did she obliterate Tigist Assefa’s world record of 2:11:53, set in Berlin last year, Chepngetich also notched up her third Chicago Marathon victory and chopped more than four minutes off her previous best of 2:14:18, set when winning here in 2022.

“I feel so great. I’m very proud of myself. This is my dream. I fought a lot, thinking about the world record. The world record has come back to Kenya, and I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum,” she said.

Chepngetich’s intent was clear from the start. She breezed through the first 5km in 15:00 and had Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede for company, and then reached 10km in an astonishing 30:14 with Kebede still just two seconds behind. Chepngetich continued her relentless pace and hit the half-way mark in an incredible 1:04:16, the fifth-fastest clocking in history for the half marathon distance and putting her on course for a sub-2:09 finish.

Kebede had started to drop behind, but she was still operating well inside the world record pace, reaching the half-way point in 1:04:30, three minutes ahead of Joyciline Jepkosgei. The gap between Chepngetich and Kebede continued to grow throughout the second half. The pace of both women dropped, Kebede’s more so than Chepngetic, and by 30km (1:31:49) the Kenyan had a lead of almost two minutes over her Ethiopian rival.

Chepngetich's next 10km was covered in 31:22, which was her slowest of the race so far, but still remarkably quick and enough to increase her leading margin to more than six minutes.

With little more than two kilometres left to run, she was still well inside the world record pace, the likelihood of breaking it increasing with every step. Spurred on by her memories of the 2022 race, when she missed out on the world record by just 14 seconds, Chepngetich powered through the final stages and crossed the line in 2:09:57, becoming the first woman to break 2:10.

Kebede held on for second place in 2:17:32 while Kenya’s Irine Cheptai came through for third place in 2:17:52.