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A veteran athletics coach defends Ruth Chepng’etich's world record marathon addressing skepticism and praising her preparation.
Veteran Italian athletics coach Renato Canova has come out strongly in defense of Ruth Chepng’etich following her remarkable world record at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.
Chepng’etich stunned the running world by becoming the first woman in history to run a marathon in under two hours and 10 minutes, crossing the finish line in an astonishing 2:09:56.
This jaw-dropping performance shattered the previous world record of 2:11:53, set by Tigist Assefa at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, by nearly two minutes.
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However, despite the celebration surrounding this extraordinary achievement, some analysts, including athletics enthusiast Stephen Kerr, have expressed skepticism over the performance, questioning whether it was possible for Chepng’etich to shave off such a significant amount of time from Assefa’s previous record.
Kerr also raised concerns about the sudden progression in the 30-year-old Kenyan’s marathon career, suggesting it was improbable for her to clock a record-breaking time so drastically.
Responding to the skepticism, Canova, a renowned coach with decades of experience in long-distance running, refuted these doubts, emphasizing that Chepng’etich's record-breaking run was no fluke.
"I expected a clear attack on the world record. I expected something slightly better than Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa’s world record, just around 2:11:30. At the end, the performance was a surprise looking at the entity of the improvement," Canova told The Nairobian from his base in Italy.
"Without any doubt, the new shoe technology can give a good advantage (more for women than for men) in racing."
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Canova went on to explain that the impact of advanced footwear technology varies between athletes.
He acknowledged that some runners, classified as "high responders," could see improvements of up to three minutes thanks to shoe technology, while others might benefit by only a minute.
This, he stressed, depends on multiple factors, including an athlete’s running technique, weight, and stride mechanics.
"This happens because many situations, different among them, are involved in this advantage: running technique, weight of the athletes, morphology, combination of length and frequency of the strides," Canova explained.
Additionally, Canova pointed out that the nature of the marathon course itself plays a significant role in an athlete’s performance.
Chicago, where Chepng’etich made history, is known for being pancake-flat, with only 31 turns, making it ideal for fast times. This contrasts with more challenging courses like Boston or New York, which have hilly terrain requiring specialized training.
"For Chicago, Berlin, and Valencia, we have to do more speed in training...sometimes going on track too, while for Boston we need to use specific hilly training at high intensity," Canova said.
This tailored preparation allows runners like Chepng’etich to take full advantage of the flat course and set records.
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Another key factor in Chepng’etich’s success, according to Canova, is her experience and ability to listen to her body during training.
At 30 years old, Chepng’etich has been competing in marathons for years and knows how to prepare for high-intensity races.
"Ruth is 30 years old with a long experience in marathon; able to analyse the feeling of her body during her training so that she can decide herself which is the best workout to do and how long recovery needs after a high demanding training," Canova said.
Canova also dismissed concerns about the assistance Chepng’etich received from male pacemakers during the race.
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While male pacers are permitted and commonly used in major marathons, Canova highlighted that their role is not to give an unfair advantage but to help maintain a consistent pace, freeing the athlete from tactical decisions.
"The best athletes have personal pacers who can regulate their speed according to their feeling in every moment of the race," he said.
For future marathon world records, Canova believes it may be challenging for women to break the 2:05 barrier anytime soon, but he did not rule out further improvements from top talent.
He also noted that finding pacers capable of running fast enough to assist women at the very highest levels remains an ongoing challenge.
Importantly, Chepng’etich’s marathon achievements remain untainted by any allegations of doping.
She has never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and her world record is currently pending official ratification by World Athletics.
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