Kenya’s Chepngetich smashes women’s marathon world record

New York — Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich put on a performance for the ages as she obliterated the women’s marathon world record in Chicago on Sunday, taking nearly 2min 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 2023 in Berlin.

Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede crossed the line 7min 36sec later while Kenyan Irine Cheptai (2:17:51) was third.

“This is my dream that has come true,” said 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 grinded through the course, comparing her attempt at a sub-2:10 marathon to the moon landing, and she only seemed to gain momentum as she sprinted through the final two miles.

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 four months later.

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

Reuters