“Did that just happen?” A historic barrier “has fallen” as a freak “destruction” signals a new era.
Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya shattered the women’s world record by nearly two minutes, winning the Chicago Marathon in 2:09:56 on Sunday, drawing inspiration from the late Kelvin Kiptum.
The 30-year-old Chepngetich, now the first three-time women’s winner in Chicago, broke the previous world record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa last year in Berlin.
“I feel so great, I’m proud of myself. This is my dream that has come true,” said Chepngetich, the 2019 world marathon champion. “I’ve fought a lot, thinking about the world record and I have fulfilled it.”
Chepngetich, who also won in Chicago in 2021 and 2022, dedicated her victory to Kiptum, who set the men’s world record last year, four months before he tragically passed away in a car accident at 24.
“The world record has come back to Kenya, and I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum,” Chepngetich said.
Runners held a moment of silence for Kiptum before the race, and organisers distributed stickers with his record-breaking time of 2:00:35 for the 50,000 participants to wear on their race bibs.
In the absence of Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, last year’s Chicago winner, Chepngetich set a blistering pace early, reaching the halfway mark 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 in my mind,” said Chepngetich, who had finished second to Hassan the previous year.
Ethiopian Sutume Kebede, a former training partner of Kiptum’s, tried to keep pace but gradually fell behind. At one point, Chepngetich was on track to beat the record by over three minutes. Although she slowed slightly in the final kilometers, she still beat her personal best by more than four minutes, which she set two years ago.
Kebede finished second in 2:17:32, and Kenyan Irine Cheptai came third in 2:17:52. Joyciline Jepkosgei, a former London and New York champion, lagged behind and finished fifth at 2:20:51.
Korir triumphs in men’s race –
John Korir of Kenya claimed his first major marathon title, winning the men’s race with a personal best of 2:02:43. The 27-year-old finished ahead of Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa (2:04:39) and Kenyan Amos Kipruto (2:04:50).
Korir, part of a seven-man lead group at the 30-kilometer mark, surged ahead after a cautious start, leaving his competitors behind.
Four of the top five finishers were Kenyan, with Vincent Ngetich and Daniel Ebenyo just missing the podium.
“It was really nice to run my PB and win in Chicago,” said Korir, adding that he too was motivated by Kiptum. “Today I was thinking about Kiptum and I said, ‘last year if he could run under 2:01, why not me?’ So I had to believe in myself and try to do my best.” Korir’s time was the second-fastest ever in Chicago.
