Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich rewrote marathon history on Sunday in Chicago, becoming the first woman to break the 2:10 barrier. She set a new world record with a remarkable time of 2:09:56, smashing the previous mark of 2:11:53, set just a month earlier by Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa.
This victory was Chepngetich’s third Chicago Marathon win, adding to her already stellar career. After the race, she expressed her elation, saying, “I feel so great. I’m very proud of myself. This is my dream.” Reflecting on the journey, she dedicated the record to fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, the men’s world record holder who tragically passed away earlier this year at 24, following a road accident. Kiptum had set the men’s marathon world record in Chicago just last year.
Chepngetich’s achievement is pending the usual ratification process by World Athletics, but the feat has already cemented her place in marathon history.
Following her record-breaking run, she celebrated by waving the Kenyan flag and sharing her joy with the crowd, savoring the moment after coming so close to the record in 2022 when she missed it by just 14 seconds, also in Chicago. This year, her dominance was clear, as only nine runners in the men’s race finished ahead of her.
From early in the race, Chepngetich surged ahead of the pack, with only Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede briefly staying in contention. In the end, Kebede finished second in 2:17:32, nearly eight minutes behind Chepngetich. Kenya’s Irine Cheptai rounded out the podium in third place, finishing 20 seconds behind Kebede.
The men’s race was equally exciting, with Kenya’s John Korir taking the win in 2:02:43, the second-fastest time ever recorded in Chicago, following Kiptum’s world record of 2:00:35 last year. Ethiopia’s Huseydin Mohamed Esa finished in second place, trailing Korir by just over two minutes, while Kenya’s Amos Kipruto claimed third with a time of 2:04:50.
In the wheelchair division, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug successfully defended his men’s title, winning in 1:25:54 after a thrilling sprint finish. Meanwhile, his compatriot Catherine Debrunner set a new course record in the women’s wheelchair race, crossing the line in 1:36:21.
Chepngetich’s record-breaking performance has raised the bar for women’s marathon running, cementing her legacy as one of the sport’s greats.
