The Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich stormed into a new marathon dimension with a world record time. With her victory in Chicago in 2:09:57 hours, she sensationally improved the incredible best time set by the Ethiopian Tigist Assefa in Berlin a little over a year ago by around two minutes. Assefa crossed the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate in September 2023 in a breathtaking 2:11:53 hours. Chepngetich now wrote a new chapter in marathon history. “That was my dream and it came true,” said the winner. “I am very grateful.”
Like Kenyan Brigid Kosgei in her world record in 2019, Chepngetich also used the fast track in Chicago. The 30-year-old had already won the prestigious marathon in 2021 and 2022. Two years ago she missed the then world record of 2:14:18 by just 14 hundredths of a second. This time the athlete achieved her celebrated coup, supported by modern shoe technology and pacemakers. The time of the World Champion in Doha 2019 would have been unimaginable for a long time. Assefa caused great astonishment in Berlin a year ago. Chepngetich tackled the lucrative race extremely quickly, initially even setting a course for an incredible 2:06 hours.
In the men’s race, Kenyan John Korir won the top-class race. A year after the world record was set by Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a car accident in February, Korir crossed the finish line in 2:02:43 minutes. Kiptum’s world record is 2:00:35 hours. The 27-year-old Korir increased the pace impressively in the second half of the race and left his competitors behind by starting at the right time. Second went to Huseydin Mohamed Esa from Ethiopia, who was almost two minutes slower. Doha World Cup bronze medalist Amos Kipruto from Kenya finished the race in third place.
