Ruth Chepngetich breaks marathon world record for women

Kenyan runner Ruth Chepngetich smashed the women's marathon world record in the Chicago Marathon. She dedicated the surprise run to a late compatriot who set the men's record last year.

When Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa broke the women's marathon world record in Berlin last year, many observers thought her mark of 2:11:53 would stand for several years. 

On Sunday, in Chicago, Ruth Chepngetich shaved almost two minutes off it, recording a time of 2:09:56. 

"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."

She later added: "The weather was perfect and I was well prepared. The world record was in my mind." 

Chepngetich, who also won in Chicago in 2021 and 2022, dedicated her win to Kelvin Kiptum, who broke the men's record in Chicago last year before dying in a car accident in February 2024.

"The world record has come back to Kenya, and I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum," said Chepngetich.

Runners observed a moment's silence on the start line in honour of Kiptum. Organizers also handed out stickers displaying Kiptum's record-breaking time of 2:00:35 for the 50,000 participants to put on their race bibs.

The death of Kiptum is not the only tragedy to have struck Kenya, one of the powerhouses of middle and long distance running, this year. 

Kenyan-born Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who represented Uganda at Paris 2024, died in September after being set on fire by her Kenyan partner Dickson Ndiema Marangach.

mp/dj (AFP, AP)