Chepngetich Sets World Record of 2:09:56 at Chicago Marathon
Breaks '2 Hours 10 Minutes' Barrier Once Deemed Impossible
Only 9 Male Runners Have Been Faster Than Chepngetich
The women's marathon full course (42.195 km) world record, which had been trapped behind the '2 hours 10 minutes' barrier, has been broken.
On the 13th (local time), Ruth Chepngetich (30) of Kenya won the '2024 Chicago Marathon' held in Chicago, USA, with a time of 2 hours 09 minutes 56 seconds. She became the first to break the previously considered impossible women's marathon 2 hours 10 minutes barrier.
Chepngetich shattered the previous world record of 2 hours 11 minutes 53 seconds set by Tigist Assefa (26, Ethiopia) at the Berlin Marathon last September by nearly 2 minutes, setting a new world record. Her overwhelming record was also more than 7 minutes ahead of the second-place finisher, Sutume Kebede (30, Ethiopia), who finished in 2 hours 17 minutes 32 seconds in this race.
After the race, Chepngetich expressed her overwhelming feelings through the American media 'NBC', saying, "I feel really good. I am proud of myself." She continued, "My dream has come true," adding, "I fought a lot with myself thinking about the world record, and I achieved it. I am truly grateful."
On this day, Chepngetich also dedicated the glory of this world record to her former teammate Kelvin Kiptum. Earlier, Kiptum set the men's world record in Chicago last year with a time of 2 hours 00 minutes 35 seconds, but died in a traffic accident in Kenya four months later. Chepngetich said, "The world record has returned to Kenya. I dedicate this world record to Kiptum," bringing tears to those around her.
Meanwhile, in the men's race, John Korir (Kenya) won with a time of 2 hours 02 minutes 43 seconds, beating Huseidin Mohamed Esa (Ethiopia), who finished in 2 hours 04 minutes 39 seconds. Only nine runners finished faster than Chepngetich in the men's category.
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