The Kenyan knocked almost two minutes off the previous marathon mark after winning in Chicago
Ruth Chepngetic’s marathon world record of 2:09:56 was established.
The Kenyan became is the first woman in history to go under 2:10 for 26.2 miles in his victory at the Chicago Marathon two months earlier.
Not only did Chepngetic beat Tigist Assefa’s previous world record of 2:11:53, but he did it by almost two minutes.
Czepngetic, the 2019 world marathon champion, made his intentions clear early in Chicago, covering 5km in exactly 15 minutes.
Continuing her torrid pace, the 30-year-old clocked 64:16 at the halfway mark, a time that would have placed her fifth on the all-time half marathon list.
Ruth Cepngetich (Getty)
Helped by the men’s pacers, Cepngetic pushed on and covered 40km in 2:03:11 before crossing the finish line in 2:09:56.
Chepngetic’s margin of victory was 7 minutes 36 seconds over Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede 2:17:3.
Cepngetic is no stranger to Chicago and has also secured wins in both 2021 and 2022.
After the race, amid a string of world headlines, Athletics Kenya publicly defended Chepngetichstating that “the IDF and the world community should give Ruth the respect she deserves and protect athletes from harassment.”
Ruth Cepngetich (Getty)
They added: “Many world records have been broken this year, and singling him out is completely unfair. Therefore, it is disheartening to witness some sections of the media unreasonably questioning his achievements.
“Such allegations, made without due process, undermine not only his efforts but the integrity of the sport. It is important to note that Ruth, like all athletes in major competitions, has undergone multiple anti-doping tests, both before and after the competition. :
“These are standard procedures for events of this magnitude and only after all the results have been verified will his record be officially validated. Ruth’s achievement, while impressive, is unprecedented. Marathon records were broken by even greater margins, confirming that his feat was well within the reach of an athlete of his stature.
“Her consistent performance over the years is a testament to her dedication and excellence in sport. We call on the media and the global community to give Ruth the respect she deserves and to protect athletes from harassment. Let’s celebrate this hard-earned victory and recognize her years of hard work.” for the work and discipline that have brought him to this point.
“Unfounded suspicions and unfair treatment have no place at this proud moment for Kenya and Ruth.”
Ruth Cepngetic wins in Doha (Mark Shearman)
Chepngetich was born in Kericho, a town in Kenya’s Rift Valley at an altitude of 6,000 feet and synonymous with long-distance runners.
However, Kenya is in the midst of a doping crisis, with the country’s athletes being banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit on an almost weekly basis, with approximately 300 Kenyans serving or serving anti-doping suspensions since 2015.
Chepng’etich has never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs or been found guilty of a doping violation.
» Subscribe to AW Magazine herecheck out our new podcast! here or subscribe to our digital archive of back issues from 1945 to the present day here
