- Ruth Chepnegetich
The debate over who was the first to run a marathon in under two hours began when men were already within minutes, with the late Kelvin Kiptum, world record holder of 2:00:35, coming closest. During a qualifying marathon, Eliud Kipchoge has already clocked 1:59:40, albeit not an ideal marathon.
October 13, 2014
Chicago, Illinois, USA Photo: Bank of America Chicago Marathon / Kevin Morris
The next significant debate over when the first female runner will break the 2 hour 10 minute mark will likely come a few years from now.
However, on the streets of Chicago on October 13, Czepngetic caught all the biggest companies in the world. They may have been waiting for the right time to try their Ineos 159 moment.
In a race where she crossed the first half of the race in the fastest time ever run by a woman on US soil for the distance and the fifth fastest time of 1:04:16, Czepngetic set an incredible world record 2. 09:56 to win the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
- Beatrice Chebet
In one year, Chebet achieved what would be a lifetime achievement for any global superstar: in Paris, he won two Olympic gold medals, set a world record and won two World Cross Country and World Road Running titles.
Chebet’s flawless 10,000m season began in Eugene when she became the first woman to run 25 laps in 29 minutes.In her third 10,000m race, the Kenyan clocked 28:54.14, obliterating Letezenbet Gidey’s previous world record of 29:01.03.
- Agnes Ngetich
Agnes Ngetich of Kenya lowered the women’s 10K world record to 28:46 in Valencia on January 14. The previous world record was 29:14, set by Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw in February 2022. Ngetich became the first woman to run 10km under 29 minutes.
En route to the 10K world record, Ngetich crossed the 5K in 14:13, setting a new world record for the shorter distance as well.
Ngetich also ran a world-leading time and Kenyan national record of 1:03:04 for the half marathon in Valencia on October 27.
- Faith Kipyego
Kipyegon accomplished an unprecedented feat at the Paris Olympics by winning three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the women’s 1500m.
At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Kipyegon won his first Olympic gold medal in the 1500 m. He became the third athlete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to retain the Olympic 1500m title. Achieving the feat at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kipyegon set a new Olympic record of 3:51.29 to win a third consecutive gold medal.
- Emmanuel Wanyonyi
If there was one race that looked the most competitive this year, it was the men’s 800m. Wanyoni’s journey from narrowly missing the finals at the Kenyan trials to winning gold at the Paris Olympics must have been the sweetest of victories.
Vagnoni set three personal best times to show the level of competition this year. He won the Kenyan event in 1:41.70. He set another PB, finishing second at the Paris Diamond League in 1:41.58. Then he won the Olympic gold with a time of 1:41.19.
Behind him, 2023 world champion Marco Arop of Canada set a North American record of 1:41.20 for silver, while Jamel took bronze and Bryce Hoppel was fourth in a US record of 1:41.67.
- Mary Mora
Moraa had a great year, winning the Kenyan Olympic Trials, gold in the 400m at the African Games, the Diamond League final in the 800m and a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
Moraa made headlines shortly after winning the bronze medal at the 2023 Paris Olympics by breaking the women’s 600m world record at the ISTAF in Germany. talent in middle distance running.
- Sebastian Save
After winning the world road running gold medal for the half marathon in Riga, Soi ended his impressive year on a high note with an impressive run in the Valencia Marathon.
On December 1, in his debut marathon, Soi ran the fifth-fastest time for the marathon distance, clocking 2:02:05 for the historic win.
