Ruth Chepngetich wins the Chicago Marathon (© Getty Images)
Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich took almost two minutes off the world record* at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, winning the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:09:56 on Sunday (13).
Not only did she obliterate Tigist Assefa’s world record of 2:11:53, set in Berlin last year, Chepngetich also notched up her third Chicago Marathon victory and chopped more than four minutes off her previous best of 2:14:18, set when winning here in 2022.
On a good day for Kenyan runners, John Korir took the men’s title in 2:02:43, the second-fastest time ever recorded in Chicago behind the world record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum last year.
Chepngetich’s intent was clear from the start. She breezed through the first 5km in 15:00 and had Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede for company, and then reached 10km in an astonishing 30:14 with Kebede still just two seconds behind.
Chepngetich continued her relentless pace and hit the half-way mark in an incredible 1:04:16, the fifth-fastest clocking in history for the half marathon distance and putting her on course for a sub-2:09 finish. Kebede had started to drop behind, but she was still operating well inside world record pace, reaching the half-way point in 1:04:30, three minutes ahead of Joyciline Jepkosgei.
The gap between Chepngetich and Kebede continued to grow throughout the second half. The pace of both women dropped, Kebede’s more so than Chepngetic, and by 30km (1:31:49) the Kenyan had a lead of almost two minutes over her Ethiopian rival.
Chepngetich’s next 10km was covered in 31:22, which was her slowest of the race so far, but still remarkably quick and enough to increase her leading margin to more than six minutes. With little more than two kilometres left to run, she was still well inside world record pace, the likelihood of breaking it increasing with every step.
Spurred on by her memories of the 2022 race, when she missed out on the world record by just 14 seconds, Chepngetich powered through the final stages and crossed the line in 2:09:57, becoming the first woman to break 2:10. Remarkably, only nine athletes went quicker in the men’s race today.
“I feel so great. I’m very proud of myself. This is my dream. I fought a lot, thinking about the world record. The world record has come back to Kenya, and I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum.”
Kebede held on for second place in 2:17:32 while Kenya’s Irine Cheptai came through for third place in 2:17:52.
By contrast, the men’s race got off to a relatively conservative start before Korir broke away and sped up in the second half en route to a dominant win with huge negative splits.
A lead pack of 10 men ran together through the first 10km in 29:27, and they were still one big group as they passed through the half-way point in 1:02:19, putting them on course for a 2:04:38 finish.
Korir, along with fellow Kenyans Daniel Ebenyo and Amos Kipruto, continued to push the pace into the second half. By 30km, reached in 1:28:18, the lead group was down to seven men. But soon after, Korir increased his pace and broke free from the pack, creating a gap of 29 seconds by the time he reached 35km.
His leading margin continued to grow, and by 40km his lead was 92 seconds over Kipruto and Ethiopia’s Huseydin Mohamed Esa. Korir sped up in the final kilometres and crossed the line in 2:02:43, having covered the second half in 1:00:24. Esa was second in 2:04:39 and Kipruto third (2:04:50).
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure
Leading results
Women
1 Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:09:56
2 Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH) 2:17:32
3 Irine Cheptai (KEN) 2:17:52
4 Buze Diriba Kejela (ETH) 2:20:22
5 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:20:51
6 Degitu Azimeraw (ETH) 2:20:52
7 Susanna Sullivan (USA) 2:21:56
8 Ashete Bekere Dido (ETH) 2:23:10
Men
1 John Korir (KEN) 2:02:43
2 Huseydin Mohamed Esa (ETH) 2:04:39
3 Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:50
4 Vincent Ngeitch (KEN) 2:05:15
5 Daniel Ebenyo (KEN) 2:06:04
6 Kyohei Hosoya (JPN) 2:07:20
7 CJ Albertson (USA) 2:08:17
8 Toshiki Sadakata (JPN) 2:08:22
