Kenyan distance runner Ruth Chepngetich completed the fastest woman’s marathon in history on Sunday morning by almost two minutes, winning the 2024 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:11:53.
The Kenyan’s time beat the previous record set by Ethiopian runner Tigist Assefa, who ran a 2:11:53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
Sunday marked Chepnegetich’s third win in Chicago — alongside her 2021 and 2022 triumphs — after finishing as the race’s runner-up in 2023.
“I feel so great. I’m proud of myself and I thank God for the victory and the world record,” Chepngetich said after her win. “This is my dream that has come true. I fight a lot thinking about [the] world record and I have fulfilled it and I’m much grateful.”
- Usain Bolt has big career regret after falling embarrassingly short of aim
- Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach die in traffic accident
Chepngetich, 30, won the 2019 Maratahin World Athletics Championship in Doha. She competed in the Olympics just once (2020 Tokyo) but logged a DNF (did not finish).
Her mark continues the trend of records set at the Chicago Marathon. Last year, Kelvin Kiptum set the all-time men’s record with a time of 2:00:36.
The 24-year-old Kiptum, also from Kenya, passed away in February alongside his coach Gervais Hakizimana in a car accident.
Ruth Chepngetich and John Korir pose after their Chicago Marathon victories (
Image:
Getty Images)
Chepngetich’s compatriot was on her mind following her victory on Sunday: ‘The world record has come back to Kenya, and I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum,” she said.
48-year old Kenyan runner John Korir was the victor on the men’s side with a world-leading time of 2:02:44, two-and-a-half minutes ahead of his previous personal best.
He was also remembering the late Kiptum: “Today I was thinking about Kiptum,” Korir said. “I said ‘last year if he could run under 2:01, why not me?’ So I had to believe in myself and try to do my best.”
Usain Bolt kept in dark after losing millions of dollars in fraud scandal
Olympics star explains why she’s selling erotic photos ahead of LA 2028 Games
Four of the top five finishers on the men’s side hailed from Kenya, including third-place finisher Amos Kipruto, fourth-place runner Vincent Ngetich, and fifth-place marathoner Daniel Ebenyo.
Sunday’s race started with a moment of silence for both Korir and his coach Hakizimana.
The first official Chicago marathon was run on September 25, 1977. It is the fourth-largest race by number of finishers internationally and has been run every year since 1987.
Leave a Reply