Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich broke the world record to win the Chicago Marathon on Sunday.
The 30-year-old clocked a time of two hours, nine minutes and 57 seconds to surpass Ethiopian Tigst Assefa’s previous record by nearly two minutes.
Chepngetich is the first woman to run a marathon in under two hours and 10 minutes.
Assefa set the previous record with victory at the 2023 Berlin Marathon in two hours, 11 minutes and 53 seconds.
“I feel so great, I’m proud of myself. This is my dream that has come true,” said Chepngetich, the 2019 world marathon champion.
“I’ve fought a lot thinking about the world record and I have fulfilled it.”
Victory for Chepngetich is her third in Chicago, where she missed out on breaking compatriot Brigid Kosgei’s then-world record by 14 seconds in 2022.
Four of the five fastest women’s marathon times have been run on the flat Chicago course over the last six years.
Men’s winner Korir pays tribute to Kiptum
In the men’s race, Kenya’s John Korir ran a personal-best time to claim victory before paying tribute to world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, last year’s winner.
Korir emerged from a group of seven leaders to run clear and finish in two hours, two minutes and 44 seconds.
Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa finished second, while Amos Kipruto, who finished third, was one of four Kenyans in the top five.
Kiptum set the current world record of two hours 35 seconds in Chicago, four months before he died aged 24 in a car accident, and Korir said he used his compatriot’s record run as motivation on Sunday.
“It was really nice to run my PB and win in Chicago,” said Korir.
“Today I was thinking about Kiptum and 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.”
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