- Ruth Chepngetich set a new women’s marathon world record (2:09:56) at the Chicago Marathon
- John Korir won the men’s race, dedicating it to the late Kelvin Kiptum
- Organizers held a moment of silence for Kiptum, a tribute to his legacy
Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya won the Chicago Marathon in 2:09:56, about two minutes faster than the previous women’s world record.
Chepngetich was the first woman to break 2 hours and 10 minutes in the marathon. The 30-year-old beat the previous record 2:11:53 established by Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia in the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
Chepngetich has an excellent record at the Chicago Marathon, winning the race in 2021 and 2022 and finishing second last year. Sutume Asefa Kebede of Ethiopia finished second on Sunday in 2:17:32.
“I feel fantastic. I am proud of myself, and I thank God for the victory and the world record,” Chepngetich told NBC Chicago after the race. “My wish has come true. I fought hard to break the world record and am very grateful.”
Chepngetich’s compatriot, John Korir, won the men’s race in 2:02:44, ahead of Ethiopia’s Huseydin Mohamed Esa, who finished in 2:04.39. Korir and Chepngetich ran in honor of Kenya’s late Kelvin Kiptum, who broke the men’s world record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
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“The world record has come back to Kenya,” Chepngetich stated. “I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum.”
In February, Kiptum, 24, and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, he was killed in a car accident. According to police, Kiptum lost control of his car and collided with a tree at a training facility in Kaptagat, Kenya.
Before the race, organizers conducted a moment of mourning for Kiptum and gave each of the roughly 50,000 participants a memorial sticker to place on their bib.
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