Ruth Chepng’etich takes apart women’s world marathon record in Chicago

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The Kenyan becomes the first woman in history to go sub-2:10 in the marathon and obliterates the previous mark of 2:11:53

It’s five years to the day since Brigid Kosgei smashed the women’s marathon record with 2:14:04 in Chicago. Not only was it a performance that re-defined what was possible over 26.2 miles but it also bettered Paula Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 – described as a “quantum leap” back in 2003 – by one minute and 21 seconds.

Kosgei’s mark survived until 2023 when, at last year’s Berlin Marathon, Tigist Assefa decimated it, becoming the first woman in history to run a sub-2:12 marathon with 2:11:53.

In slicing two minutes and 11 seconds off the world record, Assefa took the marathon to new levels and for the first time, you questioned whether it was possible for a female athlete to go under two hours and 10 minutes.

Even though the marathon has evolved substantially over the last couple of decades – the 2:20 barrier was only broken in 2001 – the idea of a sub-2:10 run was still seen as largely fictitious and something that you’d need to see to believe it.

If it was broken, how long would it take? Years or even decades? Well, it’s happened a lot sooner than everyone thought.

At this year’s Chicago Marathon, five years on from Kosgei’s 2:14:04, fellow Kenyan Ruth Chepng’etich re-wrote the record books with a time of 2:09:56.

Crossing the line, Chepng’etich – the 2019 world marathon champion – raised her arms in the air, scarcely believing the magnitude of her accomplishment.

Like Roger Bannister’s 3:59.4 in 1954, Usain Bolt’s 9.58 in 2009 or more recently, Faith Kipyegon’s 3:49.11 in 2023, Chepng’etich’s time will be remembered forever.

No doubt there will be others who also go below the 2:10 mark in the future, but Chepng’etich will always be the first who did it.

“I feel so great, I’m proud of myself,” she said, after claiming her third crown at the Chicago Marathon. “This is my dream that has come true. I’ve fought a lot thinking about the world record and I have fulfilled it.”

After 5km, Chepng’etich had made her intentions known and went through in an astonishing 15:00, with Ethiopian Sutume Kebede just two seconds behind.

Kebede, who’d hinted of world record pace at the press-conference, was the only athlete who kept up with Chepng’etich in the early stages and the pair went through 10km in around 30:14.

At this point, their projected time was around 2:07. The absurd pace was set and it was now a case of how long they could sustain it.

By half-way, Chepng’etich had established a lead of 14 seconds to Kebede and looked in imperious shape, going through 13.1 miles in 64:16. To put that into perspective, it would put her fifth on the half-marathon all time list.

As Kebede continued to fade, Chepng’etich maintained her strength and clocked 1:31:49 and 1:47:32 at the 30km and 35km marks respectively. Even though Chepng’etich was slowing, her start was that good that she had time to play with.

The prospect of a sub-2:10 marathon now started to become real. There was little doubt that Chepng’etich would break Assefa’s mark of 2:11:53, which was remarkable enough in itself, but could she sneak under that barrier?

Aided by male pacemakers, Chepng’etich pushed on and went through 40km in 2:03:11.

“It’s almost like seeing someone landing on the moon,” remarked Carrie Tollefson, the Athens 2004 Olympian who was commentating on the marathon.

As Chepng’etich approached the final straight on Columbus Drive, she knew what was at stake. As the seconds agonisingly ticked away she sprinted towards the tape, her face grimacing but mind set on creating history.

After crossing the line Chepng’etich’s face beamed as she looked at the time. 2:09:56.

In the end, the winning margin was seven minutes and 36 seconds, with Kebede coming home in 2:17:32. Before 2019, that would’ve put her third on the all-time list.

The top American in the field was Susanna Sullivan, a full-time teacher who knocked over two minutes off her personal best to clock 2:21:56 and finished seventh overall.

In the men’s field, John Korir produced a fine performance, running 2:02:44 to win by one minute and 55 seconds.

The Kenyan’s time was that fast it now puts him sixth on the all-time list, with only Kelvin Kiptum, Eliud Kipchoge, Kenenisa Bekele, Sisay Lemma and Benson Kipruto having gone quicker.

In a closely packed race early on, Korir was one of a dozen or so guys that went through 5km and 10km in 14:43 and 29:27 respectively.

Even at the half-way stage, it was difficult to decide the winner, with the front of the field keeping a metronomic pace, going through in 62:19.

Between 30km and 35km, Korir made his move and within the space of 10 minutes had established a gap of 29 seconds.

There was no turning back and as the margin to the rest of the field became bigger by the kilometre, victory was never in doubt.

Korir, who is a regular in Chicago and finished third two years ago, could finally taste victory in the Windy City.

One man who is used to success in Chicago is Marcel Hug and he claimed a record-equalling fifth wheelchair title after his previous wins in 2016, 2017, 2022 and 2023.

The Swiss superstar, a seven-time Paralympic and 12-time world champion, clocked 1:25:54 to take the victory.

Catherine Debrunner, who has six Paralympic and five world golds to her name, made it a double Switzerland podium, breaking her own record of 1:38:44 with 1:36:12 in Chicago.

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