Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich has completed the fastest women’s marathon in history on her way to winning the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 13.
The 30-year-old won the marathon clocking 2:09:57 and bettering the world record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopian Tigst Assefa at the 2023 Berlin Marathon. Chepngetich became the first woman to run under 2:10
Chepngetich won the Chicago Marathon for the third time. She entered the race as the fourth-fastest woman in history with a personal best of 2:14:18.
Four of the five fastest women’s marathons in history have been run on the pancake-flat Chicago course over the last six years. Before the 2019 Chicago Marathon, the women’s marathon world record was 2:15:25.
Ruth Chepng’etich in action at the Chicago Marathon on October 13, 2024. /X.KENYA ONE SPORTS
Chepngetich got off to a blazing start and left the rest of the competition behind her by the halfway mark and went on to claim her third title in Chicago.
On a very successful day for Kenya in the Chicago Marathon, John Korir, 27, won Sunday’s men’s race in 2:02:43 for his first career World Marathon Major title. He is now the sixth-fastest male marathoner in history.
Korir, the younger brother of 2012 Boston Marathon winner Wesley Korir, was third in Chicago in 2022, fourth in Chicago in 2023 and fourth in Boston this past April. He also won the Los Angeles Marathon in 2021 and 2022.
At the 2023 Chicago Marathon, the late Kelvin Kiptum broke the men’s world record by winning it in 2:00:35. All eyes are now on the New York City Marathon to be held on November 3, 2024.
Prize Money
With the victories of Chepng’etich and Korir, they will pocket $100,000, equivalent to Ksh12.88 million, prize money assigned to the top finisher in both the men’s and women’s categories. Second-place finishers will take home $75,000 (Ksh9.7 million), while the third spot comes with a reward of $50,000 (Ksh6.44 million).
Even those who finish fourth and fifth will walk away with Ksh3.86 million and Ksh3.22 million, respectively.
Chepngetich’s exploits on the world stage now make her eligible for the Ksh5 million cash prize in line with President William Ruto’s directive on June 13, 2023, to any Kenyan athlete who breaks a world record.
“For every world record broken by a Kenyan, the government of Kenya is going to award Ksh5 million.
“She has won and broken two world records in 1,500 meters and 5,000 metres. The government of Kenya is going to award her Ksh5 million for one record and we are going to give her a house worth Ksh6 million,” Ruto stated then.
John Korir, who won the men’s race clocking 2:02:43 at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 13, 2024. /FILE