Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich made history at the 2022 Chicago Marathon, shattering the women's marathon world record with an extraordinary performance. Chepngetich crossed the finish line in an unofficial time of two hours, nine minutes, and 56 seconds, nearly two minutes faster than the previous record set by Ethiopian Tigst Assefa in Berlin last year.
Chepngetich left her competitors behind by the halfway point and powered through the final stretch to claim her third title in Chicago. Her time, initially recorded as 2:09:57, was later adjusted. Ethiopian Sutume Kebede finished seven minutes and 36 seconds later, while Kenyan Irine Cheptai secured third place with a time of 2:17:51.
Chepngetich's journey to victory was marked by a relentless pace from the start. She covered the first five kilometers in just 15 minutes and built a 14-second lead over Kebede by the halfway mark. Television commentators likened her attempt to break the 2:10 barrier to a moon landing, highlighting the magnitude of her achievement.
After breaking the tape, Chepngetich, the 2019 world champion, was visibly exhausted but dedicated her performance to compatriot Kelvin Kiptum, who set the men's world record in Chicago a year ago but tragically died in a car crash four months later. "World record was in my mind," she said in televised remarks. "Chicago, as I said in the press, is like home."
