CHEPNGETICH NEARLY BREAKS WORLD RECORD AT CHICAGO MARATHON

As David Monti noted, the women’s race in Chicago was stupendous! Ruth Chepnegetich almost took the WR from Brigid Kosgei and Emily Sisson did set a new AR! 

CHEPNGETICH NEARLY BREAKS WORLD RECORD AT CHICAGO MARATHON
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2022 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission. 

   NOTE: This story was written remotely –Ed. 

(09-Oct) — Blasting away from the starting line in Grant Park with opening miles of 4:47 and 4:56, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich tried to smash Brigid Kosgei’s World Athletics marathon record of 2:14:04 at this morning’s 44th Bank of America Chicago Marathon.  Although her pace would slow in the second half, the 2019 world marathon champion came within 14 seconds of Kosgei’s mark –also set in Chicago in 2019– clocking 2:14:18, the second-fastest time in history.  She successfully defended her 2021 title and won $75,000 in prize money in addition to her undisclosed appearance fee and any personal bonuses her management negotiated with race organizers.

“I am happy because I have won the race,” Chepngetich said in her post-race broadcast interview.  “I defended my title.  I’m happy so much.”

Chepngetich ran all of today’s race in uncharted territory.  With one male pacemaker for company, Geoffrey Pyego of Kenya, she burned through the opening 10-K in 30:40 (faster than Shalane Flanagan’s American record of 30:52), ten miles in 49:48 (faster than the standing world best) and halfway in 1:05:44 (on pace for a 2:11:30 finish). The chilly morning, 44F/7C and Chicago’s flat course were definitely combining to work in her favor.

“You really can’t get better weather conditions than this,” commented USA marathon record holder Keira D’Amato who was commentating on today’s broadcast.

But little by little, Chepngetich’s pace started to slow.  By the 30-K mark, her predicted finish had slipped to 2:12:14, and by 40-K, it was 2:14:00, right on the cusp of the record.  Unfortunately for the petite Kenyan, the course’s only significant uphill came with about 400 meters to go.  Although her form still looked crisp, she had lost precious seconds by the time she crested that hill and turned…