Chicago Marathon — Chepngetich Sub-2:10 WR!

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, October 13 — Setting a barreling pace from the gun, Ruth Chepngetich cut down the women’s World Record in the marathon set by Tigst Assefa at Berlin last year. Her 2:09:56 effort clocked in a whopping 1:57 faster than Asefa’s stunner.

Previously the winner in the Windy City in 2021 and ’22, Kenyan Chepngetich, 30, raced far ahead of Assefa’s record pace throughout to claim the standard.

Her intent, as she tore more than 4 minutes from her previous best, 2:14:18 set at Chicago ’22, was clear from the moment she reached 5K in 15:00, 59 seconds up on Assefa’s tempo.

These were the splits Chepngetich laid down in becoming history’s first sub-2:10 woman marathoner.

(15:00, 15:14 [30:14], 15:18 [45:32], 15:19 [1:00:51], 15:26 [1:16:17], 15:32 [1:31:49], 15:43 [1:47:32], 15:39 [2:03:11], 6:45) (1:04:16/1:05:40)

Although always-pressing attack carried Chepngetich through the half in 1:04:16, 6 seconds better than the No. 5 time ever recorded on a regulation half-marathon course, her 1:05:40 from there to the finish was just 7 seconds slower than Assefa’s close in Berlin.

She left her closest pursuer, Sutume Asefa of Ethiopia, more than 7 minutes back at 2:17:32 for 2nd.

Kenyan John Korir won the men’s race in 2:02:44 almost 2 minutes ahead of Ethiopian Mohamed Esa (2:04:39 PR), the runner-up at Boston in April.

In making himself the No. 6 all-time marathon performer, Korir, 27, destroyed his previous best, 2:05:01, set placing 3rd at Chicago in ’22.

Sean Hartnett’s full on-the-scene report to follow along with results.

When “Professor Marathon” isn’t crafting topographical maps and pace charts for 26-milers around the world, the now Emeritus geographer at Wisconsin–Eau Claire, serves as the Chair of the Lower Chippewa River conservation organization and hits the airwaves Thursday afternoons as a DJ on a community radio program called “All Things 6 String.” (Hint: Sean’s the one in the photo who never set a World Record ?)