When Catherine Switzer She defied the rules in 1967 and became the first woman to officially run a marathon in Boston, and no man has ever gone less than 2 hours and 10 minutes at the world-Australian bottom fetish event Derek Clayton He would achieve this only months later in Fukuoka -.
Today, more than 57 years later, a woman ran a marathon at 2:09: 56. The protagonist was Kenyan Ruth chepnjic in ChicagoThe same scenario he yearns for: Kelvin Kiptum –He died tragically in a traffic accident in February 2024– I beat the men’s record last year, Staying just 36 seconds away from breaking the legendary two-hour barrier.
Cibinjic, world gold in Doha 2019, She has already been the best on the Windy City streets in 2021 and 2022, the last time she had the fourth best mark in History (2: 14: 18), But today’s show has no equal in the history of the women’s marathon.
The Kenyan warned the first kilometers of her evil intentions Parts that were more typical for men than women just a few years ago. 5 of them passed in just 15 minutes and 10, still in the Ethiopian company Sotom Asefa Kebede, At 30: 14.
Already at the pace of 15 thousand he was two minutes ahead of his compatriot Joycelyn Jepkosgei, A total winner in London and New York, and In the half marathon he left an almost unrealistic Mark: 1: 04: 16, A record that placed her fifth all-time over this distance… When there was still another 21 kilometers waiting for him.
Chepenjic, wrapped by her two hares, losing some of her bellows as the kilometers passed but He achieved such a significant advantage over tegst aseva parties in Berlin 2023-two minutes faster in the middle of the race-, That it was obvious that the Ethiopian’s world record (2: 11: 53) would have been lowered if there had been no fainting.
At the passage of Kilometer 30 (1: 31: 49), chependzhich’s pace still predicts a mark clearly lower than 2: 10. Specifically, 2: 09: 09. You had to rub your eyes because we were on the verge of an earthquake in women’s athletics.
I am very happy to return the world record to Kenya and dedicate it to Kiptum. Running in Chicago is like running at home to me
At the 35th kilometer (01: 47: 32), the new world record looked safe but the big question was whether it would drop from 2: 10. Expectations put her at the finish in 2: 09: 38 but it was clear that she lowered the pace of her elegant step, which made more than sense after her suicidal pace in the first half of the race.
The 40th kilometer threw a mark of 2:03:11 to bring down the final 02: 09: 57. The excitement was extreme. Was the Kenyan going to make it? Chepnjic must have known in those moments that he was caressing a marker for history because he gritted his teeth in those last 2195 meters And she completely emptied herself, to reach the finish exhausted-she had to be restrained so as not to collapse-with the last time 2:09: 56.
The Kenyan finally beat Kebede in about eight minutes (2:17: 32), with the Kenyan Irene cheptay Completion of the podium (2: 17: 51). “I am very happy to return the world record to Kenya and dedicate it to Kiptum. “Running in Chicago is like running at home for me,”chipenjic said after his massive explosion.
Kenyan double
In the men’s event, which was overshadowed by the chepengtic exhibition ، The victory was for the Kenyan John courier with 02: 02: 43. Courier attacked shortly after the 30th kilometer to take his first major victory and take sixth place overall.
Ethiopian Mohamed Issa He was second with 2: 04: 39 and the Kenyan Amos Kipruto He climbed to the third step of the podium with a record of 2: 04: 50.
