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Ruth Chepngetich breaks the women’s marathon world record at the Chicago Marathon

Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich ran the fastest women’s marathon in history on Sunday and won the Chicago Marathon.

The 30-year-old Chepngetich clocked 2 hours, 9 minutes and 56 seconds to break the world record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.

“This is my dream come true,” Chepngetich said on NBC Chicago. “I fight a lot when I think about the world record. I am fulfilled.”

Chepngetich won the Chicago Marathon for the third time, taking 7:26 away from number two Sutume Kebede from Ethiopia. Chepngetich entered the race as the fourth fastest woman in history with a personal best of 2:14:18.

CHICAGO MARATHON: Results

Four of the five fastest women’s marathons in history have been held on Chicago’s pancake-flat course in the past six years. Before the 2019 Chicago Marathon, the women’s marathon world record was 2:15:25.

27-year-old John Korir won Sunday’s men’s race in 2:02:43, taking 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, finished third in Chicago in 2022, fourth in Chicago in 2023 and fourth in Boston last April. He also won the Los Angeles Marathon in 2021 and 2022.

At the 2023 Chicago Marathon, Kelvin Kiptum broke the men’s world record by winning in 2:00:35. Kiptum died on February 11 at the age of 24 in a car accident in his native Kenya.

The next major marathon is the New York City Marathon on November 3.