CNN —Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich obliterated the women’s marathon world record in Chicago on Sunday as she completed the course in 2:09:56, becoming the first ever woman to break the 2:10 barrier. Chepngetich shaved almost two minutes off the previous world record of 2:11:53, which was set by Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa in September 2023, and secured her third ever race win in Chicago. Her new world record is still subject to the usual ratification procedure, according to World Athletics. “I fought a lot, thinking about the world record. The world record has come back to Kenya, and I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum,” she added, referencing her compatriot who set the men’s world record in Chicago last year and died in a road accident aged 24 in February.

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Persons: CNN — Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa, “, ”, Kelvin Kiptum, Chepngetich, Ruth Chepngetich, Michael Reaves, Asefa, Kebede, Kenya’s John Koriri, Ethiopia’s Huseydin Mohamed Esa, Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug, Catherine Debrunner Organizations: CNN, Athletics, Kenyan Locations: Chicago, Kenya