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 feel so great. I’m very proud of myself. This is my dream,” she said afterwards, per 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.

Afterwards, Chepngetich posed for photos, held the Kenyan flag aloft and ran back down the finishing straight, soaking in the applause of the crowd.

She has come close to claiming the world record beforehand, missing out by just 14 seconds in 2022 in Chicago, but dispelled memories of that disappointment with a time this year so quick that only nine athletes in the men’s race ran faster.

By the 10 kilometer mark, Chepngetich had already streaked ahead of all her competitors with only Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede able to remain within touching distance.

In the end, Kebede finished in second place, recording a time of 2:17:32, almost eight minutes behind Chepngetich. Kenya’s Irine Cheptai rounded out the podium in third another 20 seconds back.

In the men’s race, Kenya’s John Koriri took victory, completing the course in 2:02:43 which is the second-fastest ever time in Chicago, behind Kiptum’s world record of 2:00:35 last year.

Ethiopia’s Huseydin Mohamed Esa finished in second, just over two minutes behind Koriri, and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto took third place with a time of 2:04:50.

Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won the defended his men’s wheelchair title in 1:25:54 after a dramatic sprint finish, and his compatriot Catherine Debrunner set a new course record of 1:36:21 as she dominated the women’s race.

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