CHICAGO — Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya smashed the world record by nearly two minutes at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, winning in 2:09:56.

The 30-year-old broke the world record set by Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia in 2:11:53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon. Sutume Asefa Kebede of Ethiopia finished second in 2:17:32.

Chepngetich became the first woman to break 2:10 in the marathon. She also won the Chicago Marathon in 2021 and 2022 and finished runner-up last year.

John Korir of Kenya won the men’s race in 2:02:44, besting Huseydin Mohamed Esa of Ethiopia, who finished in 2:04:39. Korir and Chepngetich ran in honor of the late Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya, who broke the world record by 34 seconds, finishing in 2:00:35, at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.

Four months later, police said the 24-year-old Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, died in a car accident after hitting a tree near a training area in Kaptagat, Kenya.

Organizers held a moment of silence for Kiptum before the race and offered the nearly 50,000 runners a memorial sticker to add to their bibs. The 26.2-mile race started and ended in Grant Park.

‘I couldn’t push at all’ – America’s fastest-ever man Tyson Gay reflects on his iconic 9.69 sprint despite having groin injury in 2009

Gay was suffering from a nagging groin issue and had not slept a wink the night before he ran 9.69 in the 100 meters of the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in 2009.

Tyson Gay, the fastest man in American history, recently reflected on the extraordinary 2009 season that saw him clock a personal best of 9.69 seconds at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix.

This performance catapulted him into history, matching Usain Bolt’s Olympic-winning time from Beijing 2008 and tying Yohan Blake as the second-fastest man ever. What made this feat even more remarkable was that Gay was battling a severe groin injury, which had plagued him for months leading up to the race.