Women’s marathon world record shattered as Nike overtakes adidas in super shoe wars
By Jeremy Wilson
Ruth Chepngetich has become the first woman to run a marathon in under two hours and 10 minutes, shattering the previous world record by almost two minutes in one of the most exceptional distance-running feats ever.
The 30-year-old Kenyan immediately dedicated the victory to her compatriot, Kelvin Kiptum, who became the first man to clock under 2:01 in the same race exactly a year ago before dying in a car accident in February.
Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich stripped a chunk off the world record.Credit: Getty Images
The 2:10 barrier was long considered unbreakable for a woman – and her finishing time of 2:09.56 is more than five minutes quicker than Paula Radcliffe’s 2003 world record which stood for 16 years.
In Britain, it has only ever been bettered by 22 men.
This was Chepngetich’s third win in the Chicago Marathon and, such was her dominance, she finished almost eight minutes clear of Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede, breaking her personal best by almost five minutes.
“It’s a time we can’t really comprehend – a time we would never have thought was possible,” said Britain’s Jo Pavey, the former European 10,000-metre champion who was commentating on the race for Eurosport.
Chepngetich crosses the finish line in Chicago.Credit: Getty Images
Like Kiptum, Chepngetich was wearing the Nike Alphafly 3 “super shoe” in her bid to surpass the 2:11.53 world record set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa in Berlin last year in a pair of £400 ($775.00) adidas Pro Evo 1.
Assefa’s win sparked a new phase in the battle of the carbon-plated road trainers that have transformed long-distance running, but Nike again now has both world records. The Alphafly 3s – with their air-bubble and ZoomX foam – went on general sale earlier in the year for £284.99 ($552.00).
“This world record I’m dedicating to Kelvin Kiptum,” Chepngetich said. “I’m so happy. I don’t know how to explain. The world record is my dream, that has now come true. I fought a lot thinking about the world record and now I’ve fulfilled it. I’m so grateful. This year, the weather was perfect and I prepared well. The world record was on my mind.”
Another Kenyan, John Korir, won Sunday’s men’s race in 2:02.43 – the sixth-fastest marathon time in history.
Kiptum ran 2:00.35 to set the men’s world record last year. Eliud Kipchoge, the previous men’s world-record holder, famously ran under two hours in a specially paced race in Vienna in 2019, but that does not count as an official time.
telegraph.co.uk
Olympian Gregson posts first marathon win in Melbourne
Genevieve Gregson has won the Melbourne Marathon and her husband, Ryan, finished second in the men’s event behind Jack Rayner.
Genevieve Gregson has scored her first marathon win, two months after running in the event at the Paris Olympics.
The Queenslander won the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday in 2:28.13, beating local Sarah Klein by nearly three minutes. Kate Mason, also from Melbourne, completed the women’s podium in 2:34.08.
Genevieve’s husband Ryan Gregson finished second in the men’s race behind Jack Rayner, who clocked 2:11.49 after winning the Melbourne half-marathon for the past three years.
Gregson finished in 2:13.31 to take another step in his transition from middle-distance events, while New Zealander Christopher Dryden posted 2:18.10 for third.
Gen Gregson before the Paris Olympics.Credit: Joe Armao
Paris was Genevieve’s third marathon. She clocked 2:29.56 for 24th place at the Games, after running on the track at the previous three Olympics.
The 46th Melbourne Marathon festival attracted 42,000 runners, with Bendigo’s Andy Buchanan winning the men’s half-marathon in 1:01.42 after he also ran in the marathon at the Paris Games.
Leanne Pompeani from Canberra took out the women’s race, posting 1:09.01 in an exciting finish.
Adelaide’s Jess Stenson, one of Gregson’s Paris Olympics marathon teammates, was only two seconds behind Pompeani in second.
Only eight seconds separated first from third, with Paris Olympics 5000m runner and fellow Adelaide entrant Izzi Batt-Doyle completing the podium.
AAP
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