"Ruth Chepngetich was on fire"; "Unbelievable"- Fans react as the Kenyan Athlete smashes the World Record at the Chicago Marathon

Ruth Chepngetich put forward an incredible performance at the Chicago Marathon to break the world record in the women's full marathon. The Kenyan athlete clocked 2:09:56 to become the first woman to ever break the sub 2 hour 10 minute mark in the event.

The Kenyan took off nearly two minutes away from the previous world record set by Ethiopian athlete Tigst Assefa back in 2023 at the Berlin Marathon which stood at 2:11:53. Ruth Chepngetich won the Chicago Marathon in 2021 and 2022 however, she stood second in the 2023 edition and returned to the city in a quest to reclaim her throne.

Chepngetich dedicated her remarkable victory and world record to the late Kenyan athlete Kelvin Kiptum. Moreover, she expressed her gratitude and joy in bringing the marathon world record back to Kenya. Fans took to X to react to Chepngetich's formidable run in Chicago.

"In case you missed it... New world Record in the Women's Marathon!! Ruth Chepngetich was on fire at the Chicago Marathon!! -2:09:57!!! Insane!!!"wrote a fan.

"Unbelievable 😳😉,"another fan chimed in.

"Ruth 👏🏻. Sub 2:10 is both incredible and insane. Chicago seems to be the favorite course for world records now and it is no longer Berlin. Kiptum ran the world's fastest time of 2:00:35 in 2023 in Chicago," wrote another fan.

Here are some more fan reactions:

"Looks like Chicago is the city to break world records……. #ChicagoMarathon," wrote a fan.

" Epic race by Ruth. Congratulations. Kenyan takes the podium in both women's and men's events #chicagomarathon2024 ," another fan chimed in.

"I think that if someone had said when Steve Jones ran 2:08 in Chicago that in 40 years from that point a female athlete would be within 2 minutes of his finishing time, they’d think you were talking science fiction??" tweeted another fan.

Ruth Chepngetich on winning the Chicago Marathon for the third time

Ruth Chepngetich smashes half marathon world record in Istanbul - Source: Getty

Ruth Chepngetich spoke about winning the Chicago Marathon for the third time in four years in a post-race interview. She dedicated her victory to fellow Kenyan athlete, Kelvin Kiptum and said

"This world record I'm dedicating to Kelvin Kiptum because maybe he could have defended his title again."

Furthermore, speaking about her performance and the remarkable victory she said:

"I feel so great. I'm proud of myself and I thank God for the victory and the world record. This is my dream that has come true. I fight a lot thinking about the world record and I have fulfilled it and I'm much grateful."

Chepngetich's world record is currently stated as unofficial and will be a part of the record books after it is ratified by 'World Athletics', the governing body of track and field.