Ruth Chepng'etich: Breaking Records and Inspiring Generations

Ruth Chepng'etich, born on August 8, 1994, is a Kenyan road runner. She recently made history by setting a new world record pending ratification in the marathon with a remarkable time of 2:09:56 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon. She is also the 2019 world champion in the marathon and has won the Chicago Marathon three times in 2021, 2022, and 2024. Notably, she is the first woman to break the 2:11 and 2:10 barriers in the marathon and holds the third-fastest mark of all time for the half marathon at 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 2 seconds.

After her record-breaking performance at the Chicago Marathon, Ruth Chepngetich will receive over Ksh19 million. She set a new world record of 2:09:56, surpassing the previous record set by Ethiopian Tigist Assefa in Berlin in 2023. Chepngetich's achievement marks a significant shift in women's marathon running as she became the first woman to officially complete a marathon in under 2:10:00, bringing the world record back to Kenya after Tigist Assefa had previously broken Brigid Kosgei's mark