Ruth Chepngetich and John Korir secured gold medals at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, earning widespread congratulations from Kenyan leaders. President William Ruto praised Chepngetich for making history as the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:10:00, breaking the world record, and commended Korir for his victory in the men’s race. He also acknowledged Irine Cheptai and Amos Kipruto for their third-place finishes.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua celebrated Chepngetich’s “amazing achievement” and Korir’s success, highlighting national pride in their performances. Sports CS Kipchumba Murkomen echoed the sentiments, applauding the athletes and expressing gratitude to the marathon organizers for honoring the late Kelvin Kiptum with a tribute.
Chepngetich’s record-breaking time of 2:09:57 surpassed the previous mark set by Tigst Assefa. Reflecting on her win, Chepngetich said it was a dream fulfilled after years of striving for the world record.
