Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya set a world record in the women’s marathon on Sunday in Chicago, smashing the old record by almost two minutes. Chepngetich, 30, ran 26.2 miles in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 56 seconds, making her the first woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours and 10 minutes. The previous world record, set by Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, was 2:11:53. Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya after winning the 2024 Chicago Marathon professional women’s division and setting a new world record with a time of 2:09:56 at Grant Park Sunday. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) “I feel so great. I’m very proud of myself. This is my dream. I fought a lot, thinking about the world record,” Chepngetich told World Athletics after the race. “The world record has come back to Kenya, and I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum.” Kiptum, a fellow Kenyan, died earlier this year in a car crash at age 24. Four months earlier, he set the men’s marathon record at the 2023 Chicago event, completing the 26.2 miles in 2:00:35. He was recognized with a moment of silence before Sunday’s race. Sutume Asefa Kebede of Ethiopia finished second in the women’s race with a time of 2:17:32. John Korir of Kenya won the men’s race in 2:02:44. He was one of only nine men to run faster than Chepngetich on Sunday. Chepngetich won the 2021 and 2022 Chicago marathons and was runner-up at last year’s race. In 2022, she finished 14 seconds slower than the world record at the time. Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon professional women’s division and setting a new world record. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) The best American finishers were CJ Albertson in the men’s race at 2:08:17 in seventh place and Susanna Sullivan at 2:21:56 in the women’s race, also in seventh place. Nearly 50,000 people ran Sunday’s race, which started and ended in Grant Park.