Ruth Chepngetich responds to doping accusations after smashing marathon record --[Reported by Umva mag]

Ruth Chepngetich has responded to accusations of doping after smashing the world record for the fastest marathon ever recorded by a woman.

The 30-year-old clocked a time of two hours, nine minutes and 57 seconds to storm to victory in Sunday’s Chicago Marathon and surpass Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa’s previous record by almost two minutes.

Chepngetich, one of Kenya’s many stars in athletics, became the first woman to run a marathon in under two hours and 10 minutes.

Fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, who died earlier this year, posted the world record time for a man 12 months ago, his sensational effort of 2:00.35 also coming in Chicago, a famously quick track due to its flatness.

After winning the Chicago Marathon for the third time and obliterating the world record time, 2019 world champion Chepngetich said: ‘I feel so great, I’m proud of myself.

‘This is my dream that has come true. I’ve fought a lot thinking about the world record and I have fulfilled it.’

After celebrating her incredible achievement with her team and friends, Chepngetich was taken to a press conference where she was asked the legitimacy of her time.

Kenya’s reputation as an athletics powerhouse has been tarnished in recent years due to doping allegations.

Since 2017, almost 100 athletes from Kenya – mostly long-distance runners – have been penalised for testing positive.

A journalist from LetsRun asked Chepngetich: ‘Ruth, unfortunately in recent years there’s been a number of doping positives in Kenya.

‘What would you say to someone who says when they see 2:09:56, “This is too good to be true. I have questions about it.”‘

Chepngetich, looking puzzled, responded: ‘I don’t have any idea.’

The reporter added: ‘Some people may think that the time is too fast and you must be doping. What would you say to them?’

Chepngetich then said: ‘You know people must talk but… people must talk so I don’t know.’

In a separate interview with NBC Chicago, Chepngetich dedicated her world record to Kiptum, who died at the age of 24 in February four months after setting the men’s world record.

‘I’m dedicating this world record to Kelvin. Maybe he could have defended his title here again and got another world record,’ she said.

Men’s winner John Korir also paid tribute to Kiptum after posting a personal-best time to see off the challenge of Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa and fellow Kenyan Amos Kipruto.

‘It was really nice to run my PB and win in Chicago,’ he said after finishing in two hours, two minutes and 44 seconds.

‘Today I was thinking about Kiptum and I said “last year if he could run under 2:01, why not me?” So I had to believe in myself and try to do my best.’

A moment of silence was held for Kiptum before the race and organisers offered the 50,000 runners a memorial sticker to add to their bibs.

Chepngetich ran her marathon at an average pace of 4:57.4 per mile and completed her first five kilometres in just 15 minutes.

The prize money for winning the 2024 Chicago Marathon was $100,000, while Chepngetich took home a further $50,000 for breaking the course record.

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