Ruth Chepngetich misses world record at Chicago Marathon by 14 seconds

The 2022 Chicago Marathon women’s race was thrilling from the start to finish, with defending champion Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya taking a huge early lead in a blistering pace. Chepngetich ran 2:14:18 to finish in the second fastest women’s marathon time ever, just missing Brigid Kosgei‘s record (set at Chicago in 2019) of 2:14:04. Chepngetich was ahead of the women’s chase pack by more than four minutes throughout the second half of the race, and was accompanied by a solo pacer until the final few kilometres.

Ruth Chepngetich wins the women's race with the second fastest time ever, 2:14:18! pic.twitter.com/uUkOBpFBZk

— Chicago Marathon (@ChiMarathon) October 9, 2022

Chepngetich, 28, was through 10K in 30:40 and hit the 35K mark in 1:50:25, but slowed significantly from 30 to 35K. She was still on pace to run 2:13:06, and until the final kilometre, commentators and fans thought a new world record was about to be set. While not quite taking the world record, Chepngetich thrashed her PB of 2:17:08, set at the 2019 Dubai Marathon. Chepngetich won the 2019 world championship marathon in Doha, but struggled at this year’s world championships in Eugene, Ore., dropping out, apparently with stomach cramps, after leading for the first 15 km of the race.

American Emily Sisson ran 2:18:29 to follow Chepngetich, smashing the American record (2:19:12, set by Keira D’Amato at the 2022 Houston Marathon) by 43 seconds. Sisson was the U.S. favourite heading into the race and suggested she might try for D’Amato’s record. Her time makes her the 22nd-fastest female marathoner of all time.

Kenya’s Vivian Kiplagat, 30, followed Sisson to round out the podium, running 2:20:52. Kiplagat won the Telepass Milano Marathon in April, setting a PB of 2:20:18.

Liza Howard was Canada’s top female finisher in 2:35:29 for 20th overall, smashing her previous personal best by almost 10-minutes.

The men’s race was won by 2021 Boston Marathon champion Benson Kipruto in 2:04:24, with last year’s champion Seifu Tura in second place and John Korir of Kenya in third.

Wheelchair race

Marcel Hug of Switzerland took the win and the course record (formerly 1:26:56) in the wheelchair race in 1:25:20. The race was Hug’s third straight victory after Berlin and London earlier this fall.

American Susannah Scaroni won the women’s race in 1:45:48. Scaroni is the Olympic gold medallist; she was hit from behind by a car on a training run in Illinois and injured badly enough to drop out of Boston 2021 (which was in the fall, after the Olympics). This was her first World Major Marathon win.

For full results, click here.