NAIROBI, Kenya, December 12 – World Athletics (WA) have ratified the world records set by the Kenyan pair of Ruth Chepng’etich and Beatrice Chebet in the past season.
Chepng’etich brought the world to its feet in October when she clocked a world record of 2:09:56 to win the Chicago Marathon.
The 2019 World Marathon champion also became the first ever female marathoner to clock a sub-2:10 in the 42km, adding to her burgeoning reputation that has seen her three titles in Chicago.
Her fellow countrywoman, Chebet, took her career to another level in 2024 when she smashed the world record for the women’s 10,000m at the Prefontaine Classic in May.
The 25-year-old clocked 28:54.14 on her way to victory at the Diamond League competition, which doubled up as trials for the Paris Olympics.
The ink had not yet dried up on this historic feat when Chebet wrote her name in history books at the Paris Olympics as the first ever Kenyan to win the women’s 10,000m in the history of the competition.
She clocked 30:43.25 to bag gold, and add to her crowded medal cabinet that already included the 5000m Olympic title.
Chebet clocked 14:28.56 to win the 12-and-a-half lap race, becoming the second-ever Kenyan to clinch the title after Vivian Cheruiyot at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Other athletes whose records were ratified on the same day include the United States’ 4x400m mixed relay team (3:07.41), pole vault giant Mondo Duplantis (6.25m), 400m hurdles Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (50.37), Japan’s Masatora Kawano (2:21:47 in men’s 35km race walk).
