Ruth Cheptngetich Becomes The First Woman To Break The Mythical 2:10 Barrier

SuspectZero

She ran 2:09:57, Probably deserves a thread as this is performance is probably up there with Roger Bannisters sub-4 mile and the Sub-2 men's marathon in the long thought to be impossible stakes.

This performance would have qualified her for the Men's Tokyo Olympics Marathon. Only two Irish men have ever run faster for the marathon, she finished 10th overall men or women, her first 10k split today of 30:14 would've qualified her for next years World championships 10,000m(it was also the 10th fastest woman's 10k on the road ever). Her 64:16 half marathon split was the 5th fastest half marathon ever run by a woman and she still had another one to run after that.

This is easily the most insane athletics performance of all-time, it's not even close, it's almost 2 minutes faster than the old world record and almost 4 minutes faster than the 3rd fastest marathon ever

Murph_D

’Insane’ is right. I was sure she’d blow up. Hopefully it stands the test of time. An amazing collection of stats, and she was bouncing around afterwards like she could have run a good bit faster.

4Ad

Brilliant..I thought she might fade with a few Km to go but luckily she proved me wrong…

I was shouting her on !!!

Thrilled for her, seemed like a genuinely nice person in her interview afterwards also.

tphase

According to RTE her time was originally recorded as 2:09:57 but later adjusted, to what they don't say

http://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2024/1013/1475221-chepngetich-shatters-marathon-world-record-in-chicago/

SuspectZero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122715385#Comment_122715385

It was changed to 2:09:56

average_runner

I can't buy into this record, she was running 2:06 pace at one stage. Then bouncing around at the end, it's all too much.

Sport could be going through something that was worst than the 80's in eastern Europe!!

NIMAN

Surely it's hard to celebrate any athletics records now, when the chance of doping is so high?

marathon2022

Why not? Its still nearly 10 minutes slower than the mens record. Super shoes, the swedish energy company( have they developed the bicarb for longer distances?), coaching methods, altitude and access to medical testing far beyond even a few years ago.

Not saying there isn't anything fishy about Kenyan running but Why Not a woman running 2.09.56.

Murph_D

Only 7 secs slower than Scullion’s Irish men’s record.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122716992#Comment_122716992

A lot of possible things making her run faster listed there, when maybe the more obvious answer is one thing?

Just saying.

Do i sound like Paul Kimmage?

howdydoo83

Just looking at this would have me believe she is doping.

https://twitter.com/TheRunnerMan17/status/1845521104053444660?s=19

average_runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122716992#Comment_122716992

Men’s WR	Women’s WR	% Difference
100	9.58	10.49	9.50%
200	19.19	21.34	11.20%
400	43.03	47.6	10.62%
800	1:40.91	1:53.28	12.26%
1500	3:26.00	3:49.04	11.18%
steeple	7:52.11	8:44.32	11.06%
5000	12:35.36	14:00.21	11.23%
10,000	26:11.00	28:54.14	10.38%
13.1	57:31:00	62:52:00	9.30%
26.2	2:00:35	2:09:56	7.75%

marathon2022

Nothing there proving she cheated.

MY BAD

When you look at her previous stats it's hard not to be slightly suspicious. Insane running, time will probably tell.

SuspectZero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122717640#Comment_122717640

I'm extremely suspicious of the performance tbh but as usual with twitter, context is always left out.

For instance, in Chicago 2021, she went out in 67 8 weeks after bombing in the Olympic Marathon and crawled home in 75 minutes. She had run 64:02 already that year and most athletes who can run that time for the half can run 2:13/2:14

In Chicago 2022, she went out in 65:44 and came home in 68:34 so you could argue she was worth a high 2:12 that day

So the progression isn't that crazy to me, if I looked at a profile of a male athlete doing this kind of progression to a 2:09:56 lifetime best, I wouldn't bat an eyelid at it, someone like Bill Rodgers for example had a way crazier progression to his 2:09 lifetime PR. Heck, her progression is almost identical to Stephen Scullion and very close to Kevin Seaward and probably another 100 men.

What is incomprehensible to me isn't even the 2:09 even though it is, it's the manner in which she ran it that makes me super suspicious and makes it seem beyond belief. Only 3 women in the history of the world could've stayed with her for 13.1 miles.

And even beyond doping, I still don't know how to explain it because doping alone doesn't do that, you have to assume everyone else is clean and she's the only doper for that to make sense on its own.

It wasn't even 10 years ago when seeing a woman go sub 2:20 was still a big deal. I remember seeing Keitany go out at 2:11 pace in London 7 years ago and thinking this is the dumbest thing I've ever seen, now you got a woman going out at 2:06 pace and finishing in 2:09

rom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122717749#Comment_122717749

Public it is stated that she has "no coach" and she is managed by Federico Rosa, the most unlucky agent in the sport.

"Troy McClure Voice" You may remember me as the agent that brought you athletes such as:

1. Rita Jeptoo
   Incident: Rita Jeptoo, a marathon runner, was one of the most high-profile athletes managed by Federico Rosa to be caught doping.
   Details: In 2014, Jeptoo tested positive for EPO (Erythropoietin), a banned performance-enhancing drug. The test results came just before she was due to collect her prize for winning the World Marathon Majors.
   Outcome: Jeptoo was handed a four-year ban, and her victories in the Boston and Chicago marathons were annulled.
2. Jemimah Sumgong
   Incident: Jemimah Sumgong, the 2016 Olympic marathon gold medalist, was also managed by Federico Rosa when she was caught doping.
   Details: In 2017, Sumgong tested positive for EPO in an out-of-competition test. This came shortly after her groundbreaking win at the Rio Olympics and her victory in the 2016 London Marathon.
   Outcome: Sumgong initially denied doping, but she was later banned for four years. In 2019, her ban was extended to eight years after being caught lying and presenting falsified medical records in an attempt to clear her name.
3. Asbel Kiprop
   Incident: Asbel Kiprop, a three-time World Champion and 2008 Olympic gold medalist in the 1500 meters, was another star athlete under Rosa’s management caught in a doping scandal.
   Details: Kiprop tested positive for EPO in 2018. Despite claiming that the sample was tampered with, Kiprop was unable to avoid sanctions.
   Outcome: Kiprop was given a four-year ban, which effectively derailed his career and damaged his reputation as one of the greatest middle-distance runners.
4. Mathew Kisorio
   Incident: Mathew Kisorio, a Kenyan long-distance runner, tested positive for steroids (nandrolone) in 2012.
   Details: Following his suspension, Kisorio made claims that doping was widespread among Kenyan athletes and implied that some coaches and managers, possibly including Federico Rosa’s camp, were aware of it.
   Outcome: He was banned for two years and later returned to competition after serving his suspension.
5. Abraham Kiptum
   Incident: Abraham Kiptum, a half marathon world record holder, was suspended in 2019 for doping.
   Details: Kiptum’s biological passport showed irregularities that suggested blood doping, which led to an investigation by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
   Outcome: His half marathon world record was annulled, and he was handed a four-year ban.
6. Agnes Tirop
   Incident: Agnes Tirop, a world-class Kenyan distance runner and 2015 World Cross Country champion, was involved in a doping case in 2017.
   Details: Tirop tested positive for an undisclosed substance, and although she was later cleared of wrongdoing, the initial case added to the controversies surrounding athletes under Rosa’s management.
   Outcome: She was ultimately cleared by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and resumed her career, but the case still cast a shadow over Rosa’s management at the time.
7. Francisca Koki Manunga
   Incident: Francisca Koki Manunga, a Kenyan hurdler, tested positive for a banned substance in 2016.
   Details: She was found guilty of using a diuretic (furosemide), which is commonly used as a masking agent for other performance-enhancing drugs.
   Outcome: Manunga received a four-year ban from athletics.
8. Joyce Chepkirui
   Incident: Joyce Chepkirui, a Kenyan long-distance runner, was caught in a doping scandal in 2019.
   Details: She was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after irregularities were found in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP), which suggested blood doping.
   Outcome: In 2021, Chepkirui was handed a four-year ban, ending her competitive career.

marathon2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122724647#Comment_122724647

The whataboutery on this thread is another level. By your simplistic argument this is also a list of drug cheats.

https://worldathletics.org/athletes/athlete-representatives/directory/federico-rosa-169284

My point stands, she has not been found guilty of cheating.

niallo27

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122724647#Comment_122724647

What are you trying to suggest here😀

kerry_man15

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122718190#Comment_122718190

This is the most unbelievable run I've ever seen, previous to this it was Assefa's 2:11:53 last year. Both are highly suspicious and suggest doping. Their progression is just too unbelievable to anyone who understands distance running. Her splits are just insane! She set PB's at 5km, 10km and Half-Marathon on her way to this time. Super shoes have been around for a few years so it can be shoes that have seen her progress from 2:22's in 2020/21 to 22:14's in 2022/23 to nor 2:09:56. Nobody in the history of the world has ever produced a run like this with such crazy stats, it's the most insane, unbelievable performance of all time. I'll be amazed if it's not drug-assisted. The top female marathon runners from most other countries outside of Africa are struggling to break 2:20. It took 16 years for Paula Radcliffe's record (2:15:25) to be beaten in 2019, itself an anomaly, as she is the only non-African in the top 20 of all time. Kosgei reduced it by a further 1 min 21 seconds until Assefa blew it away by running 2 mins 11 seconds faster in 2023. Now Chepngetich has beaten that by a further 1 min 57 seconds. Only 5 women ever have run under 2:15 and three of the times are nowhere near Chepngetich's time (2:13:44, 2:14:04 and 2:14:58).

rom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122724785#Comment_122724785

It's hard to have any belief in the sport.

https://athleticsillustrated.com/opinion-ruth-chepngetichs-chicago-marathon-performance-is-a-historic-red-flag-moment-in-the-sport-of-athletics/

rom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122724757#Comment_122724757

This isn't a list of drug cheats but it is a list of athletes that are associated with an agent who has way more than his fair share of athletes caught for doping. The list I provided is a list of drug cheats associated with this coach though. If you don't think the sport at the top level is not a complete cluster you are delusional.

lawrencesummers

Its pretty clear from the list above that the punishment for doping isnt enough of a deterrent against cheating.

Prize money, sponsorships and all the potential income that comes at the time if winning looks to be worth the risk for far to many athletes.

Thats not to say Ruth was doping, but nobody is going to faint with shock if she gets caught doping down the road.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122724939#Comment_122724939

Agree with you 💯, but I would also ask was Paula doping?

marathon2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122725099#Comment_122725099

You would swear she came out of nowhere to set this record with the comments above. Three years ago at the age of 27 she broke the woman's half marathon world record with 1.04, she is a two time Chicago winner (finish time of 2.14 in 2022) and Kenyan 10,000 meter champion the same year. She is in her peak and she loves the course.

Look at Radcliffe for example(whataboutery), she was couple of months shy of her 30th Birthday when she set a the woman's Marathon world record in 2002, 22 years ago with 2:17:18 , also in Chicago. And lest we forget its 21 years since she did 2.15? Why should an east african not break 2.10 in 2024.

Rossi7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122725265#Comment_122725265

Using Radcliffe to back up your point isn't the win you think it is

marathon2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122726235#Comment_122726235

What win? Is there a prize?

kerry_man15

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122725168#Comment_122725168

A fair question to ask. I've always been suspicious of Radcliffe's WR. Many of today's top athletes are struggling to come anywhere close to it even with the huge advances in running shoes, nutrition, training methods over the past 20 years.