Athletics Kenya (AK) has come out strongly to condemn the unwarranted scrutiny of Ruth Chepng’etich 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 the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 13, 2024, surpassing Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa’s previous record by almost two minutes.

Chepng’etich became the first woman to run a marathon in under two hours and 10 minutes.

Immediately after pulling the record-breaking performance in Chicago, Chepng’etich became a topic of discussion online and even in the post-race interview.

She was pinned down to explain how she managed to pull off such a remarkable feat yet she failed in the previous appearances.

AK’s statement

However, AK has termed the accusation as disheartening to the athlete. Athletics Kenya which is led by Jack Tuwei maintained that such unproven allegations undermine the integrity of the sport.

Further, AK made it clear that Chepng’etich followed all the due processes including testing before taking part in the race.

“In any case, many world records were broken this year, and to single her out is utterly unfair. It is therefore disheartening to witness some sections of the media casting unwarranted doubt on her achievements. Such aspersions, made without due process undermine not only her efforts but the integrity of the sport.

“It is important to note that Ruth, like all athletes in major competitions, underwent multiple anti-doping tests, both pre-race and post-race. These are standard procedures in events of this magnitude, and only offer all results are verified will her record be officially ratified,” AK’s statement read in part.

Familiarity with the course

According to AK, Chepng’etich’s record-breaking run can be attributed to her familiarity with the course. It is worth noting that she participated in the Chicago Marathon in 2021 and 2022.

Moreover, AK emphasised that her consistency on the track eventually paid off during Sunday’s race.

“Her familiarity with the course, having won this prestigious marathon on two previous occasions in 2021 and 2022. played a pivotal role in her third victory, showcasing her tactfulness and athletic mastery.

“Ruth’s ascent as a star in Kenya’s athletics scene has been nothing short of extraordinary. From her World Championships win in 2019 to her consistent performance on the global stage over 5 years, she has set a high standard for others to follow, She now joins the league of other Kenyan Women’s Work record holders including Faith Klipyegon. Beatrice Chebet, and Beatrice Chepkoech among others. Her latest triumph. is a continuation of this stellar career. despite missing the 2024 Poris Olympics games due to illness,” AK remarked.

Athletics Kenya thus pleaded with those scrutinising her win to grant her time to reap from her hard labour and avoid subjecting her to unwarranted accusations.

WORLD RECORD ‼️

🇰🇪's Ruth Chepngetich destroys the marathon world record in Chicago with an incredible 2:09:57 😮‍💨

That's almost 2 minutes faster than the previous world record 🤯

She finishes in 10th place overall of the @ChiMarathon 👏 pic.twitter.com/ftM1J0j1F1

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) October 13, 2024

The grilling

After the race, Chepng’etich faced the media and what stood out was the question from a journalist from LetsRun.

The journalist asked Chepng’etich: “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?”

Chepng’etich, 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?”

Chepng’etich then said: “You know people must talk but… people must talk so I don’t know.”

The interview went viral prompting people to ask questions on that record-breaking run.