Defending champion Ruth Chepngetich solidified her spot in history as she won the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon just seconds away from world record fashion.
Chepngetich came into the race with a goal of breaking the course and world record, previously set by Brigid Kosgei in the 2019 Chicago race. The previous record was 2:14:04.
Chepngetich finished with an official time of 2:14:18.
"I wanted to break the world record but missed by some seconds but... next time I will not miss it," she told NBC Chicago at the finish line, adding that she plans to race in Chicago again next year.
Chepngetich won the 2021 Chicago race in what was her first appearance in the United States. After snatching an early lead in the race, Chepngetich crossed the finish line well ahead of her fellow elite runners with an official time of 2:22:31 that year, becoming the fourth fastest woman in the marathon's history at that time.
She returned in 2022 to take her successes to an entirely new level.
Chepngetich cruised to a victory by a landslide, with no competitors in sight as she reached the finish line in first place for the women's race.
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Ever since the self-coached sensation made her marathon debut in 2017, she has finished among the top three in every marathon she has completed. The feat includes wins in Dubai, Istanbul and the 2019 IAAF World Championships.
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Chepngetich headed to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics heavily favored to win gold, but struggled during the race and dropped out around the 30K mark. But she followed that performance with her win at the 2021 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
