Catherine Ndereba on why more marathon records will be broken
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 29.10.24. | 22:00
Ndereba, who herself set a marathon world record in 2001, sees Chepngetich’s win as a continuation of an ongoing trend
Marathon legend Catherine Ndereba believes the future of women’s marathon running is now brighter than ever.
Her sentiments come after Ruth Chepng'etich recently shattered the 2:10 barrier. Ndereba was excited that this milestone was the beginning of faster and more frequent record-breaking performances.
Chepngetich made history at the Chicago Marathon, clocking an astounding 2:09:56, which carved nearly two minutes off the previous record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa back in 2023.
Her achievement brought the world record back to Kenya and opened the door for female marathoners to aim for even faster times.
“Ruth’s achievement is a historic feat. Not only did she bring the world record back home, but she also opened the doors to greater possibilities for the women’s marathon.
I foresee the times getting even faster as more athletes push the limits,” she said as per The Star.
Ndereba, who herself set a marathon world record in 2001, sees Chepngetich’s win as a continuation of an ongoing trend.
She recalled the same year when Japan’s Naoko Takahashi broke the 2:20 barrier at the Berlin Marathon.
A month later, Ndereba went on to set her world record, proving just how competitive women’s marathon running was becoming.
“This shows female athletes have been getting more and more competitive,” she explained.
For Ndereba, Chepngetich’s record-breaking run at the Chicago Marathon was no surprise, especially given the course’s reputation for fast times.
“With the right kind of weather, the Chicago Marathon course is very fast. This is what I have competed in several times, and it has witnessed numerous World records,” Ndereba noted.
Ndereba also pointed to technology’s role in helping marathoners reach new speeds, particularly advancements in footwear that maximize energy efficiency.
For instance, while racing at the Chicago Marathon, Chepng’etich wore the Nike Alphafly 3 super shoe, which was also worn by the late Kelvin Kiptum to break the men’s world record in the same course.
The shoe has forefoot Air Zoom units which help an athlete make every step worth the count. They are also paired with heel-to-toe ZoomX midsole foam to store and return the energy to the athlete.
“Technology has played a big part in the world marathon. Athletes can run even faster because of some of the shoes they wear, which points to even greater stories and records in the years to come,” she added.
Between 2003 and 2008, Ndereba consistently finished in the top two in five successive global championship marathons.
She twice won the marathon at the World Championships in Athletics and secured silver medals at the Summer Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008, making her Kenya’s first female multi-medalist.
Her accolades also include four Boston Marathon victories and two Chicago Marathon wins. It was at the latter in 2001 that she broke the women’s marathon world record with a time of 2:18:47.
In 2008, the Chicago Tribune’s Philip Hersh described her as the greatest women’s marathoner of all time.
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