Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich put on a performance for the ages as she obliterated the women’s marathon world record in Chicago on Sunday, taking nearly two minutes off the previous best to win in an unofficial time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds. Chepngetich finished the Chicago Marathon in 2:09:56.

The 30-year-old broke the world record set by Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia in 2:11:53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon. Sutume Asefa Kebede of Ethiopia finished second in 2:17:32.

Chepngetich became the first woman to break 2:10 in the marathon. She also won the Chicago Marathon in 2021 and 2022 and finished runner-up last year.

Chepngetich ditched the competition by the halfway mark and ran through a chorus of cheers through the final straight as she claimed her third title in Chicago and crushed Ethiopian Tigst Assefa’s previous record of 2:11:53, set last year in Berlin.

“This is my dream that has come true,” said Chepngetich, whose time was originally recorded as 2:09:57 but was later adjusted.

Chepngetich set a blistering pace from the start, running the first five kilometres in 15 minutes flat and by the halfway mark she had built a 14-second cushion between herself and Kebede.

Television commentators were astonished as she grinded through the course, comparing her attempt at a sub-2:10 marathon to the moon landing, and she only seemed to gain momentum as she sprinted through the final two miles.

Chepngetich, the 2019 world champion, hunched over in utter exhaustion after breaking the tape and dedicated her performance to compatriot Kelvin Kiptum, who broke the men’s world record a year ago in Chicago and died in a car crash four months later.

“World record was in my mind,” she said in televised remarks. “Chicago, as I said in the press, is like home.”

John Korir of Kenya won the men’s race in 2:02:44, besting Huseydin Mohamed Esa of Ethiopia, who finished in 2:04:39. Korir and Chepngetich ran in honour of the late Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya, who broke the world record by 34 seconds, finishing in 2:00:35, at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.

Four months later, police said the 24-year-old Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, died in a car accident after hitting a tree near a training area in Kaptagat, Kenya.

Organisers held a moment of silence for Kiptum before the race and offered the nearly 50,000 runners a memorial sticker to add to their bibs. The 26.2-mile race started and ended in Grant Park.

• A Tell / AP report