The race started at midnight but the temperature took its toll
Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich won the first gold medal of the World Athletic Championships in grueling conditions in Doha early today morning. She completed the six 7km loops of the Corniche in the Qatar capital in two hours 32.43 with almost half of the field withdrawing from the women’s marathon race that started midnight Dubai time.
While the IAAF had decided to go ahead with the event despite concerns that conditions might not be conducive for the marathon, 33 of the 68 runners in the field did not finish the race.
Defending champion Ruth Chelimo was second. The 39-year-old Bahriani finished in 2:33.46 while Commonwealth champion Helalia Johannes of Namibia, also 39, took bronze in 2:34.15.
Chepngetich had won this year’s Dubai Marathon in 2:17:08 – the third fastest time ever recorded, but with temperatures hitting 32.7C and with humidity reaching 73%, there was never any chance of her returning a strong time.
The IAAF had confirmed that the conditions were right on the limit of the standards allowable but some of the best runners in the field also fell victim.
Ethiopia’s trio of Ruti Aga, Roza Dereje and Shure Demise, al failed to finish the race. Aga who has a season’s best of 2:20:40 and a personal of 2:18:34, and Roza Dereje, who has run 2:20:51 this year and has a best of 2:19:17 were both expected to challenge for podium finishes.
It was not all that easy for Chepngetich, despite taking a ten second lead at the 13km mark, she was unable to significantly pull away from the chasing field.
At the halway mark, she was reeled in by the chasing pack of four runners. By the time the leaders hit the 25km mark in a time of 1:31.01 Chepngetich was battling with Chelimo, Johannes and teammate Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat for the title. Israel’s Lornah Salpeter, who until than kept pace with the leaders began to drift out an eventually dropped out of the race.
Chepngetich made her move at the last of six loops to win the exhausting race.
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