With approximately Sh28 million ($250,000) after her win at the Nagoya Women's Marathon on Sunday, world champion Ruth Chepngetich could not help but pay homage to the city for its amazing atmosphere.
Chepngetich clocked the second-fastest women's only time of 2:17:18 — also a course record — to beat Kenyan-born Israeli Lonah Salpeter (2:18:44) and Japanese Yuka Ando (2:22:22).
The prize money is the biggest ever awarded to a marathon winner in history.
"Thank you, Nagoya for a day to remember. Amazing race today and a result that I am proud of: 2:17:18, the second-fastest time ever in a women's only marathon," the half marathon world record holder said.
Although she did not set a new personal best to beat the 2:17:08 she timed at the Dubai Marathon in 2019, everything else went according to plans for the two-time Istanbul Marathon champion.
She ran a dominant race that has become her characteristic — peeling away from other competitors during which she had timed 1:09:03 at the halfway mark.
Despite the 2020 champion Salpeter catching up with her, the ruthless Chepngetich seemed determined to add another accolade to her medal collection.
It was redemption for her previous outing in Japan when she dropped out of the women's marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Sapporo. Having also won the Chicago Marathon in October last year, her Olympics disappointment now seems like a blip.
"I chose (to run) the Nagoya Women’s Marathon because Japan is a nice place. The environment is good, and as women, we have to encourage ourselves and do better," Chepngetich said.
Victory in Nagoya came exactly a week after world marathon record holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei set new course records of 2:03:13 and 2:16:02 respectively to win the Tokyo Marathon.
Elsewhere, the 2018 Düsseldorf PSD Bank Meeting 1500m champion Vincent Kibet led a 1-2 Kenyan finish at the Berlin 10km Invitational Race, timing 28:13 ahead of Evans Kiprono (28:20) and Great Britain's Jack Rowe (28:24).
At the Gent Half Marathon in Belgium, Kenya's Viola Chepngeno led a 1-2 Kenyan finish as she clocked 1:07:25, ahead of Beatrice Chepkemoi (1:07:29). Ugandan Zena Chebet was third in 1:09:47.
In the men's race, Kenyans Evans Mokaya (1:01:02) and Josephat Kipchirchir (1:01:10) finished second and third as Ugandan Victor Kiplangat took top honours in 1:00:11.
