World records set by Chepngetich and Niyonsaba ratified by World Athletics

The world records set by Ruth Chepngetich and Francine Niyonsaba have been ratified, the world athletics announced on Thursday. Chepngetich, the world marathon champion, clocked a world record of 1:04:02 when winning at the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, on April 4.

The Kenyan won by 38 seconds, while Yalemzerf Yehualaw and two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri both finished inside 65 minutes. Chepngetich's winning time of 1:04:02 broke the previous record of 1:04:31 that had been set by Ethiopia's Ababel Yeshaneh in Ras Al Khaimah on February 21, 2020. Chepngetich's record was recently broken by Ethiopia's Letesenbet Gidey, who won in Valencia last weekend with 1:02:52 - a mark that is pending ratification.

Francine Niyonsaba capped her 2021 track campaign with a 2000m victory and world record at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Zagreb on September 14. The distance runner from Burundi crossed the line in 5:21.56. Her winning time took more than two seconds off the previous record that had been set indoors by Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba in Sabadell on February 7, 2017.