Ruth Chepngetich wins women’s marathon at World Athletics Championships as 28 drop out

Extreme heat and humidity saw 28 of the 68 starters fail to reach the finish line in the women’s world championship marathon in Doha.

The midnight start saw a temperature of 32.7C and a humidity index of 73 per cent for the 26.2 miles (42.195 km) course which was the limit of what the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) deemed acceptable limits.

But by the time Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich crossed the finish line two hours, 32 minutes and 43 seconds later it was still 31C, 77 per cent humidity and not a breath of wind.

Understandably Chepngetich clocked the slowest ever time for the win with Bahrain’s defending world champion Rose Chelimo more than a minute adrift in second and Namibia’s Helalia Johannes completing the podium for third.

On the win, Chepngetich said: “It was very hot. In this weather I lost my mind, to win it was not easy and I thank god for the tactics that he gave me.”

Helalia Johannes, women’s marathon bronze medallist added: “This is the hardest thing I did because I never run in this terrible weather.

“I won the gold medal last year at the gold coast but the gold coast’s weather was better than this one. This one it’s horrible. It’s hot.”

Despite IAAF assurances that athlete welfare was the top priority, many needed medical attention with some feeling the conditions were so severe the race should not have been run.

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