This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
On a sweltering day in Doha, Kenya's Ruth Chepng'etich made history by winning the first title of the World Athletics Championships women's marathon, completing the gruelling 42.2km course in 2 hours 32 minutes 43 seconds.
The 25-year-old world number one's victory was a testament to her endurance and determination, as she outpaced her rivals in the scorching heat and humidity that took its toll on many of the pre-race favourites.
Among those who failed to finish were several top contenders, including Ethiopia's Rosa Dereje, who dropped out with an ankle injury shortly before the 15km mark, and Ukraine's Oleksandra Shafar and Clementine Mukandanga, who called it a night.
Defending champion Rose Chelimo of Bahrain took silver, while Namibia's Helalia Johannes secured the bronze medal in a race that saw the runners receive water bottles wrapped in ice to help them cope with the extreme conditions.
Kenyan-born Lonah Salpeter, who moved to Israel as a nanny for a Kenyan diplomat and subsequently married her Israeli coach, dominated the early part of the race, but lost valuable ground when she dropped her water bottle at a drinks station and stopped to pick it up.
Chepng'etich set an astonishing pace with only 13km gone, watched by a fair-sized crowd gathered round the Corniche, and never allowed Chelimo a sniff of a chance, strode imperiously to victory to give Kenya their fifth gold in the event.
