How Ruth Chepngetich overcame heat to strike gold

Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich celebrates after winning the Women's Marathon at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha on September 27, 2019. [AFP]

Ruth Chepngetich decimated rivals yesterday morning to deliver gold for Kenya in a grueling race that saw many of the pre-race favourites fail to finish as fierce heat and humidity took their toll at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha.

The 25-year-old world number one clocked 2:32:43 seconds in a race whose arduous nature was reflected in all three of the Ethiopians failing to make it past the halfway mark -- the trio among around a couple of dozen who found the going too tough.