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• Ruth Chepngetich credits daughter and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce for driving her to marathon glory

  Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, the newly minted marathon world record holder, has opened up about how her daughter and Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce have been key sources of inspiration throughout her journey. Chepngetich, who recently shattered Tigst Assefa’s world record by running an astonishing 2:09:56 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, spoke to Citius Mag about the forces that motivate her to keep pushing the boundaries of her sport.

  Chepngetich, a three-time Chicago Marathon champion, became the first woman to officially break the 2:10 barrier, an incredible milestone that will go down in history. She revealed that the drive to give her daughter a better life has fueled her desire to succeed at the highest level.

  “I am pushing so much because my daughter is motivating me to work harder. Now she is in Form One, so I should work hard for her to study,” Chepngetich shared. “Mothers always have a lot to do, so it is not easy. Our children are motivating us to work harder so that we show them the way and how life goes.”

  Chepngetich’s commitment to being a positive role model for her daughter is paralleled by the inspiration she draws from Fraser-Pryce, a Jamaican sprinting icon who has continued to excel on the world stage while balancing motherhood. The Kenyan marathoner expressed her admiration for Fraser-Pryce’s longevity and resilience.

  “Shelly-Ann motivates me and inspires me to do a lot,” she said. “She started her career a long time ago before me, so I am following in her footsteps to run for a long time like her and smart.”

  Fraser-Pryce’s influence has been profound, not just on Chepngetich but also on other African athletes, including Faith Kipyegon, the three-time Olympic 1500m champion and world record holder, and Ivorian sprinter Marie-Josée Ta Lou. Both have publicly acknowledged the impact of the Jamaican sprinter on their own careers.

  As a self-coached athlete, Chepngetich’s performance in Chicago was nothing short of phenomenal. Her marathon splits of 64:16 and 65:40 were unmatched by any of her competitors, with Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede finishing a distant second in 2:17:32.

  With her Chicago victory and world record now in the history books, all eyes will be on Chepngetich as she prepares for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. As she continues to balance the roles of world-class athlete and mother, she’ll carry the motivation and inspiration from her daughter and Fraser-Pryce, two forces that have driven her to unprecedented heights in the marathon world.

   

• Long overdue: UK based entities Ryder Architecture and CAA Icon have joint-proposal accepted by Jamaican Sport Ministry to redevelop National Stadium

  The redevelopment of the place that has played host to so many of Jamaica’s track and field heroes, the National Stadium, is close to beginning as Jamaica’s Ministry of Sport has accepted a joint proposal from UK based entities Ryder Architecture and CAA Icon to oversee the project.

  Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Hon. Olivia Grange made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday providing updates on the redevelopment project.

  “We met with representatives from both Ryder Architecture and CAA Icon and they submitted a joint proposal to us for the renovation and redevelopment of facilities at Independence Park, particularly the National Stadium,” the Minister said on Tuesday.

  She continued: “The document, in essence, proposes to, not only address the shortcomings of the existing stadium, but to identify, through qualitative and quantitative assessment, the full potential for this iconic stadium with enhancement as a major tournament venue, training centre and visitor attraction to promote Jamaica and Jamaican sport talent.”

  Ryder Architecture and CAA Icon have worked together many times and have been involved in stadiums around the world such as Wembley, the Emirates Stadium, the 02 Arena, Stadio Olimpico and the San Siro.

  “My Ministry, through its oversight committee and the executing agency, Independence Park Limited, is of the view that Ryder Architecture and CAA Icon can deliver on the proposal given the entities’ years in the business of building and redeveloping sports facilities worldwide,” Grange said.

  The project will see the capacity of the National Stadium increase from 28,500 to 35,000 and will make the country able to bid to host major global events like the World Athletics Championships.

  Dispensing with the bleachers, establishing modern facilities for anti-doping, new facilities for media, the establishment of a modern and iconic sports museum, new modern lighting, new seating options, new conference and meeting facilities, premium suites and lounges and new concession facilities among other upgrades were discussed by Grange’s team and the entities.

  The next step in the re-development project of the National Stadium is a stadium assessment and feasibility study.

  “The study includes a thorough economic and feasibility analysis to identify local and international market demand to ensure that use, and therefore design proposals are aligned to economic demand,” Grange said before stating that these studies will commence in a few weeks and be completed within eight months.

  The results of those studies will inform phase two which is the project initiation, concept design and approval stage.

  Phase three will involve the detailed design and appointment of a contractor in which a groundbreaking date of August 2025 is being targeted.

  Phase four will involve construction and phase five is the operational readiness and handover.

  Grange anticipates that the whole project will last about 30 months or two and a half years.

  The football field and running track will be unaffected during the construction process according to Independence Park Limited General Manager, Major Desmon Brown, who noted that the only inconvenience caused will be a limited capacity of seats for the duration of the process.

  The funding for this project came from a government to government framework for co-operation agreement signed by Jamaica’s Finance Minister, the Hon. Nigel Clarke, and CEO of UK Export Finance, Tim Reid earlier this year.

  Clarke, as well as UK Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, Baroness Jennifer Chapman, were both in attendance on Tuesday.

  “UK Export Finance are delighted that this agreement will enable them to support Jamaica’s game changing national priority projects and is proud to back the implementation of high-quality UK solutions and innovations alongside UK Government funding,” said Chapman.

  “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to get this deal over the finish line before the departure of Mr. Clarke for his next role at the IMF,” she added.

  “When I met the head of the UK Export Finance at a function at the UK High Commission, light bulbs began to go off because there he was in Jamaica looking for business and engagement and I know have projects that we want to develop but where the technical capacity is not abundantly available in Jamaica, for obvious reasons,” Clarke said.

  “Sparks began to fly about how we could use the format of a government to government co-operation with the UK Export entity to provide the framework through which the feasibility could be delivered and the construction to follow for the stadium,” he added.

• Improving core, mental strength the main focus for Alfred in preparation for 2025 season

  Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred will emphasize improving her core strength in preparation for the 2025 season, with an eye on improving her performances in the 200m.

  Despite being the second fastest woman ever in the event indoors with her 22.01 at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2023, with only the legendary Merlene Ottey going faster with 21.87 in 1993, Alfred has often said she’s not a fan of the half lap event.

  Alfred also won the 200m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2023 with a wind-aided 21.73.

  This year, she won Olympic silver in the event in Paris in August, running 22.08 behind American Gabby Thomas who’s winning time was 21.83.

  A month before the Olympics, Alfred set a personal best 21.86 in a winning effort at the London Diamond League meet.

  Speaking on the latest episode on Out d Blocks on the SportsMax TV YouTube Channel, Alfred spoke about wanting to get stronger.

   “I think I have a lot to work on. I have to get stronger, especially my core. On the track, I think that getting stronger mentally as well as physically is really what I have to work on,”

  The 23-year-old also mentioned that her coach, Edrick Floreal, is working to improve how she feels about the 200m.

  “I’ve spoken about the 200m for a really long time and how I feel about it. My coach is going to work with me with how I fell about the 200m in getting stronger and being more comfortable in that,” she said.

  “It might take some longer races, I don’t know but I think he’s really trying to help me get stronger mentally as I approach the 2025 season, especially as it pertains to the 200m,” Alfred added.

  With these performances in mind, one can only imagine the times Alfred will be able to run if she starts to actually enjoy the event.

  If that happens in 2025, her personal best is definitely in danger and it would be no surprise to see her leave the Tokyo World Championships in September with a pair of gold medals.