This week she tested positive and has been provisionally suspended.
What we often miss when this happens, is not just athletes missing out on money or fame, but how we miss out on moments that could define and inspire.
Consider this…
If Chepngetich would not have been allowed to race…
Americans would have gone 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at the 2021 Chicago Marathon. A sweep of the podium for Americans at a World Marathon Major? Unheard of. It’s rare enough for an american to win a major that we can remember them off the top of her head (i.e. Des and Meb in Boston, Shalane in NYC). But a sweep of the podium? Crazy.
The next year in 2022, we would have had another american win Chicago, this time in an American record time. Sure, Emily Sisson was celebrated for finishing 2nd in a AR…But again, imagine the inspiration, the media coverage if she crossed that line first in a historic time.
Think of how big those moments could have been. Not just for those athletes, but for the sport in general. Back to back American victories in a world marathon major, inspiring others.
Instead, we lost those moments, that coverage, because of doping.
And it’s not just an American thing. We also lose out on the barrier breaking. A sub 2:10 marathon is insane for a woman. It should be treated like a Roger Bannister like event. Something once thought impossible. But because Chepngetich made such a massive leap, becoming the first to not just break 2:10, but also 2:11…it was rightfully met with skepticism. There’s no “redefining what’s possible…” It was more of a muted response of whispers of “What new drug is she on?”