London, UK — Kenyan marathoner Peres Jepchirchir set a brand new world document for a women-only marathon on Sunday, April 21, through the London Marathon. She accomplished the race in a formidable time of two hours, 16 minutes, and 16 seconds, surpassing the earlier document of two:17:01 set by Mary Keitany in 2017 on the identical occasion.
Jepchirchir, 30, had an exceptionally robust end, leaving her opponents behind as she sprinted alone down the ultimate stretch in entrance of Buckingham Palace.
Although her time was greater than 4 minutes slower than the general girls’s world document set by Tigst Assefa in Berlin final yr, it stands because the quickest time ever recorded in a women-only marathon.
The elite girls’s area in London historically begins about half-hour forward of the elite males, highlighting the importance of Jepchirchir’s accomplishment on this context.
The victory holds explicit significance for Jepchirchir, because it doubtless secures her a spot on Kenya’s Olympic staff for the upcoming Paris Games.
The London Marathon was the ultimate qualifying race earlier than Kenya’s Olympic selectors finalize their staff. Jepchirchir expressed her twin focus for the race, not solely to set a document but in addition to defend her Olympic title in Paris.
“I was not expecting to run that time,” she acknowledged. “I was trying to work extra hard to defend my title in the Olympics.”
This win serves as redemption for Jepchirchir, who completed third in final yr’s London Marathon. This yr’s triumph, particularly her robust end, is a lift to her confidence as she prepares for the Olympics.
“For me, when I reach 800 meters (left), it’s difficult to defeat me,” she mentioned, reflecting on her technique and energy within the closing levels of a race.
The London Marathon was additionally notable for an additional Kenyan victory within the males’s race. Alexander Mutiso Munyao gained the boys’s 42 km race with a time of two hours, 4 minutes, and 1 second, adopted by Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele and Britain’s Emile Cairess.
The occasion was tinged with poignancy because it remembered Kelvin Kiptum, final yr’s champion from Kenya, who tragically died in a automobile crash in February on the age of 24.
This yr’s marathon highlighted the energy and resilience of Kenyan athletes, marking a major day for Kenya in worldwide marathon racing.
https://www.africanexponent.com/peres-jepchirchir-sets-women-only-marathon-world-record-at-london-marathon/
