London Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir (left) and women's marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich.
Women's marathon world record holder, Ruth Chepngetich, and reigning London Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir have withdrawn from this year’s race scheduled for April 27 in the English capital city.
Jepchirchir, who is training in Kapsabet, Nandi County, twisted her ankle in training and doctors advised her to take a rest so as not to aggravate the injury.
The race organisers said in a statement on Friday that Chepngetich, 30, withdrew from the competition, saying she was not ready to race in London.
Race organisers have since brought on board the 2018 London Marathon champion and former Olympic track gold medalist Vivian Cheruiyot, as a late addition to the elite women’s field.
Chepng’etich shattered the world record and became the first woman in history to run the marathon in sub-2:10 time when she clocked 2 hours, 9:56 minutes to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon last October.
“I’m not in the right place mentally or physically to race my best in London and I am therefore withdrawing. I am very sad to miss the race and I hope to be back next year,” said Chepng’etich.
Jepchirchir has sustained an ankle injury which will prevent her from defending the title she won in stunning fashion last year when she set a new women’s only world record time of 2:16:16.
“I was very much looking forward to returning this year to defend my title but I twisted my left ankle in training on Thursday last week. Unfortunately, my injury has made this impossible but I am focused on getting healthy again after my doctor said I risk causing a stress fracture if I compete,” explained Jepchirchir, adding that she hopes to return to London again in the future when she is fully fit.
Cheruiyot will return to London for the first time in five years.
Cheruiyot, the 2016 Olympic Games 5,000m champion and four-time World Championships gold medallist, has run the London Marathon three times, winning in 2018 and finishing runner-up in 2019.
She last competed in October 2020 when she did not finish the elite-only race in very wet and cold conditions around St James’s Park during the Covid-19 pandemic. She finished third at last year’s New York City Marathon.
“It is a great shame that Ruth and Peres, two of the greatest women marathon runners in history, will not be at this year’s TCS London Marathon,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events as he wished them well, hoping to welcome them back to London next year.
