Women’s marathon world record holder, Ruth Chepng’etich of Kenya, has given the strongest hint yet that her mark might be lowered at the April 27 London Marathon, given the hugely talented field that will compete in the World Majors Marathon (WMM) race.
However, Chepng’etich, who also won gold at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, has warned that it will take meticulous planning and coordination for her world record of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds to fall.
Chepng’etich reckons that the field for this year’s London Marathon is one of the finest ever assembled for a city marathon, and it is not difficult to see why.
“The field is sizzling, strong, and promises a mouth-watering contest, just like what we witnessed last year in Chicago Marathon, but breaking the world record will depend on who wants it more, and is better prepared. I will not say whether or not I will attempt to break the world record because I have just started my preparations for the season. I don’t want to put myself under pressure,” Chepng’etich said.
“We have two world record holders in the race, two Olympic Games marathon champions, and six athletes who have run sub-2:17 marathon races… this is a fine field and anything can happen. But it will all depend on preparations,” she explained.
Practically, everybody who is anybody in women’s distance running will compete in 2025 London Marathon. Chepng’etich will come up against defending champion Peres Jepchirchir, who also holds the world record for women-only marathon, and 2024 Olympic Games marathon champion Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands.
The field also has former marathon world record holder, Tigst Assefa from Ethiopia, who finished second in London last year before claiming silver medal in the marathon race at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after an epic battle with Hassan in the final 100 metres.
Ruth Chepngetich competes in 10km senior women race during Kenya Prisons Inter-Regional Cross Country Championship at the Kenya Prisons Staff Training College on January 18, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
The 2019 world marathon champion noted that an athlete may not have ambitions of breaking a world record when preparing for a race, but things can start falling in place as the race progresses, which may make the athlete to change his or her mind.
“Many athletes have set world records without planning to do so, but a good race provides a platform for a world record,” said Chepng’etich on Saturday after finishing fourth in Kenya Prisons Service Cross Country Championships at the Kenya Prisons Staff Training College (PSTC) in Ruiru, Kiambu County.
Chepng’etich is hoping for a maiden victory in London Marathon, having finished third in the 2020 edition of the race, and ninth last year.
“I’m praying for a good race, and that victory comes my way. This is my first race of the season and I want to continue preparing. I will compete in Athletics Kenya National Cross Country Championships on February 8 in Eldoret, and perhaps one half marathon race before going to London,” she said.
Chepng’etich stunned the world at the Chicago Marathon last year, becoming the first woman to run the marathon in under two hours and 10 minutes. Chepng’etich, who trains in Ngong, Kajiado County, clocked 2:09:56 last October, knocking nearly two minutes off the previous world record set by Assefa in 2023 Berlin Marathon.
Jepchirchir is the owner of the second world record, the women-only race world record of 2:16:16 which she set when winning in London last year. Unlike Chicago Marathon, where the elite women run alongside their male counterparts, the London Marathon has a stand-alone elite women’s race.
At the 2022 Chicago Marathon, Chepng’etich finished within 14 seconds of the world record at the time of 2:14:04 which had been set by Brigid Kosgei in 2019. Chepngétich eventually broke the record last year.
