Jepchirchir chases second New York title
Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir wins the New York Marathon women's race on November 7, 2021.
What you need to know:
- In October, she represented Kenya at the World Half Marathon Championships in Riga, Latvia where she ran a course record of 1:07:25, finishing ahead of her compatriots Margaret Chelimo and Catherine in that order.
- “My joy has been to represent my country and by competing at the World Half Marathon Championships, I also managed to work on a few things and as we head to the marathon race on Sunday. I ask Kenyans to pray for us to compete well,” she added.
Olympic Games marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir is determined to reclaim the title she won two years ago when she competes in New York City Marathon on Sunday.
Jepchirchir, who won the 2021 New York City Marathon in two hours, 22 minutes and 39 seconds ahead of her fellow countrywoman Viola Cheptoo (2:22:44) and third-placed Yashaneh Ababel (2:22:52), reckons she can win the title again as she returns to familiar territory to compete in the final race of the World Marathon Majors.
“I believe that I have prepared well and having won the race in 2021 when I competed in New York for the first time, I believe that I have what it takes to compete well and reclaim the title,” Jepchirchir told Nation Sport yesterday.
It has been months of intense training for the athlete, who has a personal best time of 2:17:16. On Sunday, Jepchirchir, who finished third in the London Marathon in April, will come up against her compatriots - Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri who has a personal best of 2:21:38, defending champion Sharon Lokedi (2:23:23), former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei (2:14:04) - and a host of other runners.
Also in the field are two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat (2:19:50), Mary Ngugi (2:20:22), and Viola Cheptoo (2:22:44).
The Ethiopians in the field of Letesenbet Gidey (2:16:49), and Fantu Jifar (2:25:45). Ethiopians Yalemzerf Yehualaw (2:17:23) and Gotytom Gebreslase (2:18:11) pulled out of the race.
Jepchirchir who trains in Kapsabet in Nandi County, said although the field is competitive, she hopes to be on top again after coming back from injury.
“I went to London Marathon after coming back from an injury which had kept me out of competition for a long time, and I was so happy to finish on the podium in third place,” Jepchirchir said.
In winning the 2020 Olympic Games marathon title and later the New York Marathon in the same year, Jepchirchir achieved rare success in the same year.
In September, Jepchirchir finished first ahead of Lokedi in the Great North Run Half Marathon in the United Kingdom, and the Olympics champion the competition was a good way to test her form ahead of the New York City Marathon.
“Before any big race, I love competing in a half marathon races just to see what I should work on. It has always worked well for me. The field is rich and anyone might win the race because we have all trained,” Jepchirchir, who is going to compete in her seventh marathon race, added.
In October, she represented Kenya at the World Half Marathon Championships in Riga, Latvia where she ran a course record of 1:07:25, finishing ahead of her compatriots Margaret Chelimo and Catherine in that order.
“My joy has been to represent my country and by competing at the World Half Marathon Championships, I also managed to work on a few things and as we head to the marathon race on Sunday. I ask Kenyans to pray for us to compete well,” she added.
