Peres Jepchirchir: Sight of the finish line 100m away re-energised me

The 31-year-old Jepchirchir, who is married to former athlete Davis Ng’eno, fought back to win the race in two hours, 24 minutes and 43 seconds ahead of Assefa who clocked 2:24:45 for second place, and bronze medalist Julia Paternain from Uruguay who timed 2:27:23.

Kenya’s other athletes in the race were Jackline Cherono and Magdalyne Masai. While Cherono finished 17th, Masai fell victim to Tokyo's sweltering heat and dropped out of the race.

Speaking to the Daily Nation, moments after winning the race on Saturday at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Jepchirchir, who also won gold in women’s marathon at the 2020 Olympic Games held in Tokyo in 2021, said the sight of the finish line 100 metres away filled her tiring legs with fresh energy and she seized the moment to win the race.

“When we entered the stadium, we were neck and neck with Assefa but I was already too tired. She (Assefa) injected more pace into the race with 400 metres left, and again did the same just 200 meters to go. But with 100 metres to go, I saw the finish line ahead and felt fresh energy in my legs, and I surged ahead to win,” Jepchirchir said. 

Moments earlier, there was nothing to separate Jepchirchir and Assefa as the two athletes ran on the streets of Tokyo in an evenly-poised two-horse battle.

When they made their way back to Tokyo National Stadium where the race had started two hours earlier, the crowd cheered wildly. Twice, Assefa surged ahead, and Jepchirchir responded instantly on both occasions, matching the Ethiopian’s pace.

Jepchirchir was elated by the victory.

“This was my first race this season. I thank God for this. I was not expecting it, but I feel so happy to run here in the World Athletics Championships and win. I feel so grateful,” she said.

Yet only four months ago while preparing for April 27 London Marathon, she suffered a big injury scare that threatened to derail her plans for the world championships.

“This was my first race this season. In April I felt so bad. I was in great shape, but I twisted my ankle and suffered oedema (swelling of body tissues caused by build-up of fluid). Rather than risking a stress fracture, I decided to take a break. I took a break for two months, resumed training afterwards and cancelled my plans for (September 21) Berlin Marathon so as to concentrate on the World Athletics Championships," Jepchirchir said.

Held in sweltering heat with temperatures in the region of 30 degrees Celsius, the women’s marathon was also a battle between man and nature, with several casualties.

Ten athletes did not finish the race, among them Kenya’s Masai, Uganda’s Juliet Chekwel, and Kenyan-born Israeli Lorna Salpeter.

In a sense, Jepchirchir returned the favour to Assefa, who broke the Kenyan runner’s women-only world record in London earlier this year in 2:15:50. Assefa was beaten to Olympic gold in Paris last year after a sprint finish with eventual winner Sifan Hassan.

“I don’t like to think I lost gold,” Assefa said afterwards.

“I had some difficulties in my preparation for Tokyo, taking a long rest after breaking the world record at the London Marathon this year, so I’m just happy I finished the race with the silver medal.”

Jepchirchir’s winning time of 2:24:43 is the fifth fastest winning time in World Athletics Championships history.

Jepchirchir also becomes the second female athlete after Rosa Mota from Portugal (1987-1988) to have won both Olympic and world marathon titles. She won Olympic gold in Tokyo (Sapporo) in 2020.

The race took athletes from the iconic Tokyo National Stadium to the bustling streets of the Japanese capital city. The men’s race, scheduled for Monday (September 15), will be held on the same on the same 42.195 km route.