London Marathon: Kenyans Win Twice, Setting a W Record Exclusively for Women
Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir won the London Marathon on Sunday, April 21, setting a world record for a women-only marathon.
Perhaps her primary goal was to get a chance to defend her Olympic gold medal rather than break the world record for a women-only marathon. In the end, she did both. Jepchirchir had the best finish, effortlessly overtaking her competitors to race the last few hundred meters in front of Buckingham Palace by herself.
In 2 hours, 16 minutes, and 16 seconds, the 30-year-old athlete completed the race; Joyciline Jepkosgei came in third and Tigst Assefa in second. Although it was more than 4 minutes slower than Assefa’s world record for the overall women’s marathon established in Berlin the previous year, it was the fastest time ever recorded in a women-only marathon, surpassing Mary Keitany’s record of 2:17:01 set in London in 2017. About half an hour before the elite men’s field in London, the elite women’s field gets underway.
For Jepchirchir, though, it should solidify her spot on Kenya’s Olympic squad for Paris. According to her, the London Marathon is the last qualifying event before Kenya’s Olympic selectors choose their Paris squad.
