Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, the women’s marathon gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympic Games, has shattered the women’s-only marathon record at the London Marathon on Sunday, finishing with a time of 2:16:16.
Jepchirchir broke the previous record of 2:17:01 set by her compatriot Mary Keitany in London in 2017. Ethiopian runner Tigst Assefa secured second place with a time of 2:16:23, a notable difference from her world record-setting performance of 2:11:53 in Berlin last year. Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya placed third, finishing in 2:16:24.
“I thought the race would be fast and that the record would go, but I was not expecting it to be me,” Jepchirchir said after her victory. “It’s because I believe in myself. As I crossed the finish line, I thought about how grateful I am for this to be my last event representing Kenya before I head to Paris. I now know I have a great chance to defend my title in Paris.”
Jepchirchir’s triumph not only cements her status as one of the leading marathon runners globally but also sets the stage for her anticipated defense of her Olympic title at the upcoming Paris Games.
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Peres Jepchirchir beats women's-only marathon record in London
cgtn.com
