Peres Jepchirchir breaks world record as Kenyans shine in 2024 London Marathon
21st April 2024
Olympic champion Jepchirchir set a new women’s only world record at the race.
- Kenyan athletes won both the men’s and women’s titles at the 2024 London Marathon.
- Alexander Mutiso won his maiden Abbott World Marathon Majors title in 2:04.01.
- The pre-race favorite Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia finished second.
Jepchirchir outpaced several elite athletes including
Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa and former world record holder Brigid Kosgei to clinch
the coveted title in 2:16.16.
Her time was 45 seconds faster than the former world record of 2:17.01 that was set by her compatriot Mary Keitany in 2017.
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The race started on a high pace with a number of East African runners including Assefa, Jepchirchir, Megertu Alemu and Joyciline Jepkosgei crossing the half mark in an impressive time of 1:07.04.
With a few minutes remaining to the end of the hotly
contested race, Jepchirchir, Assefa and Jepkosgei detached themselves from Alemu
and never looked back.
At the end, Jepchirchir, whose 2023 season was negatively
impacted by injuries, turned on the screw, leaving Assefa and Jepkosgei
battling it out for the second position.
Assefa came out on top, crossing the finishing line in
2:16.23 while Jepkosgei settled for third in 2:16.24.
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In the men’s category, Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso Munyao
stunned big names such as Ethiopia’s legend Kenenisa Bekele to win his first-ever
Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMMs) title in style.
The Ngong-based runner switched on the gears at the final
stages and went on to break the tape in a time of 2:04.01.
Mutiso, who is expected to represent Kenya in the Paris
Olympic Games, was closely followed by Bekele.
The 41-year-old crossed the finishing line in 2:04.15 while
Britain’s Emile Cairess secured the third position in 2:06.46.
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Mutiso and Jepkosgei are part of the stars who were recently
selected by Athletics Kenya (AK) to represent the country at the upcoming 2024
Paris Olympic Games.
The former will work together with the likes of former world
record holder Eliud Kipchoge and the recently crowned Tokyo Marathon champion
Benson Kipruto to bring the coveted title home.
On the other hand, Jepkosgei is expected to team up with the likes of Rosemary Wanjiru, Kosgei, Ruth Chepngetich and the two-time Boston Marathon winner Hellen Obiri.
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