Third time is a charm for 2019 Doha World Champion and three-time Chicago Marathon winner, Ruth Chepngetich, as she lines up against a star-studded women’s race at the London Marathon set for April 25th later in the year.
Chepngetich will be in the hunt for the coveted London marathon title after finishing ninth (2:24:36) during last year’s race then took the world by surprise by setting a massive women’s world record of 2:09.56 during the Chicago Marathon in October 2024.
She will be lined up against 2021 Olympic marathon winner and defending champion Peres Jepchirchir, who smashed the women’s-only world record to set it at 2:16:16 in London, and three-time Olympic Champion Sifan Hassan (Netherlands), making them the three fastest women in the elite field.
Speaking during the Prisons Cross Country Championships held at the Prisons Training College (Ruiru) on Saturday, January 18th, Chepngetich said that she has begun her training for the major marathon with less than 100 days to go.
“I have officially started my intensive training, and I am excited to go back and compete at the London Marathon for the third time. I have used the cross country as part of my speed work, though I have not had smooth training. I was feeling unwell on Friday and was not sure that I would be able to compete at the cross country,” said Chepngetich.
The trio will be a target for two-time Berlin Marathon champion Tigist Assefa, 2021 London Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei, and Valencia Marathon champion Alemu Megertu, who finished third and fourth respectively in London this year. They are among the six women in the field with a PB faster than 2:17.
“The lineup for London is quite strong. I am hoping for the best; I will continue with my training in Ngong. That field can produce another world record. It will depend on who wants to try to break it, though it will not be an easy task,” said Chepngetich.
Other ladies in the lineup include Ethiopia’s 2023 Osaka Marathon champion Haven Hailu, Ugandan record-holder Stella Chesang, and world bronze medallist Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi, while Commonwealth 10,000m champion Eilish McColgan is set to make her marathon debut.
Chepngetich urged athletics enthusiasts to ease up on criticism of athletes’ performances while urging fellow athletes not to take the reproach seriously.
“People must talk; what matters is how you handle yourself in such situations. I did not take their talk seriously because it would have affected me psychologically. I just let them talk as I continue with my career; I know my conscience is clean,” she underscored.
Chepngetich finished fourth in 33 minutes and 51 seconds in the women’s 10km race at the Prisons Cross Country, as Loice Chemining took top honors with a time of 33:09. Brillian Chepkorir finished second in 33:27, while Lilian Odira settled for third place in 33:44.
