Chepkirui plotting for Vienna Marathon course record alongside third stub in 2023

The dust is yet to settle after Kenya's Vibian Chepkirui won the Vienna City Marathon but the 27-year-old is already plotting for her next title in the Austrian capital. 

“I am happy to have won again in Vienna. I want to come back next year and then my goal will be to improve to 2:18," Chepkirui, who ran 2:24:29 in her debut last September. 

“It is my aim to win the race for a third time in a row just as Nancy Kiprop did."

Chepkirui used to train with Kiprop in Iten. It was Kiprop’s course record which she broke on Sunday with a time of 2:20:59. 

“Nancy gave me some advice again before Sunday’s race and she already congratulated me on my course record and said she is proud of me." 

Kiprop won the Vienna City Marathon from 2017 to 2019 and clocked a course record of 2:22:12 three years ago. However, due to an injury, she is still unable to train.

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In relatively good weather conditions but some wind, Chepkirui, who ran only her second marathon after her Vienna debut triumph in 2021, broke away after eight kilometres. 

At the 10kM mark, she had a split time of 33:11 which pointed to a 2:20 finishing time. She was six seconds ahead of fellow Kenyans Ruth Chebitok and Viola Yator. 

For an unexpected reason, the 27-year-old was then not able to maintain this pace. “My husband and pacemaker Wesley Kongogo had a problem with his shoes and got a blister, so he slowed a bit," she explained. 

While she had a lead of nine seconds at halfway, which she passed in 70:38, she was unable to significantly increase it. 

In contrast, Chebitok, who had left behind Yator after the halfway mark, made up the deficit and was running right behind the defending champion at 35k. 

Chepkirui stayed ahead by a step in the final section and it was with around one kilometre to go at Vienna’s Opera House when she increased the pace again and secured her second Vienna marathon victory.