L. MathekaJepchirchir going for New York title on debut
Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 02.11.21. | 13:43
Joyciline Jepkosgei won the 2019 edition, on her marathon debut, ahead of Mary Keitany with Ethiopia's Ruti Aga third in the women's race.
Olympics marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir is set to make her TCS New York City Marathon debut on Sunday 7 November, joining a star-studded elite lineup for the event’s 50th edition as she looks to end her season on a high.
The final two 🥇 of #Tokyo2020 go to Kenya🇰🇪
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 8, 2021
It's the first time in history at an #Olympics Summer Games that a ceremony takes place for both a men's and a women's event during the #ClosingCeremony
Peres Jepchirchir, @EliudKipchoge & medallists get the biggest 👏 of the Games! pic.twitter.com/kuhD2EapM8
The two-time world half-marathon champion, beat a stellar field in Sapporo to win the Olympics women’s gold in 2:27.20 under harsh conditions and will be looking to add to her marathon victory when she takes to the course exactly three months after her Summer Games heroics.
In October 2020, she joined the legendary trio of Tegla Loroupe, Paula Radcliffe and Lornah Kiplagat as the only women to win more than one half marathon world title, after clocking a then world record time 1:05:16 to win the race held in Poland.
The Valencia Marathon defending champion’s personal-best marathon time of 2:17:16 is the fastest in the New York City Marathon women’s elite field but will have competition from among others Namibia’s four-time Olympian and 2019 World Championships bronze medalist Helalia Johannes.
Celebrating New York City Marathon 50th Anniversary!
— Gary Corbitt (@corbittg) November 1, 2021
The Original New York Marathon was called Cherry Tree Marathon (1959 – 1972)https://t.co/rkkMVmkSb4 pic.twitter.com/WMoEx21V4O
“2021 has already been a magical year and I am excited that it is not yet over,” Jepchirchir said. “I am happy about competing in the TCS New York City Marathon. The excitement in Kenya around my performance in the Olympic Games has been very high, and I know that a victory in New York will mean so much to the people of Kenya. The 50th year of something is often called its ‘golden anniversary,’ so how fitting it will be that for New York City’s 50th running I will run as the Olympic gold medalist.”
Johannes, who was 11th in the Olympic Marathon heads to the race as the third fastest with a PB of 2:19:52 while Ethiopia’s Ruti Aga, who won the Tokyo Marathon and finished third at the New York City Marathon in 2019 is second with a 2:18:34 PB.
1:06:47 half marathoner Viola Cheptoo will make her marathon debut in New York, while her brother, Bernard Lagat, does commentary for ESPN.
— Fast Women (@fast_women) October 28, 2021
Lagat told Runner's World he's looking forward to using the correct pronunciation of Kenyan athletes' names. https://t.co/makS3Z3K0z
2019 Chicago Marathon runner-up Ababel Yeshaneh and Kenya’s Nancy Kiprop, the fourth-place finisher at the event in 2019, will also be in contention in New York. Greece’s 10,000-meter record-holder Alexi Pappas and Kenya’s Viola Cheptoo, the sister of five-time Olympian Bernard Lagat, will make their New York debuts.
USA’s Molly Seidel who finished third behind Jepchirchir and Brigid Kosgei at the Olympics to become the first American woman to reach the podium in the event since Deena Kastor finished third 17 years earlier in Athens, will line up for her fourth-ever marathon.
Others expected to put up a challenge for the Olympics champions are Olympic Marathon Trials champion Aliphine Tuliamuk, 2012 Olympic silver medalist Sally Kipyego and 2018 Boston Marathon winner and two-time Olympian Des Linden.
