Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya smashed the marathon world record for a women’s-only competition when she stormed to the finish of the London Marathon in 2:16.16.
The category requires that a course be run without any male athletes in competition on the course and is tracked separately than the standard women’s record, set at 2:11.53 by Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia last year in Berlin.
Assefu, her compatriot Megertu Alemu, and Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei all finished inside 2:17.01, the previous record set by Mary Keitany in 2017.
Poetry in motion.
2:16:16 women-only marathon world record for 🇰🇪's Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir in London.
📹 @LondonMarathon #londonmarathon2024 pic.twitter.com/BPnJeNhg0i
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) April 21, 2024
The lead group all stayed together until the last few hundred metres when Jepchirchir put on a burst of speed to get across the line.
“I am feeling grateful. I am so happy for victory,” said the 30-year-old after her victory.
“I was not expecting to run a world record — I knew it might be beat but I did not expect it to be me. I knew the history and the ladies were strong. I was working extra hard. My time was lower but I’ve come good today and set a PB.”
“I am so happy to qualify for the Olympics and I feel grateful. I’m happy to be at Paris and my prayer is to be there and run well to defend my title. I know it won’t be easy but I’ll try my best.”
Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland finished six minutes ahead of Manuela Schar, also of Switzerland, to win the women’s wheelchair race in her second victory in the London Marathon.