Former World Half Marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei’s next focus in London Marathon
Emmanuel Masinde
Former World Half Marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei is setting sights on her debut at the London Marathon slated for Sunday, October 3.
With her experience on road races, the former New York marathon champion said her focus is to prepare well for the race to do well.
Jepkosgei sizzled at the Berlin HalfMarathon yesterday leading other Kenyans to clinch the title as she was timed 1.05.16 followed in the second with her compatriot, the Family Bank half marathon champion, Nancy Jelagat Meto clocking 1.05.21, and followed in a distant third by the former Eldoret City Marathon champion Valary Aiyabei timing 1.07.32.
“I am happy to emerge the winner of today. The course was good and I enjoyed running with the team.” Said Jepkosgei.
She said the Berlin race was one of her ways to gauge her speed ahead of the London Marathon.
“I am really preparing for the race now and I have been training ahead of the race.
You know the holiday was long and I am really itching to be fit for the race so I cannot say how it will be but let us wait until the day of the race. I am going to try my best,” said Jepkosgei
Jepkosgei, who hails from Cheptil in Nandi County and is trained by her husband Nicholas Koech in Iten, broke the world record in 2017 during the Prague half marathon, lowering her compatriots Peres Jepchichir record of 1.05.06 that lasted for a month when she broke Florence Kiplagat’s record.
The 27-year-old Kenya Defence Forces officer surprised the world with her stellar performance to break the world half marathon record as well as the 10km and 15km marks during the Prague half marathon.
Jepkosgei became the first woman to break 65:00 barrier in the half marathon in a stunning 64:52 to slice 14 seconds off Peres Jepchirchir‘s then seven-week-old world record.
Jepkosgei started running in primary school before actively participating at the secondary level where she won a number of races.
In 2007, while a Form Two student at Cheptil High School, she won the cross country title barefoot proceeding to the nationals where she also prevailed.
She says her athletic career and success is a culmination of many years of hard work, perseverance and trusting in God.
