Peres Jepchirir eyes greatness at the 2024 Paris Olympics
No woman has ever won two Olympic marathon titles.
After her exploits at the competitive London Marathon on Sunday, Kenya’s Peres Jepchirir is now on the driving seat to break the jinx and achieve an indelible feat at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
It is difficult to think about Team Kenya’s Women’s Paris marathon squad without the name of Jepchirir there in.
Having already released a star studded provisional list of six brilliant marathoners, Athletics Kenya seem to have a huge task ahead in the selection process of the final three athletes that will make it to the starting line up over the distance in the French capital for the Summer Games.
After clocking 2:16:16 to win the London Marathon for the first time in her second attempt, Jepchirir dropped a huge hint that she is certainly going to defend her title at the Olympics in four months time.
“I am grateful because this is the last event for Kenya to select the Women’s Marathon team for Paris Olympics.When I crossed the line,I knew that I was going to defend my title in Paris,” Peres Jepchirir said in a post race interview.
The 30-year-old long distance runner gave superb show on the streets of Sapporo,Japan and danced to a famous win in the 2020 Tokyo games, becoming the second Kenyan to grab an Olympic gold medal in women’s marathon.
Having shown her resilience once again in London in the women’s race that arguably brought together some of the best marathoners in the world, boasting of nine starters with personal bests of under 2:18,Jepchirir is on the verge of writing history in Paris subject to selection.
The former World Half Marathon record holder,New York, Boston and now London Marathon winner says her legendary status has been propelled by the desire to achieve more and not giving up spirit.
“I believe and trust in myself more despite the challenges of injuries that have made me even to miss some races. I did not lose hope and I thank God that I made it in London Marathon this year,it means alot to me.”
Jepchirir who is based in Kapsabet, Nandi County has never finished outside the podium bracket in the World Marathon Majors that she has given her trial in thus far.
After downing top notch challenge including women’s record holder Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia, Jepchirir is now ranked fourth over the distance this year globally.
Ethiopian duo of Asefa Kebede (2:15:55) and Tigist Ketema (2:16:07) leads the chart with the best marathon in 2024 while Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru who finished second in this year’s Tokyo Marathon ranked third after timing 2:16:14 last month.
