Its battle of Ethiopians and Kenyans in Sunday’s London Marathon women's race
Seven women in the field have PBs faster than 2:19, while three of those – Yehualaw and Jepkosgei included – have bettered 2:17
Ethiopia’s world 10km record-holder Yalemzerf Yehualaw and defending TCS London Marathon champion Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei headline an incredibly deep women’s line-up for the World Athletics Elite Platinum road race on Sunday.
Seven women in the field have PBs faster than 2:19, while three of those – Yehualaw and Jepkosgei included – have bettered 2:17.
Yehualaw heads to the British capital undefeated in all four of her road races this year. She only made her marathon debut as recently as April, winning in Hamburg with 2:17:23 – the fastest marathon debut in history. Earlier in the year she had set a world 10km record of 29:14, while more recently she warmed up for London with a 1:04:22 victory at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in late August.
Jepkosgei has raced just once this year, placing seventh at the Boston Marathon in April, but her past record underlines her status as a formidable opponent. She won in London last year in 2:17:43, her second victory in a marathon major, having also won in New York in 2019.
Yehualaw and Jepkosgei have clashed just once before, at the 2020 World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, where Yehualaw finished three places ahead of the Kenyan. But in a non-championship race over double the distance, the outcome on Sunday could be quite different.
Ashete Bekere is the third woman in the field with a sub-2:18 PB. The 2019 Berlin winner placed second in Tokyo earlier this year in 2:17:58. Having finished fourth in London in 2020 and third in 2021, she will be aiming to continue that trajectory with a top-two finish on Sunday.
Former half marathon specialist Joan Chelimo Melly finally got to grips with the marathon earlier this year, setting a Romanian record of 2:18:04 to win in Seoul. She placed seventh in London last year, but is an improved runner since then.
Sutume Asefa Kebede finished a close second to Melly in Seoul, clocking a PB of 2:18:12. The 27-year-old Ethiopian has contested nine marathons to date, winning one of them (Beijing in 2019), but this will be her first in London.
Kenya’s Judith Jeptum Korir was a late addition to the field but is still one to watch. Earlier this year she won in Paris with a course record of 2:19:48, then improved on that mark to take silver at the World Championships in Eugene, clocking a PB of 2:18:20. She has finished in the top two of all seven of her marathons to date, winning five of them.
Ethiopia’s Alemu Megertu and Hiwot Gebrekidan, who have set respective PBs this year of 2:18:51 and 2:19:10 add even further depth to the high quality field.
Mary Ngugi’s PB may not be as fast as some of her rivals, but this will be her first run on one of the faster big city courses. Two successive third-place finishes in Boston underlines the Kenyan’s pedigree.
Others in the field include Britain’s Charlotte Purdue and Japanese duo Reia Iwade and Ai Hosoda.
