New York Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi, who recently pulled out of the Boston Marathon due to an ankle injury, has vowed to return stronger.
Lokedi, 28, had been named in the elite field alongside former New York Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei, former Amsterdam Marathon champion Angela Tanui, Sheila Chepkirui and Fancy Chemutai for the April 17 race.
Also in the list is the two-time World Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, Celestine Chepchirchir, Maurine Chepkemoi,Mary Ngugi, Viola Cheptoo and Vivian Chepkirui.
Speaking in Monday night’s NTV live sports show, SportOn, Lokedi recalled the good feeling after winning in on her marathon debut in last year’s New York race.
She clocked 2:23:23, beating Kenyan-born Israeli Lorna Salpeter (2:23:30) and Ethiopia’s world reigning champion Gotytom Gebreslase (2:23:39).
“People must be wondering about me because I won the New York Marathon and I have been named as one of the competitors in the Boston Marathon race, but I have since pulled out due to an injury. This is what an athlete goes through and I believe I will be okay and come back stronger,” she said.
The soft-spoken athlete added that she will be heading to the USA for further treatment.
“I had been advised to slow my training and when I went for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan, nothing was found, the problem persisted. I have to go back to the USA and after treatment I will compete in small road races before I decide on which major race to compete in.
“Definitely in November I have to be in the New York Marathon because that is a race that changed my life completely,” she added.
She challenged her peers to run clean and follow all the rules laid down. Recalling her New York Marathon victory, Lokedi revealed that she wasn’t aware that she was still far from the finishing line after breaking early almost ruining her plan to win the race.
“It was my first race and I just wanted to have fun anyway, but things took another twist and I saw a chance win the race. Wwhen I started seeing people lining up on both sides, I knew that I was almost finishing but I was wrong. I still had two more kilometers but I was happy to finish the race though tired,” she said.
She went to the US in 2015 after clearing her Form Four at Kapkenda Girls High School where she used to compete in long distance races and would always perform well.
Lokedi joined University of Kansas where she pursued Supply Chain and Logistics and graduated in 2019 and joined Under Armour Running Shoe Company.
