In London
Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medallist Sheila Chepkirui can be likened to a cat with nine lives.
After visa gremlins saw her miss out on the Boston Marathon last Monday, the 2016 Africa 5,000m champion was able to secure a late entry to her maiden World Marathon Major (WMM) in London on Sunday.
Chepkirui also failed to participate at the World Athletics Championships last year in Oregon, United States of America due to a visa hitch after finishing second during the Kenyan trials.
However, she was able to secure a place in Team Kenya for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last year where she claimed bronze behind winner Eilish McColgan of Scotland and compatriot Irene Cheptai in the 10,000 metres race.
Just like her Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) compatriot Hellen Obiri, who won in Boston on her second outing in marathon, Chepkirui will be deriving inspiration from that feat on her second marathon attempt.
Obiri went into Boston with a personal best of two hours, 25 minutes and 49 seconds from a sixth place finish in the 2022 New York City Marathon but the 32-year-old Chepkirui has a better time heading to London.
Chepkirui clocked 2:17:29 to finish sixth on her marathon debut in Valencia last year in a race that produced some of the greatest times.
Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso, who is fresh from finishing second in Boston, cracked the third fastest time ever in the women’s marathon, winning in Valencia in 2:14:58.
It made Beriso the only other woman to run a sub-2 hours, 15 minutes after Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei (2:14:04 – 2019 Chicago), the reigning world marathon record holder, and Ruth Chepng’etich (2:14:18 – 2022 Chicago).
Obiri, a senior sergeant at KDF and corporal Chepkirui were late entries at their respective races in Boston and London.
“It feels great to compete in my first WMM Series race and it’s more thrilling that it had to be in London, one of the most prestigious marathons in the world,” said Chepkirui, who hopes for the weather to hold for fast times in the British capital.
“There is a forest of rain but I hope it won’t be that bad to ruin the race. I shall do my best to run a good race,” said Chepkirui, who alternated her training in Ngong and Kericho under coach Ismael Kirui. “It is my desire to improve on my personal best.”
However, Chepkirui predicted a tough race by virtue of having the world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei (2:14:04), Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir (2:17:16) and defending champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw (2:17:23) from Ethiopia among the elite athletes.
