Inspired by Kenyan athlete Mary Keitany,, Jepchirchir started to engage in athletics
Peres Jepchirchir remains in the news after her recent victory where she won the 2024 London Marathon. She broke the record by 2hrs 16min and 16Seconds, shattering the previous record for women by Keitany’s 2017 time of 2:17:01. This is a world record for the fastest time by a female marathon runner without a pacemaker.
But who is Jepchirchir?
Jepchirchir is a Kenyan professional runner. She grew up in Kosaji village in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County. Her upbringing had its share of hurdles. Being raised in a polygamous family consisting of 24 children didn’t make the situation any easier prompting her to drop out of school due to lack of school fees.
Inspired by Kenyan athlete Mary Keitany, a then world half marathon champion, Jepchirchir started to engage in athletics. She would later start running professionally in 2013 working hard in order to give her family a chance for a better future.
Jepchirchir’s efforts paid off and her talent was spotted by Gianni Demadonna‘s a former Italian male long distance runner and a renowned manager and promoter in track and field athletics. She began to earn invitations to European road races winning three straight races in France in late 2014, the Le Lion Half Marathon, the Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale, and the Corrida de Houilles.
In 2016 while still learning the ways of the track, Jepchirchir was chosen to join the Kenyan team at 2016 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships, defied all odds and won her first of two half marathon world titles.
In February 2017, while a few months pregnant, she won the race in Ras Al Khaimah, in the United Arab Emirates at 1:05:06.
And just 13 months after giving birth to her daughter Natalia, she was back on the tracks defying all odds and won the Lisbon Half Marathon.
Jepchirchir also claimed victory at the 2020 World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland , the 2021 New York City and Marathon. These are just some highlights of part of her other previous wins.
However, at the 2023 London Marathon she finished the race in third place. She says: “I did expect to win last year though there were factors that did contribute to my defeat. This year however I came well prepared and anticipate a win though breaking the record came as a surprise.”
And now the London Marathon winner and record breaker is eyeing to conquer the upcoming Olympic games in Paris 2024 to take place in France from July to August.
“The win has boosted my confidence and I now look forward to participating at the upcoming Olympics. Though I know it won’t be easy competing amongst the best African athletes we already have on the track,” Jepchirchir added.
But with or without a win at the Olympics, Jepchirchir has already imprinted her name in the world books of champions with her impressive track record.
